United States Chief Financial Officer EPA 205 R-98-003
Environmental Protection (2732) February 1998
Agency
•PA Fiscal Year 1999
Justification Of Appropriation
Estimates For The Committees
On Appropriations
Recycled/Recyclable • Printed with Vegetable Based Inks on Recycled Paper (20% Postconsumer)
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan
Table of Contents
Introduction and Overview *.,....-..-. i-1
Mission Statement and Agency Purpose i-1
Goals i-2
Guiding Principles 1-4
New Approaches to Planning and Budgeting. ........... i-5
Organization for the Annual Plan . i-6
Overview of the Plan. i-ll
Resource Tables * RT-1
Resources by Appropriation RT-1
Resources by Goal/Appropriation , RT-3
Resources by Goal/Objective RT-15
Goal 1: Clean Air 1-1
Attain National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) for Ozone and PM 1-5
Reduce Emissions of Air Toxics. , • 1-22
Attain NAAQS for CO, S02, N02, and Lead 1-33
Acid Rain , 1-40
Goal 2: Clean and Safe Water II-l
Enhance Human Health Through Safe Drinking Water II-7
Conserve and Enhance Nation's Waters.. 11-26
Reduce Loadings and Air Deposition. .............. 11-47
Goal 3: Safe Food .111-1
Reduce Agricultural Pesticides Risk III-4
Reduce Use on Food of Pesticides Not Meeting Standards. .... III-9
Goal 4: Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes,
Workplaces and Ecosystems IV-1
Reduce Public and Ecosystems Exposure to Pesticides ...... IV-7
Reduce Lead Poisoning ........... IV-13
Safe Handling and Use of Commercial Chemicals
and Microorganisms. IV-19
Healthier Indoor Air. IV-30
Improve Pollution Prevention Strategies, Tools, Approaches. . . IV-38
Decrease Quantity and Toxicity of Waste IV-45
Assess Conditions in Indian Country IV-53
Goal 5: Better Waste Management and Restoration of Contaminated
Waste Sites V-l
Reduce or Control Risks to Human Health V-7
Prevent Releases by Proper Facility Management. , V-27
Respond to All Known Emergencies. . V-48
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Goal 6: Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks . , VI-1 *
Reduce Transboundary Threats, Shared North American
Ecosystems VI-6
Climate Change . . ,.,,.,,. VI-16
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion VI-31
Protect Public Health and Ecosystems From Persistent Toxics ., VI-38
Prevent Degradation of the Marine and Polar Environments ,. . . VI-.45
Achieve Cleaner and More Cost-Effective Practices. ...... VI-49
Goal 7: Expansion of Americans' Right to Know About Their Environment VII-1
Increase Quality/Quantity of Education, Outreach,
Data Availability VII-6
Improve Public's Ability to Reduce Exposure , VII-18
Enhance Ability to Protect Human Health. ........... VII-27
Goal 8: Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risks,
and Greater Innovation to Address Environmental Problems VIII-1
Research for Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration VIII-6
Research for Human Health Risk Assessment VIII-20
Research to Detect Emerging Risk Issues ... VIII-32
Pollution Prevention and New Technology for Environmental
Protection VIll-44
Enable Research on Innovative Approaches to Current and
Future Environmental Problems VIII-57
Increase Use of Integrated, Holistic, Partnership Approaches . viII-61
Increase Opportunities for Sector Based Approaches VIII-65
Regional Enhancement of Ability to Quantify - )
Environmental Outcomes . VIII-69
Science Advisory Board Peer Review VIII-72
Incorporate Innovative Approaches to Environmental
Management > . . . • , . , VIII-7.5
Goal 9: A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and Greater Compliance
with the Law IX-1
Enforcement Tools to Reduce Non-Compliance IX-4
Increase Use of Auditing, Self-Policing Policies ....... IX-11
Goal 10: Effective Management X-l
Executive Leadership , . X-6
Management Services, Administrative, and Stewardship ...... X-12
Building Operations, Utilities and New Construction , X-23
Regional Management Services and Support . . . , X-29
Provide Audit and Investigative Products and Services. ..... X-33
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Special Analysis ...... SA-1
EPA User Fees Program SA-1
.Non-Appropriated Funds SA-3
Working Capital Fund SA-5
The Customer Service Program and its Goals , . . . . SA-6
Costs and Benefits for Economically Significant Rule in 1998
Or 1999 SA-9
Funds for America Chart , SA-18
Appropriations by Object Class ....... SA-19
STAG State and Tribal Assistance Grants SA-24
State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) SA-2.5
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Introduction/Overview
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Introduction and Overview . ....,...* i-1
Mission Statement and Agency Purpose i-1
Goals :..... i-2
Guiding Principles i-4
New Approaches to Planning and Budgeting i-5
Organization for the Annual Plan. . . - i-6
Overview of the Plan. ....,.,,.. i-11
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EPA's Mission and Purpose
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human
health and to safeguard the natural environment--air, water, and land--upon
which life depends. EPA's purpose is to ensure that:
• All Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and
the environment where they live, learn, and work.
• National efforts to reduce environmental risk are based on the best
available scientific information.
• Federal laws protecting human health and the environment are enforced
fairly and effectively.
• Environmental protection is an integral consideration in U.S. policies
concerning natural resources, human health, economic growth, energy,
transportation, agriculture, industry, and international trade, and
these factors are similarly considered in establishing environmental
policy.
• All parts of society--communities, individuals, business, state and
local governments, and tribal governments--have access to accurate
information sufficient to effectively participate in managing human
health and environmental risks.
• Environmental protection contributes to making our communities and
ecosystems diverse, sustainable, and economically productive.
• The United States plays a leadership role in working with other nations
to protect the global environment.
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EPA's Goals
EPA has developed a series of ten strategic, long-term Goals in its
Strategic Plan. These goals, together with the underlying principles that
will be used to achieve them, define the Agency's planning, budgeting,
analysis, and accountability process.
• Clean Air: The air in every American community will be safe and healthy
to breathe. In particular, children, the elderly, and people with
respiratory ailments will be protected from health risks of breathing
polluted air. Reducing air pollution will also protect the environment,
resulting in many benefits, such as restoring life in damaged ecosystems
and reducing health risks to those whose .subsistence depends directly on
those ecosystems.
• Clean and Safe Water: All Americans will have drinking water that is
clean and safe to drink. Effective protection of America's rivers,
lakes, wetlands, aquifers, and coastal and ocean waters will sustain
fish, plants, and wildlife, as well as recreational, subsistence, and
economic activities. Watersheds and their aquatic ecosystems will be
restored and protected to improve public health, enhance water quality,
reduce flooding, and provide habitat for wildlife.
* Safe Food: The foods Americans eat will be free from unsafe pesticide
residues. Children especially will be protected from the health threats
posed by pesticide residues, because they are among the most vulnerable
groups in our society.
• Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes, Workplaces
and Ecosystems: Pollution prevention and risk management strategies
aimed at cost-effectively eliminating, reducing, or minimizing emissions
and contamination will result in cleaner and safer environments in which
all Americans can reside, work, and enjoy life. EPA will safeguard
ecosystems and promote the health of natural communities that are
integral to the quality of life in this nation.
• Better Waste Management, Restoration of Contaminated Waste Sites, and
Emergency Response: America's wastes will be stored, treated, and
disposed of in ways that prevent harm to people and to the natural
environment. EPA will work to clean up previously polluted sites,
restoring them to uses appropriate for surrounding communities, and
respond to and prevent waste-related or industrial accidents.
* Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks: The United
States will lead other nations in successful, multilateral efforts to
reduce significant risks to human health and ecosystems from climate
change, stratospheric ozone depletion, and other hazards of
international concern.
* Expansion of Americans' Right to Know About Their Environment: Easy
access to a wealth of information about the state of -their local
environment will expand citizen involvement and give people tools to
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protect theif families and their communities as they see fit. Increased
j information exchange between scientists, public health officials,
businesses, citizens, and all levels of government will foster greater
knowledge about the environment and what can be done to protect it.
• Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems: EPA will develop and
apply the best available science for addressing current and future
environmental hazards, as well as new approaches toward improving
environmental protection,
* A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and Greater Compliance with the Law:
EPA will ensure full compliance with laws intended to protect human
health and the environment.
• 'Effective Management: EPA will establish a management infrastructure
that will set and implement the highest quality standards for effective
internal management and fiscal responsibility.
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Guiding Principles
Reduce Health and Environmental Risks: We will protect human health and
the environment by employing cost-effective risk reduction strategies,
based on sound, peer-reviewed science, in our implementation of
programs. In making decisions about Agency priorities, we will balance
our efforts to reduce ecological risks with our efforts to reduce risks
to human health.
Emphasize Pollution Prevention: We will structure our approaches to
create incentives for preventing pollution and the transfer of pollution
among air, water, and land. To accomplish this, the Agency will use a
mix of tools—including performance standards and economic incentives in
setting national pollution controls, as well as voluntary pollution
reductions and other innovative alternatives--in furtherance of EPA's
goals and objectives.
Emphasize Children's Health: We will ensure that all standards EPA sets
address children's unique vulnerability to health and environmental
threats, and we will place emphasis on identifying and assessing
environmental health risks that may affect children disproportionately.
Strengthen Partnerships: We will enhance EPA's partnerships with
federal, tribal, state, and local agencies. Congress, private industry,
public interest groups, and citizens in order to identify environmental
goals and work together to achieve them. Our internal partnership with
EPA employee labor organizations will also be critical to our success.
Maximize Public Participation and Community Right to Know: We will
increase the flow of information to the public, enhancing every
American's right to know about local environmental hazards and general
conditions, and thereby enable people to make informed environmental
decisions and participate in setting local and national priorities.
Emphasize Comprehensive Regional and Community-Based Solutions: We will
structure our approaches to address all forms of pollution
simultaneously--in the air, land and water--and do so in a way that
confronts environmental problems on a community-wide or regional basis.
Place Emphasis on Indian Country: We will work with Indian tribes on a
government-to-government basis to ensure the protection of the
environment and human health in Indian Country, consistent with our
trust relationship with tribes and our interest in conservation of
cultural uses of natural resources.
Choose Common Sense, Cost-Effective Solutions: Because a safer,
healthier environment goes hand-in-hand with a robust economy, we will
fulfill EPA's goals using common sense approaches that consider benefits
and costs and seek the most cost-effective ways to integrate our efforts
with those aimed at economic growth. We will work to increase
environmental stewardship and accountability and get-better
environmental protection at reasonable cost by incorporating successful
innovations into the daily operation of environmental programs.
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New Approaches to Planning and Budgeting
In 1995, EPA embarked on a far-reaching effort to fundamentally change
past approaches to planning, budgeting, performance measurement, and
accountability.. This entails core changes to budget structures and the
implementation of processes to link budgeting and accountability. In March of
1996, Administrator Carol Browner announced the creation of a new Planning,
Budgeting, Analysis and Accountability (PBAA) process that is intended to meet
the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) and
dramatically improve EPA's ability to achieve results -- improvements in human
health and the environment,
The new PBAA process has four specific purposes: (1) to develop goals
and objectives for accomplishing the Agency's mission; (2) to make better use
of scientific information .related to human health and environmental risks in
setting priorities; (3) to improve the link between long-term planning and
annual resource allocation; and (4) to develop a new management system to
assess our accomplishments and provide feedback for making future decisions.
While this effort will take several years to fully implement, the Agency is
making real progress in the short term while we build for the future. The new
PBAA process comprises several steps, including:
• A Strategic Plan, which describes EPA's strategic mission, long-term
goals, and specific shorter-term (i.e., 5 years or more) objectives that
the .Agency will .meet in achieving the goals.
* Annual Performance Plans and Budget Requests, which will be derived from
the Strategic Plan and a multi-year planning process, will serve as the
"basis for budget decisions. They will describe annual performance
goals, measures of outputs and outcomes, and activities aimed at
achieving the annual performance goals and making progress toward
longer-term goals and objectives*
• Program Performance Reports, required by GPRA six months after the end
of the fiscal year, which will assess the progress EPA has made toward
achieving its goals and report on the Agency's success in accomplishing
its annual performance goals..
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Organization of the Annual Plan
The organization of EPA's 1999 Annual Plan reflects the Agency's new
approach, which links planning and budgeting. The Annual Plan presents the
Agency's Goals and Objectives, and identifies the 1999 actions and resources
needed to achieve them, consistent with the Strategic Plan. This new approach
promotes fiscal accountability through a direct connection with the strategic
plan, and between resources and outcomes. This Annual Plan also constitutes
the Agency's request to Congress for the 1999 budget. The Annual Plan is the
linchpin to each of the Agency's objectives contained in the strategic plan,
because the Annual Plan sets forth in measurable and quantifiable form the
intermediate levels' of performance for each objective in the budget year.
'Resource Tables
The resource tables provide a broad overview of the resources that the
Agency is requesting for 1999. Those resources are identified by Goal,
Objective, and Appropriation. The dollar amounts in these and other tables
may not add due to independent rounding.
Goal and Objective Sections
The Goal and Objective sections contain detailed narrative and resource
information on the Agency's 10 Goals and 45 Objectives. Each objective is
linked to a specific Goal, and detailed information on the Objectives directly
follows the Goals they support.
* Goal Overview: The Goal Overviews describe each of EPA's long-term
Strategic Goals, which support the Agency's overall mission. The
narratives in the Goal Overviews describe the Goals and their most
significant programmatic components. This section also contains a set
of annual performance goals that represent the key commitments that the
Agency will report on to Congress for the purpose of evaluating our
performance under GPRA. In selecting these goals, the Agency has
attempted to address the legislative concern expressed in GPRA that
"annual plans not be voluminous presentations describing
performance.„.for every activity. The annual plan and reports are to
inform, not overwhelm the reader." The Goal .Overview section also
includes the total dollar and FTE resources devoted that Goal. Those
totals equal the sum of the totals contained In each Objective section.
• Objective Overview: Like Goals, Objectives are a critical part of the
new planning and budgeting process, and they respond to the GPRA
requirement to plan achievable Objectives. Each Objective supports the
attainment of a specific Goal. Objective narratives describe specific
agency functions and the operational processes and human, capital and
technological resources required to meet the performance goals.
Narratives in the Objective overviews also contain a comprehensive set
of annual performance goals and performance measures that address the
entire spectrum of Agency activities for FY 1999 and FT 1998. The
Agency is committed to incorporating results-based management at all
levels, from line managers to policy makers. The set of performance
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goals and. measures contained in each objective section of our annual
plan will be used to inform the Agency on its performance so that
programs are delivered in the most efficient and effective manner.
• Annual Performance Goals: Annual Performance Goals are central to
measuring progress toward achieving Objectives. They are quantifiable
standards, values, or rates against which actual achievement can be
compared. They establish the connection between longer-term objectives
and the day-to-day activities in the Agency's programs and will be used
by managers to determine how well a program or activity is doing in
accomplishing its intended results. This Annual Plan lists Annual
Performance Goals for both 1998 and 1999, as well as a description of
how achieving the Annual Performance Goals advance accomplishment of the
Obj ectives.
• Key Performance Measures i Key Performance Measures provide the means
for determining the extent to which annual goals and multi-year
objectives are being achieved. As such, they are essential to program
evaluations that help to guide the Agency's strategic planning. This
Annual Plan indicates Key Performance Measures for 19.98 and 1.999.
• Key Performance Measure Verification: The Key Performance Measures
Verification section describes how the values used in Performance
Measures are verified and validated. This section fulfills a GPRA
requirement that Performance Measure Verification be included in the
Annual Plan. This section includes a description, of the source of the
performance measure data and a general description of current procedures
for .quality assurance. This section may also include information such
as plans to subject the methodology of the data collection or analysis
to independent review.
• Statutory Authority: This section cites the public law that gives the
Agency legal authority to carry out the Objective.
Special Analyses
The final section of the Annual Plan includes special analyses. These
include:
• External Costs.and Benefits: This section identifies regulatory actions
that are likely to result in a rule that may have an annual effect on
the economy of $100 million or more. This analysis is1 required by
executive order and is reported in the Agency's annual "Regulatory
Plan."
•• Resource Tables; This section also contains tables that demonstrate the
relationship between the budget and planning structures. The budget
structure will continue to evolve as we work to fully integrate
planning, budgeting, and accountability, and address concerns identified
by our stakeholders.
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goals and measures contained in each objective section of our annual
plan will be used to inform the Agency oil its performance so that
programs are delivered in the most efficient and effective manner.
• Annual Performance Goals: Annual Performance Goals are central to
measuring progress toward achieving Objectives. They are quantifiable
standards, values, or rates against which actual achievement can be
compared. They establish the connection between longer-term objectives
and the day-to-day activities in the Agency's programs and will be used
by managers to determine how well a program or activity is doing In
accomplishing its intended results. This Annual Plan lists Annual
Performance Goals for both 1998 and 1999, as -well as a description of
how achieving the Annual Performance Goals advance accomplishment of the
Objectives.
• Key Performance Measures: Key Performance Measures provide the means
for determining the extent to which annual goals and multi-year
objectives are being achieved. As such, they are essential to program
evaluations that help to guide the Agency's strategic planning. This
Annual Plan indicates Key Performance Measures for 19:98 and 1999.
• Key .Performance .Measure Verification: The Key Performance Measures
Verification section describes how the values used in Performance
Measures are verified and validated. This section fulfills a GPRA
requirement that Performance Measure Verification be included in the
.Annual Plan. This section includes a description of the source of the
performance measure data and a general description of current procedures
for quality assurance. This section may also include information such
as plans to subject the methodology of the data collection or analysis
to independent review.
• Statutory Authority: This section cites the public law that gives the
Agency legal authority to carry out the Objective.
Special Analyses
The final section of the Annual Plan includes special analyses. These
include:
• External^Costs and Benefits; This section identifies regulatory actions
that are likely to result in a rule that may have an annual effect on
the economy of $100 million or more. This analysis is required by
executive order and is reported in the Agency's annual "Regulatory
Plan."
* •Resource,,, Tables: This section also contains tables that demonstrate the
relationship between the budget and planning structures. The budget
structure will continue to evolve as we work to fully integrate
planning, budgeting, and accountability, and address concerns identified
by our stakeholders.
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• Customer•Service Standards: This section describes the Agency's plan to
improve its mission .of protecting public health and the environment .by
more efficiently and effectively serving the public, industry, state and
local agencies, and other customers.
* .Working. .Capital Fund-: This section describes the Working Capital Fund, a
revolving fund authorized by law to finance a cycle of operations, where
the costs of goods and services provided are charged to the Agency users
on a fee-for-service basis.
• User Fees: This section describes the Agency's user fee programs. User
fees are the Congressionally-authorized collection of fees charged to
Agency customers which cover the cost of selected permitting, testing,
registration, and approval actions.
" Non-appropriated Funds; This section describes the Agency's non-
appropriated funds. The Agency has two such non-appropriated funds, the
Reregistration and Expedited Processing Revolving Fund, and the
Revolving Fund for Certification and Other Services, which cover the
cost of certain Agency activities and do not require an appropriation.
0se of Won-Federal Parties in Preparing this Annual Plan
The .Annual Plan was prepared in conformance with section .220.7 of OMB
Circular A-11, concerning the role of non-Federal parties in preparing the
Annual Plan.
Relationship Between the Annual Plan and the Strategic Plan
As described above, the Annual 'Plan is closely aligned with the Agency's
Strategic Plan which was submitted to Congress in September 1997. Minor
changes include:
• One objective included in the Annual Plan was not included in the
Strategic Plan. This objective, within the Goal, "Sound Science,
improved Understanding of Environmental Risk., and Greater Innovation to
Address Environmental Problems," addresses new Reinvention activities.
The Objective statement is as follows: "'Incorporate innovative
approaches to environmental management into EPA programs, so that EPA
and external partners achieve greater and more cost-effective public
health and environmental protection."
• Also within the "Sound Science" Goal, the following Objective in the
Annual Plan was not specifically addressed in the Strategic Plan:
"Enable Research on Innovative Approaches to Current and Future
Environmental Problems." This Objective was not addressed because no
programmatic goals are associate with this objective. Its purpose is to
describe resources related to operating expenses in the Agency's
research programs. The Agency intends to remove the Objective from the
.Annual Plan once necessary cost-accounting mechanisms have been
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established to properly attribute those costs across our research-
related .objectives.
• Within the "Effective Management" Goal, one objective in the Strategic
Plan is addressed as two Objectives in the Annual Plan. in the
Strategic Plan the objective was as follows: "EPA will provide the
management services, administrative support and facility operations
necessary to achieve its environmental mission and to meet its fiduciary
and workforce responsibilities." In the Annual Plan two Objectives
.delineate headquarters and regional resources. The two Objectives are as
follows: "The Regions will continue to provide the management services,
infrastructure support and facility operations necessary for the Agency
to achieve its environmental mission, and meet its fiduciary and
workforce responsibilities;•" and "The Agency will provide the management
services, administrative support and operations to enable the Agency to
achieve its environmental mission and to meet its fiduciary and
workforce responsibilities."
Relationship between Budgeted Resources and Annual Performance Goals and
Measures
.Annual Performance Goals are related to the resource levels contained in
each objective. Annual Performance Goals in this Annual Performance Plan are
based upon the resource levels requested in FY 1999. However, resources may
contribute not only to the budget year's Annual Performance Goals but also to
the accomplishment of .goals in future years. For example, a performance goal
to complete a number of Superfund site cleanups, or develop research methods
and models, generally requires a period longer than one year. Thus, resources
requested in FY 1999 will contribute to completion of work in FY 1999 and
beyond. Likewise, some FY 1999 Annual Performance Goals are achievable only
with appropriations provided in prior years.
Given this multi-year characteristic of some of the resources requested,
it is not possible to establish direct linkages between the budget requested
for a particular year and the achievement of all performance goals for that
year.
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Annual Plan Overview
For 25 years, the Environmental Protection Agency and its partners have
made significant strides in controlling pollution and other environmental
risks to human health and the environment. The air, land, and water are now
safer for all Americans due to our Nation's investment in environmental
protection.
The EPA's plan for 1999 builds on that success' and invests in programs
that deliver consistently better environmental protection at less cost. The
EPA's 1999 Annual Plan provides $7.8 billion and 18,375 FTE for the Agency's
programs.
This Annual Plan represents the .EPA's new approach to planning and
budgeting, which links goals and objectives to the human, capital, and
technological resources required to achieve them. The EPA's 199.9 Annual
Plan represents the Agency's full participation in the Government Performance
and Results Act (GPRA) , which .is designed -.to increase the effectiveness and
accountability of Federal Agencies.
Key Initiatives in the Annual Plan
The EPA is committed to providing the greatest degree of environmental
protection at the lowest possible cost and regulatory burden to citizens and
businesses. The Agency has several key initiatives which are designed to
address environmental risks effectively while maintaining the Administration'^
commitment to a strong economy and a streamlined Federal government.
Many of these initiatives are supported across the Agency and involve a
number of strategic goals and objectives. They all work to support the
Agency's mission to reduce risk to human health and safeguard the environment
for future generations.
• .Ensuring' Clean and Safe Water: The .President has 'made the protection of
America's water supply and waterways a national priority. To meet this
commitment, the 1999 budget includes a Clean Water Initiative as well as
strong support for the Nation's water infrastructure through State
Revolving Funds:
> Restoring and Protecting America's Waterways through the
President's "Clean Water and Watershed Restoration Initiative":
This year the President is launching a Clean Water and Watershed
. Restoration Initiative to implement the Administration's Clean
Water Action Plan, a far reaching new effort to clean America's
rivers, lakes and coastal waters. The EPA will play a key role in
this initiative, focusing on three challenges to restore and
protect the Nation's waterways: preventing polluted runoff;
protecting public health; and ensuring community-based watershed
management. This initiative is funded in the Agency's Annual Plan
at $649 million, as part of the President's Environmental
Resources Fund for America. It builds on the Agency's on-going
efforts in water quality, with increases to selected water
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programs of $145 million over 1998. This initiative increases
grants to States to implement water quality improvement projects
as well as other Agency activities such as the restoration and
protection of our Nation's wetlands.
* Upgrading the Nation's Water Cualifcy Infrastructure: The budget
proposes $775 million in capitalization grants for Drinking Water
State Revolving Funds (SRFs), which make low-interest loans to
help municipalities meet the requirements of the Safe Drinking
Water Act Amendments. The funds will help ensure that Americans
have a safe, clean drinking water supply -- our first line of
defense in protecting public health. The budget also proposes
$1.075 billion in capitalization grants to Clean Water SRFs to
help municipalities comply with the Clean Water Act, thus helping
to reduce beach closures and keep our waterways safe and clean.
The combined SRF proposal, with continued o.utye.ar capitalization,
will meet the Administration's long-term goal to provide about
$2.5 billion a year in loans to needy communities. Both the Clean
Water SRF and the Drinking Water SRF are part of the President's
Environmental Resources Fund for America.
Meeting the Global Warming Challenge: In his 1998 State of the Union
Address, the President stated that "our overriding environmental
.challenge .... is a worldwide problem requiring worldwide action: the
gathering crisis of global warming." At the recent conference on Global
Climate Change in Kyoto, Japan, the United States led the world to reach
an historic agreement committing nations to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions through market forces, new technology and energy efficiency...
The Climate Change Technology Initiative (CCTI), funded in the EPA's
.budget at $2.05 million in 1999, will help America continue to meet its
global responsibility to lead the world in emissions reductions. CCTI,
which, is part of the President's Research Fund for America, is an inter-
agency initiative led by EPA and DOE to support research and technology
advancements in energy efficiency, renewable energy, .and .carbon-
reduction technologies. The President has stated that "Americans have
always found a way to grow the economy and clean the environment at the
same time. And when it comes to global warming, we'll do it again,"
CCTI will help America meet that challenge.
Implemeuting Stronger Clean Air Standards.: This budget request supports
an investment of $65 million for a national network of Particulate
Matter Monitors to help the Nation meet the health based air quality
standard for fine particles. This investment level honors the
President's commitment to States to fund the costs of deploying a new
fine particulate monitoring network and to provide them the tools
necessary to carry out their monitoring efforts. The EPA will also be
conducting analyses to determine the chemical constituents of PM 2.5 and
better identify and understand the sources and characteristics of the
pollution. This effort will lead to cleaner, safer air for all
Americans.
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Protecting- Human Health; One of the President's foremost policy
concerns is the protection of human health through the reduction -of
environmental threats. As the President said in his State of the Union
Address: "Our communities are only as healthy as the air our children
breathe, the water they drink, the Earth they will inherit." To reduce
environmental threats and protect future generations, the Agency focuses
on areas where it can provide the greatest amount of protection, such as
the cleanup of toxic waste -sites and -the protection of children from
toxins in the environment.
>• Cleaning' up Toxic Waste Sites: The budget strengthens the
President's commitment to clean up toxic waste sites with $2.1
billion for Superfund, a 40 percent increase over the 1998 level.
These funds are part of the President's Environmental Resources
Fund for America. Combined with continuing administrative
reforms, these funds will help meet the President's pledge to
double the pace of Superfund cleanups. The Administration proposes
to clean up another 400 sites, resulting in the cleanup of two-
thirds of the Nation's worst toxic waste dumps by the end of the
year 2001.
* Focusing on Health Risks to Children; The Agency has made the
protection of children's health a fundamental goal of public
health and environmental protection in the U.S. This annual plan
builds on that commitment with a $33 million investment (an $8
million increase over 1998) for the Assessing 'Health Risks to
Children Agenda. This is a high-priority for the Agency since
children face significant and unique health threats because they
are often more heavily exposed and more vulnerable than adults to
toxins in the environment. When we protect the health of
children, we protect the health of all Americans. Major
activities include establishing, with HHS, six Children's
Environmental Research Centers, ensuring that EPA's public health
regulations consider children's health, and providing information
to parents to better protect their children from environmental
hazards.
> Reducing Risks Posed by Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic
Pollutants: The Agency is strengthening its efforts to address
the health threat presented by persistent, bioaccumulative, and
toxic (PET) pollutants. This initiative is funded at $13 million
in the 1999 Annual Plan (a $10 million increase over 1998). The
Agency will conduct and coordinate research and work to reduce the
risks posed by PBTs through a combination of strategies utilizing
the full range of regulatory, voluntary, programmatic,
enforcement, compliance and research tools. PBT risk mitigation
activities will include analysis of economic impact, pollution
prevention strategies, exploration of safe substitute chemical
alternatives and dissemination of public information. This multi-
year initiative will reduce PBTs in the environment and reduce the
risks that these toxins pose to human health.
i-12
-------
Investing' in Science for Sound Decision-making: Environmental research.
is critical for developing the scientific understanding and
technological tools to allow the Nation to enhance environmental .quality
for current and future generations. Within the President's Research Fund
for America, the EPA's 1999 budget includes $487 million for 'EPA'S
Office of Research and Development (OKD), this investment will provide a
scientific basis for develpping cost-effective environmental policies,
create the knowledge base for citizens to make wise environmental
decisions, and enable new and better approaches to environmental
protection.
Revitalizing Communities through the Brownfields Initiative: The budget
proposes to extend the President's Brownfields initiative, which
promotes local cleanup and redevelopment of industrial sites, bringing
jobs to blighted areas. This budget proposes $91 million for technical
assistance and grants to communities for site assessment and
•redevelopment planning as well as revolving loan funds to finance clean-
up efforts at the local level.
Strengthening- Partnerships with Indian Tribes: This Annual Plan
continues the Agency's commitment to carrying out its trust
responsibilities to Federally-recognized tribes with a budget request of
$159 million (a $20 million increase over 1998). The Indian Program
includes cross-Agency activities designed to ensure the protection of
public health and the tribal homeland environment in a manner consistent
with a government-to-government relationship. The Indian Program is a
priority for the Agency because the sub-standard environmental
conditions of many tribal homelands pose threats to human health, Tribal
economies, and ecosystems. The program will enhance environmental
protection by increasing the number of partnerships with tribal
governments, providing infrastructure assistance, and helping to resolve
trans-boundary environmental issues.
Improving' Public Access to Information: The President has made a
commitment to providing -.all Americans with access to sound environmental
information and involving the public in environmental decision-making.
This commitment is based on the premise that all U.S. citizens have a
right to know about the pollutants in their environment --- including the
condition of the air they breathe and the water they drink, as well as
the health effects of the chemicals used in the food and products they
buy. Access to environmental information also helps make American
citizens involved and informed environmental decision makers, and
promotes creative "and lasting solutions to environmental problems..
EPA's participation in the President's Environmental Monitoring for
Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) initiative, funded at $35
million in this Annual Plan, helps to carry out this commitment to
provide the public with crucial information on environmental conditions.
i-13
-------
Summary
\
j The EPA's 1999 Annual Plan helps to fulfill the Administration's
commitment to protect human health and safeguard the environment, while
continuing on the nation's path of unprecedented economic growth. As the
Agency strengthens its relationships with the public, the regulated community,
and its governmental partners, it will provide a more effective and efficient
system of environmental protection. These partnerships, along with a
commitment to identify and solve the Nation's most pressing environmental
problems, will lay the groundwork for a new era of environmental protection
and serve the Agency's ultimate customer -- the American people.
i-14
-------
Resource Tables
-------
Resource Tables RT-1
Resources by Appropriation RT-1
Resources by Goal/Appropriation RT-3
Resources by Goal/Objective RT-15
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Envir, Program & Mgmt - Reim
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
,OpIan
51,887,590.9 $1,799,399.9
11,361,9
$0.0
12.5
$614,269.4
2,360.5
11,391.9
$0.0
12.5
$631,000.0
2,360.5
FY 1999
President
Budget
$1,993,780.0
11,471.9
$0.0
11.5
$633,460.0
2,428.1
Science and Tech. - Reim
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents {FIE)
Building and Facilities
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$0.0
54.9
$141,420.0
0.0
$0.0
54.9
$109,420.0
0.0
$2,793,257.0 $3,212,625.0
0.0
0.0
$0.0
24.9
$52,948.0
0.0
$2,902,657.0
0.0
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Oil Spill Response
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Inspector General
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$71,210.7
85.8
$15,000.0
103.6
$28,500.0
293.8
$65,000.0
85.8
$15,000.0
103.6
$28;.501.0
,268.8
$71,210.0
85.8
$17,321.4
103.6
$31,154.0
284,4
RT -1
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
-(dollars' in thousands.)
Rereg. & Exped. Proc. Rev Fund
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Hazardous Substance SF-IG
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents {FTE)
Superfund Reimbursables
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
FY 1998
President
Budget
$0.0
222.4
FY 1998
Enacted
Oplan
$0.0
222.4
FY 1999
President
Budget
$0.0
22.2.4
$2,082,603.7
3,536.9
$11,641.3
102.8
$0.0
148.0
$1,488,359.0 $2,080,507.7
3,536,9
$11,641.0
' 102.8
$0.0
143.0
3,488.5
$12,237.3
111.0
$0.0
143-0
Total, EPA APPROPRIATIONS
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Pesticide Registration/PMN Fees
Budget Authority
Anticipated FTE Lapse
-$7,645,493.0
18,283.1
$7,360,945.9 $7,795,275.4
18,283.1 18,375.1
$-24,000.0
-308,0
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (NET)
Budget Authority $7,645,493.0 $7,360,945,9 $7,771,275.4
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 18,283.1 17,975.1 18,375.1
RT -2
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars'in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
'Enacted
Op Ian
FY 1999
President
Budget
Clean Air
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$450,680.0 $490,448.2 $506,953.3
1,752.2 1,801.8 1,762.4
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$163,746,7
1,141.3
$119,574.5
610.9
$167,358.8
0.0
$147,756.1
1,122.3
$150,590.3
679.5
$168,540.3
1,133.3
$137,154.2
629,1
$192,101.8 $201,258.8
0.0 0.0
RT -3
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
Oplan
FY 1999
President .
Budget
Clean and Safe Water
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$2,706,342,7 $3,170,864.6 $2,801,869.3
2,381.6 2,440.3 2,449.5
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents
(FTE)
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Budget Authority
.Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$341,602.7
.2,114.4
951,930.2
267.2
$2,312,809.8
0.0
$379,681.8
2,116.3
$58,748.0
324.0
$364,723.8
2,109.8
$55,335.7
339.7
$2,732,-434.8 $2,381,809.8
0.0 0.0
RT -4
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands,)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
Oplan
FY 1999
President
Budget
Safe Food
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$59,764.9
687.2
$56,459.3
681.0
$63,552.4
682.3
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents' (FTE)
Rereg. & Exped. Proc. Rev Fund
Budget Authority
:Full-tirae equivalents (FTE)
$56,961.6
436,8
$2,803.3
28.0
$0.0
222.4
$54,002.5
430.6
$2,456.8
28.0
$0.0
222.4
$59,102.4
430.9
$4,450.0
29.-0
$0.0
222.4
RT -5
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL. PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
.Enacted
Oplan
FY 1999
President
.Budget
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Ris'k in
Communities, Homes, Workplaces and Ecosystems
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$239,993.1
1,045.8
$240,466.0
1,143.6
$258,845.0
1,125.5
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Building and Facilities
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$154,484.2
1,012.0
$4,860.4
33-8
$0.0
0.0
$144,818.7
1,013.4
$14,998.8
130.2
$0,0
0.0
$159,812.9
1,009.7
$14,383.6
115.8
$0.0
0.0
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Budget Authority $80,648.5 $80,648.5 ,% $84,648.5
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 0.0 0.0 0.0
RT -6
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
Oplan
FY 1999
President
Budget
Better Waste Management, Restoration of
Contaminated Waste Sites, and Emergency Response
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$2,254,977.3 $1,636,785.3 $2,251,327.7
4,348.1 4,373.6 4,304.1
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
'Envir. Program & Mgmt - Reim
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Science and Tech. - Reim
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
'Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$150,672.7
1,001.3
$0.0
11.0
$12,641,0
71.4
$0.0
54.9
$64,527.2
0.0
$69,156.5
72.4
$.133,582.5
1,003.7
$0.0
11.0
$13,085.7
83.1
$0.0
54.9
$152,211.8
997.. 0
$0.0
11.0
$14,139.3
82.6
$0.0
24.. 9
$64,527.2 $64,527.2
0.0 . 0.0
$63,151.3 $69,122.2
72.4 72.4
Oil Spill Response
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Superfund Reimbursables
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$14,455.0
103.6
$1,943,524.9
2,885.5
$0.0
148.0
.$14,446.7 $16,778.1
103.6 103.6
$1,347,991.9 $1,934,549.1
2,901.9 2,869.6
$0.0
143.0
$0.0
143.0
RT -7
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars' in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
Oplan
FY 1999
President
Budget
Reduction of Global and Cross-border Environmental
Risks
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$335,952.1
443.3
$236,144.4
448.7
$394,350.4
527.4
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents
(FTE)
$193,392.2
374.1
$42,559.9
69.2
$129,550.8 $228,554.0
374.4 431.4
$31,593.6
74.3
$65,796.4
96.0
State and Tribal Assistance Grants"
Budget Authority $100,000.0 $75,000.0 $100,000.0
. Full-time equivalents (FTE) .0.0 0.0 0.0
RT -8
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
Oplan
FY 1999
President
Budget
Expansion of .Americans' Right to Know About their
Environment
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$156,730.7
774.4
$140,371.4
771.7
$159,087.8
757,0
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$138,990.8
736.4
$16,716.4
27,4
$1,023.5
10.6
$128,563.2
723.5
$9,133.7
33.6
$2,674.5
14.6
$137,625.2
704.4
$18,648.3
36.8
$2,814.3
15.8
RT -9
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
Op Ian
FY 1999
President
Budget
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Env. Risk
and Greater Innovation to Address Env. Problems
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$403,644.3
1,384.3
$404,721.2
1,165.0
$368,477.7
1,256.3
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
.Full-time equivalents ' (FTE)
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Budget Authority
. Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Oil Spill Response
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$39,983.0
180.6
$354,062.9
1,173.9
$6.5
0.0
$2.1
0.0
$9,589.8
29.8
$53,518.8 $45,960.7
226.5 225.6
$342,143.0
929.1
$6.5
0.0
$2.1
0.0
$9,050.8
9.4
$314,565.8
1,020.4
$6.5
0.0
$2.1
0.0
$7,942.6
10.3
RT -10
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars .in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
Oplan
FY 1999
President
. Budget
A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and Greater
Compliance with the Law
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$320,827.7
2,538.3
$315,828.2
2,537.8
$330,951.3
2,535.9
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority.
Full-time equivalents
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents
(FTE)
(FTE)
$227,
2,
$8,
640.
376.
893.
78.
0
3
1
7
$221,
2,
$8,
887
375
215
78
.9
.8
.1
.7
$234,
2,
$8,
688
373
760
78
.3
.9
.7
.7
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents
(FTE)
$67,
912.
0.
7
0
$67,
912
0
.7
-0
• $70,
412
0
.7
, 0
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents
(FTE)
$16,
381,
83.
9
3
$17,
812
83
,5
.3
$17,
089
83
.6
.3
RT -11
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full''Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
Op Ian
FY 1999
President
Budget
Effective Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$716,580.2
2,927.9
$668,857.3
2,919.6
$659,860.5
2,974.7
Environmental Program & Management
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Envir. Program ,& Mgiiit - Reim
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents {FTE)
Science and Technology
Budget Authority
. Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Building and Facilities
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Budget Authority
.Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Oil Spill Response
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Inspector General
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Hazardous Substance SF-IG
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$420,117.0
1,988.7
$0.0
1.5
$227.7
0.0
$14:1,420.0
0.0
$2,047.7
13.4
$542.9
0.0
$28,500.0
293.8
$112,083.6
527.7
$11,641.3
102.8
$406,037.6
2,005.4
$0.0
1.5
$35.0
0.0
$1,842.2
13.4
$551.2
0.0
$28,501.0
268.8
$110,829,3
527,7
$11-, 641.0
102.8
$442,56.0.6
2,055.9
$0.0
0.5
$226.0
0.0
.$109,420,0 $52,948.0
0.0 0.0
$2,081.3
13.4
$541.2
0,0
$31,154.0
284.4
$118, 11.2.1
509.5
$12,237.3
111.0
RT -12
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Appropriation Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
TOTAL, EPA APPROPRIATIONS
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
Oplan
FY 1999
President
Budget
$7,645,493.0
18,283.1
$7,360,945.9 $7,795,275.4
18,283.1 • 18,375.1
Pesticide Registration/PMN Fees
Budget Authority
$-24,000.0
Anticipated FTE Lapse
-308.0
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (NET)
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE
$7,645,493.0
18,283,1
$7,360,945.9 $7,771,275.4
17,975.1 18,375.1
RT -13
-------
Preceeding Page Blank
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AG:
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Objective Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
FY 199:9
President
Request
Clean Air
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$450,680.0
1,752.2
Obj
Obj
Obj
Obj
01 Attain NAAQS for Ozone and
.PM
Budget Authority $2-92,379.9
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 1,080.8
02 Reduce Emissions of Air
Toxics
Budget Authority $89,008.8
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 387.4
03 Attain NAAQS for CO, S02,
N02, Lead
Budget Authority $47,497.2
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 192..0
04 Acid Rain
Budget Authority $21,794.1
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 92.0
Clean and Safe Water
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$2,706,342.7
2,381.6
Obj:
Obj
01 Safe Drinking Water, Fish
and Recreational Waters
Budget Authority $966,204.5
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 803.5
.02 Conserve/Enhance
Ecological Health of
Nation's Waters/Aquatic
Ecosystems
Budget Authority $270,281.6
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 730.3
Obj
03 Reduce Loadings and Air
Deposition
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Safe Food
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Obj: 01 Reduce Agricultural
Pesticides Risk
Budget Authority
$1,469,856.
847.8
$59,764.9
687.2
$22,952.3
RT -15
$490,448.2
1,801.8
$337,060.9
1,118,8
$85,837,4
401.4
$46,749.6
189.6
$20,800.3
92.0
$3,170,864.6
2,440.3
$979,216.6
830.9
$506,953.3
1,762.4
$348,584.7
1,090.1
$91,924.6
390.4
$44,878.2
189.9
$21,565.8
92.0
$2,801,869.3
2,449.5
$1,018,705.9
854.5
$298,573.9
749,6
$1,893,074,
859.8
$56,459,3
681,0
$19,651.3
$296,643.9
709.3
$1,486,519.5
885.7
$63,552.4
682.3
$24,926.2
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION" AGE'NC
FY 1999 .ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Objective Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
FY 1999
President
Re guest._
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 283.2
Obj: 02 Reduce Use on Food of
•Pesticides Not Meeting
Standards
Budget Authority $36,812.6
Full-time equivalents (FTE) ' 404.0
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in
Communities, Homes, Workplaces and Ecosystems
Budget Authority $239,993.1
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 1,045.8
Obj: 01 Reduce Public and
Ecosystem Exposure to
Pesticides
Budget Authority $50,789.4
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 241.3
Obj: 02 Reduce Lead Poisoning
Budget Authority $31,078.6
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 120.2
Obj: 03 Safe Handling and Use of
Commercial Chemicals and
Microorganisms
Budget Authority - $31,646.7
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 263.2
Obj: 04 Healthier Indoor Air
Budget Authority $33,235.0
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 149.5
Obj: 05 Improve Pollution
Prevention Strategies,
Tools, Approaches
Budget Authority $27,074.1
Full-time' equivalents (FTE) 85.1
Obj: 06 Decrease Quantity and
Toxicity of Waste
Budget Authority $22,327.2
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 131.9
Obj: 08 Assess Conditions in
Indian Country
Budget Authority $43,842.1
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 54.6
Better Waste Management, Restoration of
Contaminated Waste Sites, and Emergency
281.5
$36,808.0
399.5
$240,466.0
1,143.6
$47,108.9
240.9
$30,453.7
121.6
$41,024.6
357.2
$30,292.2
150.2
$25,245.9
79.6
$21,783.3
127.5
$44,557.4
66.6
282.7
$38,626.2
399.6
$258,845.0
1,125.5
$50,626.1
241.0
$30,957.6
121.4
$41,272.5
343.6
$33,219.4
151.8
$26,865.5
80.2
$25,053.2
132.9
$50,850.7
54.6
RT -16
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AG:
FY 1999 ANNUAL FLAN
Goal, Objective Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
_ Budget,
FY 1998
Enacted
FY 1999
President
Request
Response
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
52,254,977.3
4,348.1
Obj
Obj
Obj
01 Reduce or Control Risks to
Human Health
Budget Authority $2,096,061.
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 3,545.3
02 Prevent Releases by Proper
Facility .Management
Budget Authority $13.8,141.5
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 679.0
03 Respond to All Known
Emergencies
Budget Authority $20,774.3
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 123.8
Reduction of Global and Cross-border
Environmental Risks
Budget Authority $.335,952.1
Full-time equivalents {FTE} 443.3
Obj: 01 Reduce Transboundary
Threats: Shared North
American Ecosystems
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Obj: 02 Climate Change
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Obj: 03 Stratospheric Ozone
Depletion
Budget Authority $27,381.4
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 33.8
Obj : 04 Protect Public Health and
Ecosystems From Persistent
Toxics
Budget Authority $4,155.0
' Full-time equivalents (FTE) 36.2
Obj: 05 Prevent Degradation of the
Marine and Polar
Environments
Budget Authority $.1,318.2
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 9.9
$1., 636, 785.. 3
4,373.6
$1,491,429,
3,562,0
$126,471.5
687.7
$18,884,7
123.9
$236,144.4
448.7
$2,251,327.7
4,304.1
$2,091,457.3
• 3,494.2
$13:9,531.0
686.0
$20,339.4
123.9
$394,350.4
527.4
$122,113.7
7-4.8
$175,299.7
247.0
$99,730.2
74.8
$109,218.1
252.1
$122,172.8
74.8
$229,033.9
331.1
$17,321.8
33,8
$4,250.8
36.5
$1,307,7
9.9
$26,914.3
34.4
$6,873.7
39.3
$1,397.5
10.2
RT -17
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ENVIRONMENTAL -PROTECTION AGr
FY 1999 ANNUAL 'PLAN
Goal, Objective Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars i:n thousands)
FY 1998
.President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
FY 1999
'President
Request
Obj: 06 Achieve Cleaner and More
Cost-Effective Practices
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
$5,684.1
41.6
Expansion of Americans' Right to Know About
their Environment
Budget Authority $156,730.7
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 774.4
Obj : 01 Increase Quality/Quantity
of Education, Outreach,
Data Availability
Budget Authority $76,246.5
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 385.5
Obj: 02 Improve Public's Ability
to Reduce Exposure
Budget Authority $51,493.5
Full-time equivalents {FTE) 247.2
Obj: 03 Enhance Ability to Protect
Public Health
Budget Authority $28,990.7
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 141.7
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Env.
Risk and Greater Innovation to Address Env.
Problems
Budget Authority $403,644.3
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 1,384.3
Obj : .01 Research for Ecosystem
Assessment and Restoration
Budget Authority $85,172.3
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 315.1
Obj: 0.2 Research for Human Health
Risk Assessment
Budget Authority $52,631.1
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 216.8
Obj: 03 Emerging Risk Issues
Budget Authority $56,414.1
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 128.5
Obj: 04 Pollution Prevention and
New Technology
Budget Authority $51,435.0
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 132.3
$4,315.8
41.6
.$140,371.4
771.7
$72,202.0
381.1
$47,120.6
244.7
$21,048.8
145.9
$404,721.2
1,165.0
$100,712.5
354.4
$49,006.9
207.0
$47,744.4
143.5
$69,919.2
185.1
$7,958.2
37.6
$159,087.8
757.0
$75,343.7
348.6
$51,875.5
255.1
$31,868.6
153.3
$368,477.7
1,256.3
$85,505.6
377.9
$47,618.5
224 .1
$55,387.0
184.7
$47,997.9
187.8
RT -18
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AG:
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Objective Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
FY 1999
President
Request
Obj: 05 Enable Research on
Innovative Approaches to
Current and Future
Environmental Problems
Budget Authority $120,875.0
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 449.1
Obj: 06 Increase Use of
Integrated., Holistic,
Partnership Approaches
Budget Authority $18,049.3
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 35.7
Obj: 07 Increase Opportunities for
Sector Based Approaches
Budget Authority . $10,342.7
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 79.7
Obj: 08 Regional Enhancement of
Ability to Quantify
Environmental Outcomes
Budget Authority $6,306.5
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 4.6
Obj: 09 Science Advisory Board
Peer Review
Budget Authority $2,418.3
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 2.2.5
Obj: 10 Incorporate Innovative
Approaches to Enviromental
Management
Budget Authority $0.0
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 0.0
A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and Greater
Compliance with the Law
Budget Authority $320,827.7
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 2,538.3
Obj : 01 Enforcement Tools to
Reduce Non-Compliance
Budget Authority $275,311.8
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 2,057.5
Obj : 02 Increase Use of Auditing,
Self-Policing Policies
Budget Authority - $45,515.9-
Full-time equivalents (FTE) ' 480.8
Effective Management
$86,927,7
89.6
$19,386,3
37.. 6
$16,478.4
100,7
$5,969.0
4,. 6
$2,415.8
22.5
$6, 161,0
20.0
$315,828.2
2,537.8
$268,534.7
2,052.5
$47,293.5
485,3
$88,745.5
97.3
$16,810.5
36.7
$11,496.8
100.7
$7,995.1
4.6
$2,586.7
22.5,
$4,334.1
20.0
$330,951.3
.2,53.5.9
$281,743.1
2,055.6
$49,208.2
480.3
RT -19
-------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGE
FY 1999 ANNUAL PLAN
Goal, Objective Summary
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalency
(dollars in thousands)
FY 1998
President
Budget
FY 1998
Enacted
FY 1999
President
Request
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
Obj: 01 Executive Leadership
Obj
Obj
Obj
Obj
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
02 Management Services,
Administrative, and
Stewardship
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
03 Building Operations,
Utilities and New
Construction
Budget Authority
•Full-time equivalents (FTE)
04 Regional Management
Services and Support
Budget Authority
Full-time equivalents (FTE)
5716,580.2
2,927.9
$26,003.4
257.0
$175,284.8
1,502.3
5367,905.0
155.4
5110,769.2
610.8
05 Provide Audit and
Investigative Products and
Services
Budget Authority 536,617.8
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 402.4
5668,857.3
2,919.6
527,897.8
268.8
5165,331.7
1,521.2
5331,959.5
155.4
5107,103.7
596.8
536,564.6
377.4
5659,860.5
2,974.7
530,895.9
265.0
5180,937.4
1,551.8
5299,921.3
154.9
5108,189.1
601.8
539,916.8
401.2
TOTAL, EPA APPROPRIATION
Budget Authority
Full-Time Equivalents (FTE)
57,645,493.0
18,283.1
57,360,945.9 $7,795,275.4
18,283.1 18,375.1
Pesticide Registration/PMN Fees
Budget Authority
$-24,000.0
Anticipated FTE Lapse
-308.0
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (NET)
Budget Authority " $7,645,493.0
Full-time equivalents (FTE) 18,283.1
$7,360,945.9 $7,771,275.4
17,975,1 18,375.1
RT -20
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Goal 1: Clean Air
-------
Goal 1: Clean Air 1-1
Attain National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) for Ozone and PM. .,..., 1-5
Reduce Emissions of Air Toxics. . 1-22
Attain NAAQS for CO, SO2, NO2, and Lead 1-33
Acid Rain . 1-40
-------
Environmental Protection Aeney
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Clean Air
Strategic Goal: The air in every American community will be safe and healthy to
breathe. In particular, children, the elderly, and people with respiratory
ailments will be protected from health risks of breathing polluted air. Reducing
air pollution will also protect the environment, resulting in many benefits, such
as restoring life in damaged ecosystems and reducing health risks to those whose
subsistence depends directly on those ecosystems.
Goal Summary
(Dollars in Thousands)
_^ ; | 1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 PresBud
Clean Air $450,680.0 $490,448.2 $506,953.3
Obj. .01 Attain NAAQS for Ozone $292,379.9 $337,060.9 $348,584.7
and PM
Obj. 02 Reduce Emissions of Air $89,008.8 $85,837.4 $91,924.6
Toxics
Obj. 03 Attain NAAQS for CO, $47,497.2 $46,749.6 $44,878..2
SO2, N02, Lead
Obj. 04 Acid Rain $21,794.1 $20,800.3 $21,565.8
Goal Total FTE 1,752.2 1,801.8 1,762,4
Air pollution continues to be. a widespread public health and environmental
problem in the United States, contributing to illnesses such as cancer and
respiratory and reproductive problems. Air pollution reduces visibility, damages
crops and buildings, and is deposited on the soil and in water bodies where it
affects the chemistry of the water and resident life forms.
Since 1970, air pollutant emissions have been reduced and significant
improvements in a.ir quality have been achieved. However, millions of tons of
toxic air pollutants are still released into the air. Also, approximately 46
million people live in areas that do not meet EPA's health-based air standards
for at least one of six major pollutants.
The problem is nationwide in scope. Air pollution crosses local and state
lines and, in some cases, even crosses our borders with Canada and Mexico.
Federal assistance and leadership are essential for developing cooperative state,
local, regional, and international programs to prevent and control air pollution
and for ensuring that national standards are met. Efforts of many other Federal
agencies, such as the Department of Transportation and the Department of Energy,
are critical to the achievement of the Clean Air goal.
T-l
-------
The 1.999 President's Budget requests $506,953,300 and 1,762 workye.ars for
the Clean Air goal, an Increase of $17,000,000 and a decrease of 40 workyears
over 1998. In support of this goal, the Agency will work with and support states
and tribes in developing and implementing plans to address air quality problems.
As part of this effort, EPA will support state and tribal development of a 1,500-
site monitoring network for fine particulates (PM2.s), a pollutant for which the
Agency issued its first specific standards in 1997. The Agency also will develop
and issue other standards, including national technology-based standards to
reduce the quantity of toxic air pollutants that are emitted from industrial or
manufacturing processes.
The resources requested in this goal will enable the Agency, in conjunction
with its state, local, -and tribal partners, to meet a number of performance goals
in 1999. The most significant of these include:
• Deploy PM2.5 ambient monitors at 776 sites.
• Certify that 8 of the 38 estimated remaining nonattainment areas have
achieved the current NAAQS for ozone.
* Certify that 13 of the 58 estimated remaining nonattainment areas have
achieved the NAAQS for carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, or lead.
* Reduce air toxic emissions by 12% in 1999, resulting in a cumulative
reduction of 25% .from. 1993 levels..
• In 1999, maintain 4 million tons of SO2 emissions reductions from utility
sources, and maintain 300,000 tons of NOx reductions from coal-fired
utility sources.
• By 1999, identify and evaluate at least two biological mechanisms by which
PM causes death and disease in humans,
• In 1999, complete health assessments for five high priority air'toxics.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Attaining National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone and Partieulate Matter
The 1999 President's Budget requests $348,584,700 and 1090 workyears to
attain national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone and particulate
matter..
Ozone and particulate matter are high risk pollutants, with high potential
for risk reduction. Ozone can impair normal functioning of the lungs. More
people are exposed to unhealthy levels of ozone than of any other air pollutant.
It is projected that over 114 million people live in areas that will not meet the
new health standard for ozone, which is 40 million more than under the previous
standard.
The health risks estimated from current fine PM exposures represent tens of
thousands of premature deaths each year, placing fine PM near the top of
environmental health threats. It is estimated that approximately 68 million
people live in areas that may not meet the new PM2_S standard. EPA estimates
that, once attained, the new standard will prevent up to 15, 000 premature deaths
per year.
Under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, EPA must set NAAQS for
pollutants that endanger public health and the environment. States and tribes
then must develop and carry out strategies and measures to attain the NAAQS. EPA
reviewed NAAQS set for ozone and particulate matter, as required by the Clean Air
Act, and promulgated new standards in July 1997. Following a directive the
1-2
-------
President issued with the standards, the Agency worked with states, tribes and
local governments, other Federal agencies and regulated sources to develop an
implementation strategy for the standards. The implementation strategy allows
for implementing the standards in the most flexible, reasonable and least
burdensome manner. In addition, the Agency is participating in an interagency
research program, including a full scientific and technical review of the new
fine particulate (PM2.s) standard by 2002, and implementation of a PM monitoring
network.
In support of the Agency's implementation strategy for attaining the new air
quality standards, EPA will invest $65,700,000 to develop a national PM
monitoring network. This monitoring network will provide the data needed for the
identification of EM sources and potential PM "hotspots," as well as allow the
Agency to designate areas in attainment with the new PM standard and develop
control strategies to address PM on a regional basis. Attainment designations
will not occur until 2002 when monitoring data will be complete for these
decisions. EPA has committed to provide 100 percent of the costs of setting up
the' PM2.S monitoring network through state and tribal grants under the authority
of Section 103 of the Clean Air Act. EPA will be conducting chemical speciation
analyses to provide the basis for states and tribes to determine the chemical
constituents of the PM2.5 and better identify and understand the sources and
characteristics of the pollution and its potential effects. States and tribes
will use this information to develop control strategies to come into attainment
with the new particulate matter standard by 2012 to 2017. This is consistent
with the President's commitment to review the new standard before state and
tribal plans take effect.
Under the research authorities of the Clean .Air Act, EPA carries out ozone
and particulate matter research to maintain a strong scientific basis for
changing or reaffirming NAAQS, and implementing NAAQS. In the long'term, the
information gained through research helps protect public health, including the
health of children and other sensitive populations, and provides the scientific
and technical information required for NAAQS review, as well as the NAAQS
implementation by regional, state, tribal and local government air quality
managers. EPA research contributes to developing scientifically -sound risk
assessment procedures, cost-effective risk prevention/management approaches,
credible methods, models and guidance, and environmental leadership through
partnerships«
Reducing Emissions^of Air Toxics
The 1999 .President's Budget requests $91,924,600 and 390.4 workyears to
reduce air toxic emissions by 12% in 1999, resulting in a cumulative reduction
of 2.5 percent from 1993 levels. This would significantly reduce the risk to
Americans of cancer and other serious adverse health effects caused by airborne
toxics. Toxic .air pollutants pose a significant health risk because they may
cause cancer and other health problems such as reproductive disorders, birth
defects, and damage to the nervous system.
EPA's air toxics objective focuses primarily on the statutory requirements
of the toxics program in the Clean Air Act to reduce emissions levels through the
promulgation and implementation of Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT)
standards. The program will invest in improved and innovative monitoring and
modeling, inventories, development and refinement of environmental indicators,
and risk assessment tools to better characterize the risk from air toxics and
establish a baseline for measuring risk in carrying out the Government
Performance and Results Act (GPRA). EPA will build on state efforts to create
1-3
-------
a national toxics monitoring and inventory program in order to better
characterize exposures to hazardous air pollution.
In 1999, health effects researchers will quantitatively evaluate cancer and
non-cancer health effects from air toxics exposures. Exposure researchers will
develop methods to identify contributing sources from ambient air measurements,
and improved models to characterize actual human exposure. Researchers also will
develop .and demonstrate new methods to assess risks from urban toxics.
Attaining NftjVps for CO, SOS, NO;.. and Lead;
The 1999 President's Budget requests $44,878,200 and 189.9 workyears to
improve air quality for Americans living in areas that do not meet the current
NAAQS for carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) , nitrogen dioxide (NO2) , and
lead, which are all high risk pollutants.
EPA and its partners 'have been relatively successful in reducing these air
pollutants in many urban areas through .mobile source measures. Controls included
in state SIPs also reduce stationary source emissions. The Agency will continue
existing carbon monoxide work, concentrating primarily on mobile source programs
(such as oxygenated fuel and reformulated gasoline), and on assisting states to
implement attainment and maintenance programs. EPA will continue to provide
information to the scientific community and stakeholders on the environmental
aspects of the use of oxygenated fuels and recommendations to improve the
program.
In 1998, EPA will promulgate the new source review (NSR) reform rules which
simplify the new source permitting process. In 1999, EPA will undertake training
and technical support activities to ensure smooth implementation of this major
regulatory reinvention effort.
Acid Rain
The 1999 President's Budget requests $21,565,800 and 92.0 workyears for
reducing ambient -sulfates and total sulfur deposition by 20 to 40 percent from
1980 levels due to reduced SO2 emissions from utilities and industrial sources.
The Acid Rain program is authorized under Title IV of the Clean Air Act and
has numerous statutory deadlines. The U.S. is also committed to reductions in
SO2 and NOx under the 1991 U.S.-Canada Air Quality Agreement. In addition to
administering the SO2 and Nox provisions of Title IV, the Acid Rain program will
be developing and operating the emissions and NOx allowance tracking systems for
the 12 states of the Ozone Transport Region. The first year of compliance for
this program is 1999. Achieving this will assist the 12 Northeastern states to
attain and maintain the ozone standard. Approximately 400 additional facilities
will require certification of emissions monitors and will report quarterly
emissions beginning in 1998.
The program is responsible for operating the Clean Air status and Trends
Network (CASTNet) dry deposition network and providing critical support for
operations of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) wet deposition
network and for a number of visibility monitoring sites. These monitoring
efforts will play a crucial role in the program's ongoing assessment activities,
including reporting program results for the Government Performance and Results
Act and fulfilling assessment responsibilities under Title IX of the Clean Air
Act and the U.S.-Canada Air Quality Agreement.
1-4
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Plan Annual Request to Congress
Clean Air
Objective #1: Attain National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone and
Particulate Matter.
By 2010, improve air quality for Americans living in areas that exceed the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs) for ozone and parti culate matter.
Overview
Under the Clean Air Act, EPA must set NAAQSs for five criteria pollutants
that endanger public health and the environment. States and tribes then must
develop and carry out .strategies and measures to attain the NAAQSs. Ozone and
particulate matter are criteria pollutants that require NAAQSs. For each
pollutant, EPA sets healths-based or "primary" standards to protect human health,
and welfare-based or "secondary" standards to protect the environment (crops,
vegetation, wildlife, buildings and national monuments, visibility, etc.). The
Clean Air Act also requires states with national parks and wilderness areas to
develop a program to protect and improve visibility.
Under the research -authorities of the Act, EPA carries out ozone and
particulate matter research to provide a strong scientific basis for (1) changing
or reaffirming NAAQSs, and (2) implementing NAAQSs. Long-range, the information
gained through research helps protect public 'health, including the health of
children and other sensitive populations,, and provides the scientific and
technical information required for NAAQS review, as well as NAAQS implementation
by Regional, state, tribal, and local government air quality managers. EPA
research contributes to developing scientifically sound risk assessment
procedures; cost-effective risk prevention/management approaches; credible
methods, models, and guidance; and environmental leadership through partnerships.
New NAAQSs. EPA reviewed 'NAAQSs set for ozone and particulate matter, as
required by the Clean Air Act, -and promulgated new standards in July 1997. The
President, in a July 16, 1997, letter to the Administrator, outlined general
ground rules and a strategy for implementing the new standards in a common sense,
cost-effective manner. The President's letter also sets forth an interagency
research program, including a full scientific and technical review of the new
fine particulate (PM2.5) standard by 2002.
Ozone. Ground-level ozone is the most complex, difficult to control, and
.pervasive of the six air pollutants for which EPA has set NAAQSs. Unlike most
other pollutants, ozone is not emitted directly into the air by specific sources,
but is created in the troposphere by sunlight acting on nitrogen oxides (NOX) and
volatile organic compounds (VQCs). There are thousands of sources of these
pollutants. Some common sources include: gasoline vapors, chemical solvents,
combustion products of fuels, and consumer products. Emissions .of NOX and VOCs
from motor vehicles and stationary sources can be carried hundreds of miles from
their origins, and result in high ozone concentrations over very large, multi-
state regions.
1-5
-------
Ozone can impair normal functioning of the lungs in healthy people/ as well
as in those with respiratory problems. Relatively low amounts of ozone can cause
chest pain, shortness of breath, and coughing. Ozone may also worsen asthma,
bronchitis, and emphysema. Repeated exposure to ozone over months to years can
damage lung tissue and reduce quality of life. Repeated exposure to high levels
of ozone for several months may also produce permanent structural damage in the
lungs. Adverse ecosystem effects are known for single species of vegetation and
are likely to extend to entire ecosystems. Ozone damage to plants is extensive,
with an estimated impact exceeding $34 billion in lost food stuff crops and
timber products each year.
More people are exposed to unhealthful levels of ozone than any other air
pollutant. It is currently projected that over 114 million people live in areas
that will not meet the new health standard for ozone, 40 million more than the
previous standard. 'Once attained, the new ozone standard will protect 13 -million
more children from exposure to unhealthful levels of smog than the previous
standard. Additional scientific information is needed to effectively address
these risks: to understand the human and ecological effects caused by chronic
and acute ozone exposures; to refine estimates of precursor emissions including
their transport and fate; and to improve the models used to quantify the
interactions of these precursor emissions in the atmosphere.
Particulate matter. Particulate matter is the term for solid or liquid
particles found in the air. Some particles are large or dark enough to be seen
as soot o,r smoke. Others are so small they can be detected only with a
microscope. Because particles originate from a variety of mobile and stationary
sources (diesel trucks, woodstoves, power plants, etc.), their chemical and
physical compositions vary widely. Particulate matter can be directly emitted
or can be formed in the atmosphere when gaseous pollutants, such as sulfur
dioxide (S02) and NOX, react to form fine particles.
.The health risks estimated from current fine particulate matter exposures
represent tens of thousands of premature deaths .each year, placing fine
particulate matter at or near the top of environmental health threats. It is
currently estimated that approximately .68 million people live in areas that may
not meet the new PM2.5 standard. EPA estimates that once the new standard is
attained nationwide, it will prevent up to 15,000 premature deaths per year, and
protect an additional 12 million children.
Particulate matter research will support Agency efforts to (1) develop
scientifically sound risk assessment approaches; (2) provide regulatory officials
with technical information on cost-effective risk prevention/management
approaches; (3) provide credible methods, models, and guidance to quantify
precursor emissions and evaluate alternative control strategies; and (4) promote
environmental leadership through partnerships. This program will: improve the
scientific understanding of particulate matter health risks and the effectiveness
of risk reduction strategies; provide critical scientific information to the
Agency program offices and Regions; provide improved tools for environmental
assessment so that information developed by the Agency and others is more easily
used and understood; and promote private sector involvement in identifying,
understanding, and addressing important air pollution problems. The information
gained from particulate matter research will: (1) ultimately protect the public
health of our children, sensitive populations, and future generations as we
better understand the risks associated with and remedies to reduce exposures to
particulate matter; (2) provide a strong scientific basis for establishing the
NAAQSs; and (3) provide scientific and technical data required for NAAQS
implementation by Regional, state, and local government air quality managers.
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Visibility. Visibility impairment, caused by the presence of tiny
particles in the air, is most simply described as the haze which obscures the
clarity, color, texture, and form of what we see. The Clean Air Act gives
special protection to natural areas that we want to preserve for future
generations, such as our national parks and wilderness areas.
Implementation of new NAAQSs and. visibility requirements. Fine particulate
matter and ground-level ozone have many similarities. Both pollutants remain in
the air for days, leading to regional scale transport that can affect broad areas
of the country. Both pollutants are formed '.under similar atmospheric conditions
by gases, such as NOX and VOCs, emitted by the same types of sources. Moreover,
there are similar health effects associated with exposure to ozone and
particulate matter (e.g., increased respiratory symptoms and increased hospital
admissions and emergency room visits for respiratory causes),
To obtain recommendations on integrated approaches for implementing the new
ozone and particulate matter NAAQSs, as well as for a new regional haze program,
EPA established a broad-based committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA) .. This FACA committee had workgroups focusing on: assessing the current
state of air pollutant emission inventories, air quality and meteorological
models, and air quality monitoring data; developing broad strategies to address
air pollutant transport issues; examining the existing regulatory programs; and
educating the general public about the nature and extent of air quality problems
as well as any adverse health and/or welfare effects associated with these
problems. EPA will continue this broad-based stakeholder process to further
develop the implementation strategy for the new standards.
The strategy for implementing the ozone, particulate matter, and regional
haze standards will be targeted at maintaining efforts currently underway towards
clean air and building on the agreements and progress already made by communities
and businesses. In carrying out the implementation strategy, EPA will seek to
reward state, tribal, and local governments and businesses that take early action
to reduce ozone air pollution levels through cost-effective approaches and
address pollution that travels across jurisdictional lines. EPA will work with
states and tribes to develop control programs that employ regulatory flexibility
to minimize economic impacts on businesses to the greatest possible degree
consistent with public health protection. EPA also will attempt to minimize
regulatory burdens for states, tribes, and local governments and businesses, to
ensure that air quality planning and related Federal, tribal, state, and local
planning are coordinated, and to help urban areas avoid conflicts between
economic growth and environmental programs.
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 01 Attain NAAQS for Ozone $292,379.9 $337,060.9 $348,584.7
and PM
Environmental Program & $81,251.0 $72,448.3 $86,102.3
Management
Science and Technology $98,033.2 $126,773.9 $115,862.6
State and Tribal Assistance $113,095.7 $137,838.7 $146,619.8
Grants
Total FTE 1,080,8 1,118.8 1,090,1
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• In 1999, 8 additional areas currently classified as nonattainment will have
the l*-hour ozone standard revoked because they meet the old standard.
• In 1999, deploy PM2.5 ambient monitors at 776 sites.
• By 2001, develop tropospheric ozone precursor measurements, and
observational modeling to guide cost-effective control options,
• By 2000, evaluate Models~3/Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAC) against
field data to demonstrate reliability in ozone NAAQS attainment planning.
• By 2001, develop tropospheric ozone precursor measurements, modeling,
source emissions, and control information to guide cost-effective risk
management options.
• By 2000, preliminary evaluation of Models-3/Community Multi-Scale Air
Quality (CMAQ) for PM to demonstrate reliability in PM NAAQS attainment
planning.
• By 2001, provide measurements, modeling, source .emissions, and control
information for PM by species and size to guide risk assessment .and PM risk
management.
• By 2000, describe PM health effects in exposed humans.
• By 1999 and beyond, produce data, models, and technical information which
can be used by Federal, state and local air pollution officials to refine
the accuracy (size distribution and chemical composition) of directly
emitted fine particulate (particulate less than 2.5 microns in size) and
fine particulate precursor (compounds such as ammonia which lead to
formation of fine particles in the atmosphere) emissions and to
quantitatively evaluate the viability (cost and performance) of various
fine particulate control technologies for stationary combustion sources.
* By 1999, identify and evaluate several plausible biological mechanisms by
which PM causes death and disease in humans.
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Ozone
EPA 'will continue to work with affected states and tribes to address the
persistent and widespread problem of ozone transport. Two multi-state groups —
the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) and the Ozone Transport Assessment Group
(OTAG) — collaborated to recommend regional strategies to control ozone
transport in the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest. Building on the model
provided by the successful market-based acid rain program, OTAG proposed a large-
scale, market-based NOK trading program. This trading program should result in
a cost-effective solution for attaining and maintaining the new NAAQS. To
facilitate trading programs, EPA will review and approve emissions trading
protocols for nationally significant source categories.
As a follow-on to the successful OTAG experience, EPA will work on
partnerships with states to facilitate the development of region-wide strategies
for ozone, PM2.5 and regional haze. These partnerships are expected to play a
significant role in determining control strategies. As with OTAG, regional areas
will need dedicated technical support (e.g., modeling) beyond the levels that EPA
can provide.
EPA will assist states, tribes, and local governments in devising stationary
source and mobile source strategies to reduce ozone before implementing the new
standards in state and tribal implementation plans (SIPs and TIPs) . All on-going
efforts to meet the previous ozone and PM10 standards will help to meet the new
standards as well. As a result, EPA will assist states and tribes in maintaining
existing control programs.
EPA will continue mobile source programs including: implementing the second
phase of the RFG program in the 10 worst ozone cities plus opt-in areas;
developing emission factors by shifting emphasis from light-duty to heavy-duty
vehicles and non-road, heavy-duty engines; building on the NOx/particulate matter
initiative; and developing and implementing non-road diesel, locomotive, heavy-
duty engine and marine standards. The Small Spark Ignition (SI) Phase II
standards rule and inventory model will be in its final stages in 199-9. A Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking on large SI non-road engines will be issued in 1999. The
Agency will complete a mandated study of light-duty vehicle and light-duty truck
emission standards (Tier II study) and potentially promulgate new emission
control standards that could take effect as early as 2004. Also, EPA will
examine the effects of sulfur levels in gasoline on new car emission technology
and take appropriate actions. These programs strive to reduce NOK, and .thus
ozone, as well as fine particles.
In the upcoming years, EPA will develop new vehicle emission control
programs, including a court-ordered requirement for a recreational vehicle rule
in 1999. EPA plans to facilitate integrating OBD systems into state vehicle
inspection and maintenance programs and provide training and outreach to the
service industry. EPA will re-engineer the vehicle compliance program.
EPA will continue to explore and implement improvements to emissions testing
and monitoring approaches for VOCs (precursors to ozone and particulate matter)
including better and less expensive continuous monitors and more reliable
techniques for analysis of water-based coatings, inks, and other solvents.
EPA will focus extensively on public outreach and access to high quality
information for general and technical audiences to facilitate public
understanding and smooth implementation of the new NAAQS.s. improved information
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quality and access will enable citizens and users to access "real-time" air
quality information, and enable EPA to better track environmental indicators and
assess progress. EPA will also assist stakeholders in urban areas in developing
tools and approaches to help avoid conflicts between economic development and
environmental programs -
EPA will support a joint public/private effort to improve (1) the scientific
basis for both future ozone attainment strategies and (2) health and ecological
effects research. The emphasis of the program is on the former. EPA and the
National Academy of Sciences (NAS) agreed that setting an effective national
strategy to deal with this problem will require scientific information to come
from an expanded national research program. As a .result, the NARSTO research
program was chartered, at the White House in February 199'5 with a lifetime of ten
years, and with a near-term focus on a 1998-99 assessment of the improved state
of the science for use in a mid-course adjustment to the national implementation
policy..
In the NARSTO-related exposure research area, EPA will continue research on
atmospheric chemistry and modeling to produce, evaluate, and apply a next
generation atmospheric model for ozone, addressing the well-documented
deficiencies (such as inadequate chemistry mechanisms for biogenic and aromatic
VOCs, poor emissions inputs and source plume treatment, insufficient vertical and
spatial resolution, and the inability to move from individual episodes to daily
and annual representation), in current urban and regional models used for NAAQS
attainment demonstrations. Correcting such deficiencies will remove some of the
uncertainties that state, tribal and local air quality managers face in
forecasting the benefits of alternative source controls in relation to ozone
contributions from upwind regions in natural sources. Another area of focus will
be the improvement of methods to physically observe ambient VOC and NOX chemistry
leading to ozone formation and the testing of these methods in regional field
studies, which .may ultimately lead to successfully managing precursor emissions
to reduce tropospheric ozone. In addition, some 1999 Science and Technology
funds will go toward the (1) Models-3/Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ)
evaluation against field data to demonstrate reliability in ozone NAAQS
attainment planning; and (2) development of tropospheric ozone precursor
measurements and observational modeling to guide cost-effective Control options.
The CMAQ version of Models-3 was released to EPA's Office of Air and Radiation
(OAR) as a beta-test version in 1997 and will be released as an Initial Operating
Version in 1998. OAR will be able to gain a working familiarity with the model
while it undergoes scientific peer evaluation against field data sets, thus
leading to its earliest possible use for implementation strategy development.
In the NARSTO-~related risk management research area, EPA will continue to
develop and refine emission models and methodologies to improve estimates of
tropospheric ozone precursors (VOCs and NOX) emitted from mobile and biogenic
sources. The mobile emissions program will include in-house research to improve
emissions estimates from light-duty vehicles. Biogenic emissions research will
continue to refine and upgrade an emissions model used to estimate nonmethane
organic compounds (NMOC) and NOX emitted from natural sources. The outcome of
the mobile and biogenic emissions research will be used as inputs to the next
generatio'n atmospheric model described above and by states and tribes to produce
improved emissions estimates, thereby supporting development of optimal ozone
control strategies.
In the area of health effects, EPA will conduct research on human health
mechanisms and dose-response studies. Researchers will perform studies on ozone
effects and mechanisms of toxicity in normal and sensitive humans (e.-g.,
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asthmatics) at near-ambient levels, to define the specific concentration-time
relationships between ozone exposures and initiation of :health effects and
progression and the induction of tolerance to ozone. This health effects
research will further support an improved definition of the primary NAAQS to
protect human health. The health effects research will fill the current gap in
our understanding concerning the relationship between long-term intermittent
exposures to ozone concentrations and chronic adverse health effects. Results
from epidemiologic and mechanistic toxicologica.l studies will provide the data
needed to prepare the mandated NAAQS criteria assessment of the adequacy of the
standard in protecting against chronic effects.
In the ecological effects research area, researchers will continue to
evaluate the effects of ozone and other stressors on important tree and
vegetation species. Three major uncertainties exist in understanding the impact
of ozone on trees: (1) tree characteristics (age, size, and species); (2) .other
stressors (other pollutants, drought, etc.); and (3) exposure dynamics
(concentration, frequency, etc.). This information will form the scientific
basis of the criteria upon which the secondary NAAQS is based. The ecological
effects research will focus on the impacts of atmospheric concentrations of ozone
on the health of forests in the eastern region of the United States. The results
of the research will provide the data and knowledge needed to describe and
quantify adverse economic and ecological impacts. Assessment of the impacts
argue for a separate secondary standard, or dictate the need for a particular
control strategy, or both.
The risk assessment research program will: (1) develop new methodologies to
characterize ozone hazards to humans and ecosystems and the corresponding
benefits of reducing these hazards; (2) support improved risk assessments of
ozone; and (3) perform periodic, comprehensive scientific assessments.
Consultation and support in the area of ozone will permit risk assessments by
state, Regional, and international air pollution control organizations with less
uncertainty. These efforts will provide OAR with the research results needed to
develop and implement ozone policies based on strong science.
Parti, culateMatter
After promulgating the new PM2.5 standard, EPA will be working with states
and tribes to install fine particulate monitors and obtain data on fine particle
emissions. EPA has committed to provide 100 percent of the PM2.5 monitoring
network costs through state and tribal grants under the authority of Section 103
of the Clean Air Act. EPA, states, and tribes will continue to monitor PM10 but
at a reduced level. EPA also will promote the use of continuous particulate
matter source monitoring and improved fine particulate test methods. After the
scientific review is completed in 2002, EPA will use the monitoring data to
designate attainment areas, characterize emission sources, and conduct a
scientific health review of the standard. States and tribes will also be using
the data to identify particulate matter sources and "hotspots" and will use this
information in developing SIPs and TIPs.
EPA will be conducting chemical speciation analyses to provide the basis for
states and tribes to determine the chemical constituents of the PM2.5 and better
identify and understand the sources and characteristics of the pollution and its
potential effects. States and tribes will use this information to develop
control strategies to come into attainment with the new particulate matter
standard.
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EPA will assist states, tribes, and local governments in devising stationary
source and mobile source strategies to reduce particulate matter before
implementing the new standards. All on-going efforts to meet the current
standards will help to meet the new standards as well. As a result, EPA will
assist states and tribes in maintaining existing control programs in the interim
period between the promulgation o.f the particulate matter standard and the
approval of SIPs and TIPs.
EPA will develop a series of guidance documents for the new particulate
matter program to provide infrastructure for implementing the new standards. EPA
will continue public outreach activities, especially to create materials for the
general public on fine particulate matter.
EPA will improve the characterization of mobile, stationary, and fugitive
source particulate matter contribution to PM2.5 .nonattainment designations.
Emission factors and inventories will be developed along with air quality models
(e.g., MODELS3).
EPA assumes that 'mobile sources account for one third of fine particle
emissions and a larger portion of controllable emissions. Diesel engines, until
recently largely unregulated, contribute to the majority ,of fine particulate
emissions. Consequently, EPA will improve its understanding of various mobile
source control technologies on particle size, shape, and composition. In
collaborating with industry, states, and academia, EPA will 'better understand
diesel particle size under various vehicle, engine, and fuel testing conditions.
Because non-road diesels only recently began to be 'controlled for emissions,
there appears to be a great opportunity for large reductions of particulate
matter from these engines. Control of these sources are projected to lead to
reductions of 800,000 tons per year of NOX and 300,000 tons of particulate
matter. EPA will .design and develop new engineering concepts that would allow
petroleum-fueled four stroke direct injection (4SDI) engines to meet stringent
particulate matter and NOX emission levels while maintaining high efficiency.
These -new concepts will include the development of the conventional diesel (4SDI)
using petroleum derived diesel fuel to reduce the high fine particulate matter,
high NOX emissions of these engines.
EPA's particulate matter research efforts will focus on furthering the
understanding of the role particulate matter plays in human .health. Recent
epidemiological studies indicate significant associations between a variety of
measures of ambient particulate matter and both mortality and morbidity. Of most
concern are indications from these studies of increased mortality risks,
especially among the elderly and those with pre-existing •cardiopulmonary disease.
Particulate matter may be the largest single contributor to adverse effects
caused by .ambient air pollution, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of
premature deaths e'ach year. EPA's research efforts will focus on further
understanding the role particulate matter plays on human health.
EPA will evaluate the relationship between health effects and particulate
matter exposures, using; epidemiology and significantly improved characterization
of exposures. Thereby, researchers will characterize and quantify, through
epidemiology, the morbidity and mortality associated with "real world" short-" and
long-term exposures, including the development of new methods and evaluation of
existing data.
EPA will continue a substantial effort of toxicological and clinical
research to identify and evaluate several hypotheses regarding the biological
mechanisms that might lead to respiratory or cardiovascular effects associated
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with particulate matter. These hypotheses are not mutually exclusive, and EPA
research may demonstrate that multiple mechanisms are operative. Research will
focus on the potential role of metals present in particulate matter in producing
effects, the effects of pre-existing disease on susceptibility and dosimetry,
cardiopulmonary mechanisms, and identifying the characteristics of particulate
matter (size, composition) associated with effects. Research to identify and
evaluate plausible mechanisms will provide valuable information for future
toxicological assessments and epidemiological studies.
Exposure research will continue to concentrate on measurement,
characterization, and modeling leading to refined estimates of human exposures
to particulate matter. Resources will be used to characterize the population
exposures to ambient, indoor, and personal particulate matter by developing and
applying improved exposure methodologies and models, as well as the amount of
particulate matter from various sources. Researchers -will also seek to: (1)
understand further the atmospheric chemistry of particulate matter to support
fate and transport-modeling to support regulatory implementation and (2) develop
and evaluate particle measurement methods to characterize atmospheric particulate
matter.. As such, some 1999 Science and Technology funds will go toward the
completion of a preliminary evaluation of Models-3/CMAQ for particulate matter
against the comprehensive field data sets to demonstrate reliability in
particulate matter attainment planning, which will be completed in a future
fiscal year.
The magnitude of potential risks and the uncertainty in existing risk
assessments indicates research is needed to support decisions by EPA .on the need
for and the form of a revised NAAQS for particulate matter and to support control
program implementation. Therefore, researchers will continue to perform
periodic, comprehensive scientific assessments to understand: the differences
in health effects between coarse and fine particles; interactions of particulate
matter with other pollutants and weather; lung function as a predictor of
mortality; and determination of the best exposure metrics to estimate health
outcomes. Consultation and support will enable state, regional, and
international air pollution control organizations to perform risk assessments
with less uncertainty. These efforts will provide EPA with research results
needed to continue to develop and implement particulate matter policies based on
strong science..
The health effects research will work to fill the current gap in our
understanding of the observed excess mortality and morbidity associated with
particulate air pollution. Results from epidemiologic and mechanistic
toxicological studies will provide the data .-.needed to prepare the mandated NAAQS
criteria assessment of the adequacy of the standard. In addition, research as
to whether, and to what extent, the effects attributed to particulate matter
exposures are confounded by other commonly occurring pollutants such as sulfur
dioxide and ozone, will improve the interpretation of the epidemiological
studies.
Risk management research will characterize source emissions to clarify which
sources are significant contributors to ambient fine particles. Studies will be
conducted to develop particle size distribution data for a variety of sources.
The research to characterize particle emissions from residual fuel oil and
pulverized coal combustion sources -will produce both particle size distribution
and chemical composition data. Research will also be conducted to evaluate and,
where necessary, improve or develop control technologies for a variety of
industrial and commercial sources. Modeling studies will be conducted to predict
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the performance of alternative technologies, which will be augmented by
experimental studies of innovative, low-cost control devices.
The exposure, modeling and risk management research will provide, by 2001,
measurements, modeling, source emissions, and control information for particulate
matter by species and size to guide risk assessment and risk management,
Particulate matter measurements are needed since current methods are focused on
larger particle sizes. Measurement information can support epidemiologic and
mechanism studies, and help develop data for implementation strategies. Because
particulate matter is by nature a mixture, we need to know the compositions,
sizes, physical properties, and sources that cause health effects. A report on
the size, distribution, and chemistry of urban particulate matter including
spatial and temporal variability at selected sites is called for by 2001.
Understanding regional and temporal variability in particle characteristics
•(e.g., Western versus Eastern U.S.) and toxicity (e.g., coarse Western particles
versus fine Eastern U.S. particles) may also lead to more effective risk
management. Finally, in the area of risk management research, more efficient and
economical particulate matter controls and evaluation of existing and new risk
management technologies and strategies, including market-based approaches, that
can be cost-effectively used to control emissions will contribute to meeting the
objective of making the air safer to breathe for those people living in non-
attainment areas.
Visibility
EPA proposed a regional haze program in conjunction with' the new standards
for ozone and particulate matter. Because of regional variations in natural
conditions which combine with man-made pollution to produce regional haze, EPA
believes that regional haze should be addressed through a region-specific program
that accounts for these variations. This most likely would result in a regional
program for Western states that is different, for example, from one for
Northeastern states. In 1999, all states and two territories will develop plans
to improve visibility in their region of the country.
Since 1987, EPA has supported the long-term visibility monitoring program
known as the IMPROVE network. The IMPROVE network gathers data that can be used
to identify sources of visibility impairment on an individual site, regional, and
national scale. EPA will work with Western states to determine the steps that
are needed to preserve clear days and improve visibility in the 1.6 national parks
and wilderness areas located in the Colorado Plateau. An Eastern regional haze
program will address visibility impairment in the Appalachian Mountains.
Regional emissions reductions to attain a fine particle NAAQS and meet
requirements of other programs (such as the acid rain program) are expected to
improve visibility in certain parks and wilderness areas, particularly in the
East.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• Revoke the current 1-hour standard for 21 additional areas classified as
nonattainment when they meet the 1-hour ozone NAAQS.
• Propose national guidance for ozone SIP revisions and attainment
demonstration requirements so states will know how to proceed in developing
plans for attainment.
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• Deploy PM2.5 ambient monitors at 724 sites.
1 Issue rules for improving visibility nationwide.
• New test procedure for PM from non-road engines.
1 In 1998, the External Review Draft of the ozone, research needs document
will be submitted for public and CASAC review, with appropriate revisions
then incorporated into final document.
1 Conduct PM Assessment Methodology Research in support of 2001 PM AQCD.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
01 Obj. Total Change $11,523.8 (28.7)
Environmental Program & Management $13,654.0 8.9
Science and Technology $(10,911,3) (37.6)
State and Tribal Assistance'Grants . $8,781.1
The redirections for 1999 are largely based on a risk-based priority
process and reflect a consideration of the Agency's statutory requirements,
technical assistance requirements, and the need for scientific and technical
transfer of knowledge and expertise.
• (-$8,293,400) Resources are reduced from elements of the ozone program
that were associated with development of SIP revisions that are no longer
required.
• (+$54,800,000 STAG/S&T) Fine particles are highly complex and pervasive
pollutants that are believed to create high health risks for millions of
people. To achieve major reductions in fine particles and, realize the
health benefits from the new NAAQS we need to make a significant
investment of $65,700,000 to provide states and tribes with the critical
tools they need to better measure and characterize fine particles and
understand how they are emitted, formed, and transported. This investment
is essential for building a strong foundation for action and will result
in more accurate information for identifying problem areas and source
categories.
EPA will need to provide states and tribes with the funding necessary to
establish a 1,500-site national PM2.5 monitoring network in time to collect
complete and accurate information for identifying areas with unhealthy
air. Funds allocated to build this network will cover the costs for
monitor purchase, network design and siting, operations and maintenance,
and Continuous monitoring and/or meteorological stations at selected
sites.
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Funds will also cover costs for chemical speciation analysis so that
states and tribes can determine the chemical constituents of the PMZ.5 and
better identify and understand the .sources and characteristics of the
pollution and its potential effects.
(+$10,000,000 S&T/EPM) We also need to develop and provide to states .and
tribes source characterization information for use, .in conjunction with
air quality information provided by the EM2.s network, in identifying the
pollution sources that contribute to health and environmental risks.
Emissions factors will be developed for point sources, such as utility
'boilers, as well, as key area sources, such as new diesel passenger
vehicles, off-road heavy diesel. engines, agricultural tilling,
construction, woodstoves, open burning, and roads. We will also assist
states and tribes in developing or revising data systems to track, repo.rt,
and analyze emissions and air quality information.
(+•$3,405,000 EPM) Sustainable Development Grants will increase to
encourage community, business and government to work cooperatively to
develop flexible, locally-oriented approaches, that link place based
environmental management and quality of life with sustainable .development
and revitalization. To secure grant funding, public and private entities
within the community must be willing to contribute their resources, either
in cash or through in-kind services and supplies.
(+$1,250,000 EPM) The Right-to-Know program will increase to provide a
comprehensive framework for measuring and reporting environmental
information. This approach incorporates updated technology for
environmental measurement and monitoring; ensures that the information is
useful and timely for families and communities; facilitates public access
to comprehensive and integrated environmental data; and, provides
effective tools for communicating, interpreting and applying environmental
.data.
(+$4,310,300) We will focus increased efforts on tools and approaches for
addressing the conflict between urban economic development and programs
for ozone, particulate matter, and other environmental problems.
(+$2,552,900) This increase will be used to test vehicles and engines to
provide data on emissions under various operating conditions. These data
will be used to improve emission models used by the states and EPA.
(-$578,800 and -7.2 workyears S&T) The Agency will reduce tropospheric
ozone health research by redirecting most of these resources to One
Atmosphere research (under the Sound Science, Improved 'Understanding of
Environmental Risk, and Greater Innovation to Address Environmental
Problems goal). Under the One Atmosphere research program, research
efforts on epidemiological methods and on the mechanisms by which
pollutants produce effects and the dose-response of those effects will be
conducted to address both criteria air pollutants and air toxics rather
than individual toxic compounds. Since tropospheric ozone is a prominent
.air pollutant constituent of urban atmospheres, this redirection provides
start-up resources for research on the combined influence of air
pollutants and human health. The reduction to tropospherie ozone research
will reduce the effort to identify factors affecting human respiratory
response to ozone as a single air contaminant.
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(-$775,300 and -6.1 workyears S&T) The Agency will reduce tropospheric
ozone terrestrial ecology research. This reduction reflects a reduced
effort to characterize the effects of tropospheric ozone on the
productivity of tree species and a redirection .of effort to the
development of global indicators of terrestrial ecosystem change. The
terrestrial indicators of global change include similar indicators to
those developed under the tropospheric ozone program; thus, this
redirection represents consolidation and leveraging of the global and
tropospheric ozone ecology research programs.
(-$768,000 and -10.0 workyears S&T) A redirection of resources from
tropospheric ozone risk management emissions reduction research to One
Atmosphere risk management integrated emissions reduction research 'will
allow the Agency to focus its resources on development and evaluation of
technologies, which have the potential to reduce multiple pollutants
rather than focusing solely on technologies to reduce ozone percursors
such as NOX. Multi-pollutant control o.r prevention devices which can
reduce NOX, as well as other air pollutants of concern, are now a higher
priority to the Agency than single pollutant options.
(-$713,000 S&T) The Agency will disinvest $713,000 from tropospheric ozone
methods and observation-based assessments exposure research. The Agency
expects to successfully complete methods development for a number of ozone
precursors in 1998 in keeping with NARSTO. The next phase -of applying
these methods as part of an in-house testing and observational approach to
assess changes in emissions.and their relation to area ozone formation is
anticipated, due to this disinvestment, to be completed through a long-
term research effort so that no impact will be incurred.
(-$467,800 and +4.0 total workyears S&T) The Agency will decrease
-resources allocated to tropospheric ozone emissions characterization
research, which will significantly • reduce the NARSTO-related risk
management research focused on improving the techniques used to estimate
emissions of ozone precursors (volatile organic compounds and nitrogen
oxides) from mobile (diesel and light-duty vehicles) sources. EPA has
developed a model which would substantially improve estimates of mobile
•source emissions by taking into account various modes of vehicle
operation. Components of this model are being factored into the
regulatory models which are used by atmospheric modelers, the Office of
Mobile Sources, and state regulatory authorities to develop estimates of
mobile source emissions. This reduction will eliminate all NARSTO-funded
research on heavy duty diesel trucks and significantly .reduce the
information included in the mobile emissions model. Completion of a
version of the model that can be used by other researchers and Federal,
state and local policymakers will be delayed substantially.
(+$2,517,400 S&T) Long-term research efforts will increase for both (1)
tropospheric ozone precursor measurements, modeling source emissions, and
health and ecological effects for NAAQS related ozone risk assessments
($90.0,000) and (2) measurements and modeling for particulate matter,
.epidemiological and toxicological research on long-term effects of
particulate matter, and a risk model for short- and long-term .effects
based on epidemiological, toxicological and mechanistic studies
($1,617,400).
(-$1,250,000) Funding to support the California Regional PM 10 2.5 Air
Quality Study, a Congressional earmark, has been eliminated.
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Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Area designation
Publish notice
revoking the 1-
hour ozone
standard for 21
areas meeting the
standard.
States submit 8
requests for
revoking the 1-
hour ozone
standard.
Publish notice
revoking the 1-hour
ozone standard for
8 areas meeting the
standard.
50 states, submit
attainment
designations under
the revised ozone
standard.
National guidance for SIP
revisions attainment
demonstration requirements
PM2.5 Monitoring Network
Initial evaluation of Models-3
against field observations taken
during the Eulerian Model
Evaluation Field Study (EMEFS).
Plume-in-grid feature
incorporated into Models-3 to
improve urban scale resolution.
Begin training of clients in the
use of Models-3 for their
analysis of mid-course options.
Propose national
guidance on PM2.5
SIP revision and
attainment
demonstration
requirements.
Propose national
guidance on ozone
SIP revisions and
attainment
demonstration
requirements.
Issue national
guidance on
visibility SIP
requirements.
States deploy 724
PM2.5 ambient
monitoring sites.
9/30/98
Issue national
guidance on PM2.5
SIP revisions and
attainment
demonstration
requirements.
Issue national
guidance on ozone
SIP revisions and
attainment
demonstration
requirements.
Issue SIP
processing guidance
for visibility
SIPs.
52 States and
Territories submit
visibility SIPs»
States deploy 776
PMz.5 monitoring
sites.
1-18
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Analysis .of Southern Oxidant 9/30/98
Study (SOS) data from 1995 field
program in Nashville/Middle
Tennessee region, including
methods to measure and model
ozone and its precursors.
Delivery of External Review Draft 9/30/98
of ozone research needs to CASAC
and complete final document.
Report on quantifying the 9/30/99
uncertainty in emissions,
chemical parameters, and
meteorological conditions for
traj ectory model.
Recommend method for measuring 9/30/01
NOx (nitrogen oxides and their
reaction products.)
Evaluation of fine particle 9/30/98
module predictive capability of
the Initial Operating Version
(IOV) of the Models-3, to assess
potential impact of fine
particulate source controls on
regional to urban to sub-urban
scales.
Identification of biologically 9/30/9-8
plausible hypothesis to explain
PM-induced toxicity.
Delivery of integrated daily time 9/30/98
series database for specific
regions.
Produce data on ammonia from hog 9/30/98
farm lagoons. Ammonia reacts
with other compounds in the
atmosphere to form fine
particles.
Reports (1) describing research 9/30/99
designed to test a hypothesis
about mechanisms of PM-induced
toxicity and (2) characterizing
factors affecting PM dosimetry in
humans.
Reports on (1) long-term 9/30/99
exposures to PM and effects on
mortality and lung function and
(2) reanalysis of Harvard and
American Cancer Society cohorts
on health effects of long-term
exposures to PM. '
1-19
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Delivery of a computer simulation
model to generate true air
pollution exposure in region.
Produce data on the size
distribution of particles emitted
from residential wood combustion
(fireplaces and wood stoves) and
diesel trucks during highway
operation.
Award and establish up to five
peer reviewed STAR fine
particulate research centers.
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
Conclusion
Attaining and maintaining the ozone and particulate matter objective will
significantly enhance public health and welfare in the United States. Large
numbers of people will enjoy longer and better lives, and will be able to engage
in activities they otherwise would be precluded from enjoying.
To attain the objective, we will need to reassess the population and
economic growth assumptions as well as improvements in our scientific
understanding of ozone and particulate matter and their solutions; this
reassessment most likely will occur beyond the current planning horizon. For
example, we know the new PM2.5 standard also reduces toxic pollutants in the
atmosphere, but we cannot yet quantify the reduction. Improvement in our
emission inventories, monitoxing, and analysis techniques will provide
opportunities for integrating programs to provide emission reductions from
multiple pollutants. .We also expect to be able to make major progress in the
next ten years to reduce emissions from mobile sources, especially those powered
by diesel engines. These technological improvements are .expected to present
opportunities for both reducing emissions and aspiring to higher standards of
environmental protection.
Research efforts for tropospheric ozone and particulate matter support the
achievement of the objective by providing health and ecological effects
information, as well as the exposure, source characterization, and risk
management data, to both meet and implement the NAAQSs.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Data sources:
• EPA National Emission Trends Database;
• EPA AIRS Air Quality Subsystem;
• EEA Findings and Required Elements Data System (FREDS);
• Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE)
database.
Data from the National Emission Trends Database and the AIRS Air Quality
Subsystem is used to determine if nonattainment areas have their requisite three
years of clean air data needed for redesignation. The FREDS system tracks the
progress of states and Regions in reviewing and approving the required elements
1-20
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o:f the SIPs also needed for redesignation to attainment. The IMPROVE database
provides data on visibility improvement from various sites nationally.
QA/QC procedures:
To assure that the ambient air quality data provides a sound basis for
monitoring the progress in air quality, the following quality assurance steps are
taken. There are quality control methods specified for the collection of data
such as filter handling to ensure the technical quality of the data at each site.
There are also methods in place such as co-location of monitors to ensure uniform
'readings across the monitoring network. Finally, there are systems audits which
regularly review the overall air quality data collection activity for any needed
changes or corrections.
In the area of environmental science and research, EPA has several
strategies to validate and verify performance measures in the area of
environmental science and research. The Agency has implemented a risk-based
research planning process to use risk assessment and risk management as principal
priority-setting criteria. EPA conducts annual research program reviews to both
evaluate the status and accomplishments of its research and determine planning
priorities. To better draw upon the expertise of the environmental academic
community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program of
peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants. The Agency is also working with
various professional societies on research issues.
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator states that peer review will be expanded, "to include both the
major work products provided in the past and...all scientific and technical
products supporting Agency decisions..." This expanded and strengthened focus
on peer review will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are
verified and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer
review throughout the research planning and .implementation process, both to
ensure that planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EPA's
mission, and to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products, and
proposals. This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as
the Science Advisory Board (SAB) and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC).
The BOSC, established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine
the way the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of its research
and development laboratories.
EPA7 s external research program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific 'community are peer-reviewed and projects .are then
selected for funding through grants or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures. The recently developed'GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
Statutory Authority
Clean Air Act
1-21
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Request to Congress
Clean Air
Objective #2: Reduce Emissions of Air Toxics
By 2010, reduce air toxic emissions .by 75 percent from 1993 levels to
significantly reduce the risk to Americans of Cancer and other serious adverse
health effects caused by airborne toxics.
Overview
Toxic air pollutants pose a significant health risk because some may cause
cancer and others may cause other health problems such as reproductive disorders,
birth defects, and damage to the nervous system. It is common for the increased
lifetime cancer risks from the mixture of a subset of urban air toxics to exceed
1 in 10,000 in U.S. cities. People who live near major industrial plants may
face even higher cancer risks from .air toxics.
Air toxics programs can be categorized into four key areas: 1)
characterization of air toxics from stationary and mobile sources, 2) working
with states and localities to implement the air toxics program, 3) technology—
and risk-based standards for emissions from stationary sources and residual risk;
and, 4) research to support the air toxics program. Most sources that emit air
toxics are believed to also emit other air pollutants (such as ozone precursors
and fine particles). EPA 'will maximize the possibilities for co-control of
pollutants by focussing on developing Maximum Achievable Control Technology
(MACT) standards and other standards that will reduce emissions from both air
toxics and other key pollutants.
Titles II and III of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 mandate air
toxics regulations. Title II programs regulate clean fuels; Title III lists 189
hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) -and requires the implementation of MACT standards
for major sources .emitting these HAPs. EPA has promulgated approximately 25
percent of these standards, with the remaining standards to be promulgated by the
year 2000. Eight years after MACT standards are developed, EPA must determine
residual risk from EAPs, and revise .the standards if there is not an ample margin
of safety to protect the public health. Title III also mandates a national urban
air toxics strategy along with assessment and control of the 30 most hazardous
air pollutants found in urban areas. In addition, Title III requires control of
combustion sources with emphasis on mercury and analysis of emissions from steam
powered utility plants. The affected sources include municipal waste combustors,
medical waste incinerators, industrial and commercial waste incinerators, and
other solid waste incinerators. Title II of the Clean Air Act requires standards
for air toxics emitted from mobile sources.
EPA's research program is charged with producing technical reports, papers,
models, and other data to improve the scientific understanding of air toxic
health risks and providing data to be used by regulatory officials and industry
to evaluate the effectiveness of various emission reduction technologies. The
program is designed to provide the critical scientific .information that Agency
program offices and Regions need to develop, implement,- and evaluate risk
management options and to produce improved tools for environmental assessment so
1-2.2
-------
that information developed by the Agency and others is more easily used and
understood.
Research priorities are determined using a risk-based priority process
focusing on effects, exposure, risk .assessment, and risk management. The
information gained from the air toxics research will: 1) protect the public
health of our children and future generations as we better understand the risks
associated with and remedies to exposure to air toxics and mixtures of air
toxics; 2) provide strong science and readily available and more effective
information to support Regional, state, and local government risk
assessors/managers; and 3) quantify the impacts of air toxic emissions from
mobile and stationary air toxic sources on air quality.
The Agency supports this objective through legal counseling and advocacy.
This may include advice, participation in the development of Agency actions,
document review, and the conduct of defensive litigation.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bind. .1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 02 Reduce Emissions of Air $89,008.8 $85,837.4 $91,924.6
Toxics
Environmental Program & $52,685.4 $47,723.4 $52,651.7
Management
Science and Technology $17,411.3 $19,201.9 $17,178.4
State and Tribal Assistance $18,912.1 $18,912.1 $22,094.5
.Grants
Total FTE 387,4 401.4 390.4
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• In 1999, reduce air toxics emissions by 12 percent, resulting in a
cumulative reduction of 25 percent from 1993 levels.
• In 19.99, complete oral and inhalation noncancer health assessments for
benzene.
• In 1999, complete .health assessments for five air toxics to be indicated as
high priority by the EPA and regional offices.
• In 1999, provide models and methods needed to estimate health risks from 30
highest priority air toxics.
• By 2000, develop a preliminary urban scale Models-3/Toxics Model for
community-based human exposure assessment for air toxics having known
emissions and air chemistry.
The air toxics program involves setting standards and providing the
framework and information to fully implement programs to reduce emissions and
risk. To meet the air toxics objective, EPA will shift its efforts from setting
1-23
-------
standards to assisting states and industries in implementing rules and to
monitoring progress in reducing emissions and risk.
Air Toxics Characterization
Following promulgation of the MACT standards, EPA must determine i.f there
is any remaining risk from the regulated compounds. EPA's air toxics objective
focuses primarily on the statutory requirements of the toxics program in the
Clean Air Act to reduce emissions by issuing technology-based standards. The
objective .seeks to reduce emissions through the promulgation and implementation
of MACT standards. Although this goal is measurable it does not encompass the
health and ecological benefits that the public expects from the program.
Although a health and environmental goal is -more appropriate, EPA lacks the
information and tools to adequately characterize and measure progress in
improving public health and environmental impacts .of air toxics. The program
will need to invest in improved and innovative monitoring and modeling,
inventories, development and refinement of environmental indicators, and risk
assessment tools to better characterize the risk from air toxics and establish
a baseline for measuring risk in carrying out the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA). EPA will build on state efforts to create a national toxics
monitoring and inventory program in order to better characterize exposures to
hazardous .air pollution.
Mobile source progxams currently reduce air toxics with vehicle-based
controls and with cleaner burning fuels. Air toxics reductions result from gas
and diesel powered vehicles and non-road equipment meeting more stringent
"tailpipe" standards; improved evaporative controls on cars and trucks; reduced
gasoline 'volatility; reformulated gasoline; and enhanced vehicle inspection .and
maintenance programs. In addition, EPA will conduct a study of the need for and
the feasibility of controlling emissions of unregulated toxic air pollutants
associated with motor vehicles and fuels. In addition to reducing air toxics,
vehicle tailpipe controls reduce ozone and particulate matter. Consequently, we
have counted these programs under the .ozone and particulate matter objective.
We are counting only fuels programs under the resource profile for air toxics.
Phase I reformulated gasoline (RFG) reduces toxics by 15 percent; Phase II
RFG will reduce toxics by 28 percent beginning in 2000. The Fuels and Fuel
Additives Registration Program provides for the review and screening of potential
toxic substances prior to introduction .into motor vehicle fuel supplies.
Approximately 10,000 registration requests will be submitted.
Air Toxics Implementation
As EPA develops standards for controlling the emissions of HAPs, each state
must implement these rules with compliance monitoring. The Agency delegates the
implementation activities to the states .and provides the tools and guidance to
ensure smooth and consistent implementation of the standards. EPA will issue
guidance and conduct outreach activities to help sources comply. EPA will use
emissions testing and, where feasible, continuous emission monitoring or emission
inventories to monitor compliance -with MACT and other air toxics standards. EPA
will continue the fuels and fuel additives registration system.
EPA will perform studies related to air toxic deposition into selected
bodies of water; the urban air toxics problem; and municipal waste combustors.
Again, OAR will rely on research from the Office of Research and Development
(ORD) in these areas, and will work cooperatively with the Office of Water (OW)
in the Great Waters Acid Deposition Study.
1-24
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Concurrent with the'release of the updated Great Waters report in June 1997,
EPA is.sued a Notice of Availability announcing and seeking comment on its
determination that section 112 of the Clean Air Act provides adequate authority
to regulate air pollutants to prevent adverse effects due to deposition in Great
Waters. 'In 1999, the Agency will continue multi-media modeling and deposition
studies, and will facilitate state and regional deposition reduction strategies,
proposing necessary, cross-media regulations to allow state and local governments
to implement control programs to reduce air deposition.
In 1999, EPA will publish the Urban Area Source Report and Strategy. EPA
will focus on an integrated urban toxics .strategy by identifying the 3D hazardous
air pollutants that pose the greatest threat in urban areas,. EPA will identify
in the .strategy the source categories that emit these pollutants and assure that
90 percent of these urban areas sources are subject to regulation.
As part of the work performed under the Clean Air Act, EPA will reduce the
emissions and lower the risk associated with the persistent, bioaccumulative
toxics (PBTs). The air program will work to achieve these reductions through
regulatory and. prevention-based measures. EPA will be developing tools to
evaluate the impact of PBTs and the impact of reductions in PBTs on human health
and the environment.
Air 'Toxics .Rules^ and jStandards Development
In developing the 10-year MACT standards, EPA will continue to streamline
the air toxics program by building on experience from earlier standards and by
providing greater flexibility for states -that want to achieve the emission
reductions, but in ways that are different from those proposed by EPA. EPA will
continue approaches such as the Common Sense Initiative, consolidated rules,
partnerships with states in making presumptive MACT determinations, and the
generic MACT approach where rulemakings for source categories with four or fewer
major facilities would be developed .as a broad-based rule. All of the four-year
MACT standards have been completed. EPA is planning to move three source
categories into the ten-year bin (statutory deadline November 2000). EPA plans
to promulgate all ten-year standards on schedule.
The second phase of air toxics standards will address the risks to public
health and the environment that remain .after the application of MACT controls.
Often referred to as residual risk standards, these standards would be
established eight years after promulgation of MACT standards. EPA is developing
a strategy for identifying and dealing with residual risk through studies related
to emissions from electric utilities and EPA risk assessment procedures and
methods.
Section 129 of the Clean Air Act requires the establishment of performance
standards for each category of solid waste incinerators. These categories
include: municipal waste combustors, medical waste incinerators, industrial and
commercial waste incinerators, and other solid waste incinerators. EPA will
provide guidance for implementing the rules promulgated for municipal and medical
waste incinerators. The rules for industrial and commercial and other waste
incinerators have been combined and are part of the Industrial Combustion
Coordinated Rulemaking (ICCR), -which has a statutory deadline of November 2000.
The ICCR also includes: boilers, process heaters, gas turbines, and internal
combustion engines, which are regulated under sections 111 and 112 o-f the Clean
Air Act. These standards are being developed using the Federal Advisory
Committee Act in a effort to involve all interested stakeholders. EPA will
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develop regulatory options for the various categories and subcategories of
incinerators and develop a proposal package for the ICCR.
Reinvention efforts continue in the form of Common Sense Initiatives/
Project XL, and the Consolidated Federal Air Rule. The Common Sense Initiative
is an industry-by-industry approach to environmental policy and rule development.
Project XL offers sources alternative compliance methods for greater
environmental benefit, and the Consolidated Federal Air Rule reduces costs and
regulatory burdens by simplifying and consolidating reporting and record keeping
requirements affecting an industry.
AirToxics Research
The air toxics research program: (1) defines the magnitude of the urban air
toxics problem through effects and exposure research; {2) determines the most
cost-effective ways to manage the risks through development of modeling tools and
evaluation of control .options; and (3) characterizes and measures emissions from
vehicles. The data and methods available to assess and manage non-cancer health
risks of air toxics are very limited. For example, the Clean Air Act requires
substantial assessment of risks posed by air toxics in urban areas and public
comments on local permits within the decade. Exposures from these sources may
have an impact on most of the U.S. population. Uncertainties in exposure
assessment and dose-response assessment often prevent adequate evaluation of
risks, and may lead to either unnecessary controls if assumptions are overly
conservative or inadequate protection of public health if assumptions are not
protective enough. In addition, many of the sources contributing to pollution
in urban areas are small and guidance/assistance is needed on how to reduce
emissions in a cost-effective manner. The array of scientific methods, models,
and data developed by the Agency and others are frequently difficult to use and
interpret, particularly for communities faced with evaluation of their specific
situations. For these reasons, in 1999 EPA will conduct research and provide
assistance that may reduce these uncertainties.
Health effects researchers will quantitatively evaluate cancer and non-
cancer health effects from air toxics exposures emphasizing: effects of acute
and recurrent acute exposures; impacts on sensitive subpopulations; and
development of methods to as.sess effects from chemical classes and common urban
air pollutant mixtures. Researchers will also improve methods for extrapolations
of health data from animals to humans to improve our understanding of health
effects and risk assessment methods. Resources will be applied to better
understand the impacts on health of exposure to air toxics in the urban setting,
where most risks are anticipated to occur. Techniques will also be developed
from long-term, multi-disciplinary studies to characterize health outcomes
associated with urban toxics.
Exposure researchers will develop (1) methods to identify contributing
sources from ambient air measurements; and (2) improved models to characterize
actual human exposure. Scientists will determine the factors to ascertain
whether inner city and other low income communities are being subjected to
exposures to air toxics at a greater degree than other communities. Resources
will provide limited support to the development of approaches for assessing
cumulative exposures to air toxics from both area sources and previously
controlled major point sources. These approaches should be useful in assessing
residual risks. Some 1999 Science and Technology funds will go toward the
development of a preliminary urban scale Models-3/Toxics Model for Community-
Based Human Exposure Assessment for air toxics having known emissions and air
chemistry, but the preliminary model will not be realized until a future fiscal
1-26
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year. This model will for the first time estimate regional urban and source
specific air toxics -.exposures and allow multi-scale air toxics exposure
projections.
Research will also be conducted to develop and demonstrate new methods to
assess risks from urban toxics. The goal is to take information developed in a
research context and communicate the information more effectively to regional and
local government risk assessors/managers through technology transfer centers.
These risk assessors/managers will use the new risk assessment methods for
chronic and acute non-cancer assessments and the new guidance for cancer risk
assessment to determine with greater certainty the risks associated with the HAPs
arising from area sources. In 1999, resources will: enhance the development of
health effects assessments from chronic (life-time) and acute (short-term)
exposures and cancer risk determinations for the urban toxics program; staff the
Air Risk Information Support Center (Air RISC) Hotline to communicate risk
assessment methodologies and respond to air pollution questions from regional,
state, and community air pollution control offices; and provide consultation to
program, state, regional, and community offices on urban toxics. These resources
will enable EPA to more effectively manage program coordination and meet program
goals of supporting and transferring information to communities. Researchers
will continue to incorporate more recent human ep.idemiolo;gical findings and other
data, as appropriate, into the integrated human and environmental health risk
assessment of mercury emissions.
In 1999, using prior year Science and Technology funding for air toxics
emissions reduction research (at $500,000 per year for 1996-1998), EPA will
produce data, models, and technical information that can be used by Federal,
state, and local air pollution regulatory officials to (1) -understand the
processes which lead to the formation of organic and metal compounds in
combustion systems and (2) quantitatively evaluate the viability (cost and
performance) of various technologies to control or prevent these emissions.
Air pollution from mobile sources has been estimated to account for over
half of the nationwide emissions of air toxics, ozone precursors (volatile
organic compounds .and nitrogen oxides), and carbon monoxide. Mobile sources
research will be in the areas of exposure and risk assessment. The exposure work
will consist of: •(!) chemical characterization of vehicle emissions and (2)
measuring "real world" emissions from infuse vehicles. As such, some 1999 Science
and Technology funds will go toward completing the characterization of emissions
and attendant risks associated with new fuels and fuel additives, but full
characterization will not be realized until a future fiscal year-
In support of the mobile sources risk assessment efforts, the Agency will
continue to support limited emissions characterization for exposure assessments.
Consultation on data collection, risk assessments, and health-related regulatory
decisions for fuels and- fuel additives will support the control of HAPs from
motor vehicles. Assessment activities will also result in the completion of the
Health Risk Assessment Document for Diesel Engine Emissions. In addition,
research will .focus on the health effects associated with air toxics (such as
benzene and butadiene) and emerging motor vehicle technologies and fuels,
including the impact of new engine and emission control technologies, new fuels,
and other fuels.
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1998 Annual Performance Goals
•• In 1998, reduce air toxic emissions by 13 percent from 1993 levels-.
* In 1998, diesel and 1,3-butadiene health assessments submitted to the
Science Advisory Board, and benzene cancer unit risk completed.
• In 1998, complete dose response assessments for six listed air toxics
(beryllium, chromium, bentazon, cadmium, acetonitrile, and vinyl chloride)
and assessments for mercury report to Congress.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
02 Obj. Total Change $6,087.2 (11.0)
Environmental Program & Management $4,928.3 1.8
Science and Technology $(2,023.5) (12.8)
State and Tribal Assistance Grants $3,182.4
• (+$2,700,000) Increase resources for better .identifying the nature and
extent of air toxics problems and providing states and tribes, as well as
the regulated community, with tools to address the problem. We have
directed resources to develop monitoring strategies, models, and emissions
•inventories that will enable the Agency to begin to better define the
scope of the air toxics problem, identify the associated health risks, and
track progress in reducing risks. We also have increased resources for
programs to help state, tribal, and local agencies, as well as the
regulated community, implement national standards to reduce toxic
emissions. Establishing a solid air toxics health baseline and developing
human health indicators are particularly important to measuring program
effectiveness and communicating to the public meaningful health and
environmental outcomes. Although we know that air toxics are harmful to
human health we .have not been able to adequately characterize exposure
results. In addition, as greater numbers of MACT and other air to.xic
rules are finalized by the Agency, states will be required to implement
these emission standards. The Agency will be providing tools and guidance
as well as conducting 'outreach activities to accept delegation of the air
toxics programs.
• -(+$1,200,000) Provide increased support for a cross-Agency initiative
aimed at addressing persistent bio-accumulative toxics. The pervasiveness
and complexity of these pollutants and the lessons learned from actions to
date point to the need for a more significant linkage among the statutory
and programmatic requirements for which EPA is responsible. Examples of
such pollutants include nitrogen, mercury, and dioxin. In particular, it
is important to assess the disproportionate effects that these pollutants
have on human health; particularly children's health, ecosystems, and the
economy.
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(+$3,200,000) Target increased state grant resources, through
reprograituning, to measuring levels of airborne air toxics, particularly in
urban areas. This increase is part of a strategic re-direction for the
air grants program, developed jointly with our state and local partners.
Redirection of grant resources to air toxics would expand the pollutant
and geographic coverage of air toxic monitoring. State and local agencies
also will expand pollutant characterization and speciation efforts to
better identify the sources of airborne toxics and develop control
strategies to address them.
{-$1,245,600 extramural and -8.7 total workyears S&T) Eliminate all of the
urban toxics risk management emissions reduction research. All of the
funding and workyears have been redirected to the One Atmosphere research
program (under the Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental
Risk, and Greater Innovation to Address Environmental Problems goal),
which will focus on integrated technologies that can address both criteria
pollutants and air toxics, including pollutants of concern/ such as
mercury.
(+$500,000) Increase the amount of funding toward long-term multi-
disciplinary studies associated with urban toxics.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Mr toxics emission reduction
from 1993 levels
Air Toxics Implementation
MACT Promulgation
Report on benzene cancer
unit risk completed.
Health Risk Assessment Document
for Diesel Engine Emissions
submitted for SAB review.
Complete National
Toxics Inventory
for 1996
States collect 18
emission inventory
& ambient data
from 140
monitoring sites
Develop
implementation
tools for 12 of
the MACT standards
States assume
implementation of
85% of MACT
standards for
major sources
Promulgate 16 MACT
standards for 25
source categories
9/30/98
9/30/98
Begin compiling
national toxics
invento.ry for 1999
States collect 25
emission inventory
& ambient data from
165 monitoring
sites
Develop
implementation
tools for 12 of the
MACT standards
States assume
implementation of
85% of MACT
.standards for major
sources
Promulgate 12 MACT
standards for 14
source categories
1-29
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Mercury Report to Congress
finalized.
12/15/97
Submit chemical-specific dose-* 9/30/98
response assessments (RfC, RfD, (six)
cancer unit risks) to Integrated
Risk Information System (IRIS).
Complete the adaptation and
development of the Regional
Particulate Module of Models-3
begun for mercury and semi-
volatile compounds.
Develop a preliminary version
urban scale model for community-
based human exposure assessment
based on the HAP exposure model-
Benzene RfD & RfC, Diesel, 1-3
Butadine Mobile Source
Assessments completed.
Report on extrapolation across
concentration and time to support
health risk assessment for acute
exposures.
Benchmark dose software available
for public use.
9/30/98
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
Conclusion
Achieving the air toxics objective will greatly benefit public health in
the U.S. The risk of cancer attributable to air toxics will be significantly
reduced, as will other serious toxic effects to humans and the environment (e.g.,
birth defects, developmental effects, etc.). We will also enjoy the collateral
public health benefit of reducing ozone and fine particles, since many air toxics
are present in these pollutants. Many millions of people, particularly in cities
and in lower-income areas around factories, will be able to breathe air that
contains less of these dangerous pollutants and enjoy longer, healthier lives.
In addition, we will increase our overall understanding of the air toxics problem
through advancements in monitoring and modeling methods, as well as improved
science for characterizing risk. These improvements will enable us to uncover
additional cost-effective opportunities for further reducing air toxics emissions
and decreasing their risk to public health and the environment.
KeyAssumptions and External Factors
• EPA promulgates all MACT standards on time with no litigation.
• Sources are in compliance by required dates.
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• EPA and states will develop and agree upon sound environmental and health
indicators to measure emissions reductions and human health improvements.
Resources will be available to develop needed infrastructures.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Data sources include:
• EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI);
f National Toxic Inventory (NTI);
AIRS
* MACTRAX
The NTI contains emission estimates :for major, area, and mobile source
categories. To date, we have collected emission inventory data to update the NTI
from the externally and internally peer-reviewed Clean Air Act section 112(c) J6)
inventory; MACT emissions data gathered for 2-, 4-, .and 7-year standards;1 state
and local inventories (five states); and the TRI. We have also developed
emissions data using emission factors and activity level data to update source
categories for which we do not have MACT, state or local, or TRI inventory data.
We have identified an additional 12 states that have available HAP inventory
data. By the end of the year, we will complete the update of NTI Version 3.0 for
base year 1993, provide peer-reviewed inventories for 40 hazardous air pollutants
to support Clean Air Act section 112(k), and complete compilation of MACT
baseline emissions data for 2-, 4-, and half of the 7-year source categories.
A 1993 baseline emissions inventory will allow us to track emission reductions
of HAPs as control programs are implemented. We will be able to store and
retrieve all these data from the AIRS system.
MACTRAX provides a mechanism to track the air implementation activities by
each state to insure that the emission reductions expected from the development
of .MACT standards can be realized through full implementation of the standards.
Procedures for quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) of emission and
ambient air toxics data are not as institutionalized 'as those used for the
criteria pollutant program. Air toxics data are not required of states, but are
voluntary. EPA does review the data to assure data quality and consistency,
but no formal procedures are in place for QA. Regional offices do review all
data before it is placed in MACTRAX. Procedures are now being finalized to
ensure the quality of emissions data collected from industry that are used for
the development of technology-based emission standards.
In the area of environmental science and research EPA has several
strategies to validate and verify performance measures.. The Agency has
implemented a risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and
risk management as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA conducts annual
research program reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its
research and determine planning priorities. To better draw upon the expertise
of the environmental academic community, EPA created the Science to Achieve
Results (STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants; the
Agency is also working with various professional societies on research issues.
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator stated that peer review will be expanded, "to include both the
major work products provided in the past and...all scientific and technical
products supporting Agency decisions..." This expanded and strengthened focus
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on peer review will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are
verified and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer
review throughout the research planning and implementation process, both to
ensure that planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EPA's
mission, and to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products, and
proposals. This'is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as
the Science Advisory Board (SAB) and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC).
The BOSC, established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine
the way the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of its research
and development laboratories.
EPA's external research program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
selected for funding through grants or cooperative'agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
Statutory Authority
Clean Air Act
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to OMB
Clean Air
Objective #3: Attain NAAQS for CO, SO2, NO2, and Lead
By 2005, improve air quality for Americans living in areas that do not meet
the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs) for carbon monoxide
(CO), sulfur dioxide (S02), lead, and nitrogen dioxide (NOa) .
Overview
Under the Clean Air Act, EPA must set NAAQSs for pollutants that endanger
public health and the environment. CO, S02, lead, and NO? are all high-risk
pollutants. EPA has been relatively successful in reducing these air pollutants
in many urban areas through stationary and mobile source controls. EPA also
includes new source review (NSR) and operating permit programs for multiple
pollutants under this objective. Each pollutant and the programs that reduce
them are described separately below:
CarbonMonoxide
CO is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas formed when carbon in fuels is
not burned completely. It is a byproduct of highway vehicle exhaust, which
contributes about 60 percent of all CO emissions nationwide. In cities,
automobile exhaust can cause as much as 95 percent of all CO emissions. Vehicle
Miles Traveled (VMT) continue to increase each year. These emissions can result
in high concentrations of CO, particularly in local areas with heavy traffic
congestion. Other :sources of CO emissions include industrial processes and fuel
combustion in sources such as boilers and incinerators.
Carbon monoxide enters the bloodstream and reduces oxygen delivery to the
body's organs and tissues. The health threat from exposure to CO is most serious
for those who suffer from cardiovascular disease. Healthy individuals are also
affected, but only at higher levels of exposure. Exposure to elevated CO levels
is associated with visual impairment, reduced work capacity, reduced manual
dexterity, decreased learning ability, and difficulty in performing complex
tasks.
Despite an overall downward trend in concentrations and emissions of CO,
some metropolitan areas still experience high levels of CO.. Approximately 29
areas are still classified as non-attainment for the air quality standard for
carbon monoxide.
Sulfur Dioxide
Sulfur dioxide (S02) belongs to the family of gases called sulfur oxides
(SOx) . These gases are formed when fuel containing sulfur (mainly coal and oil)
is burned, and during metal smelting and other industrial processes. The major
health concerns associated with exposure to high concentrations of S02 include
effects on breathing, respiratory illness, alterations in pulmonary defenses, and
aggravation of existing cardiovascular disease. Children, the elderly, and
people with asthma, cardiovascular disease or chronic lung disease (such as
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bronchitis or emphysema), are most susceptible to adverse health effects
associated with exposure to S02. In the atmosphere SO2 can react to form fine
particles which may aggravate respiratory disease and lead to premature death.
SO2 is also a precursor to sulfates, which are associated with acidification of
lakes and streams, accelerated corrosion of buildings and monuments and reduced
visibility.
Approximately 40 areas are 'Still classified as non-attainment areas for the
air quality standard for SO2.
Lead
Exposure to ambient lead mainly occurs through inhalation of air and
ingestion of lead in food, paint, water, soil, or dust. Lead accumulates in the
bo.dy in blood, bone, and soft tissue. Because it is not readily excreted, lead
can also affect the kidneys, liver, nervous system and other organs. Excessive
exposure to lead may cause kidney disease, reproductive disorders, and
neurological impairments such as seizures, mental retardation, and/or behavioral
disorders. Fetuses and children are especially susceptible to low doses of lead,
often suffering central nervous system damage or slowed growth.
Thanks largely to the elimination of leaded gasoline, human exposure to
lead is currently much less of a problem. Today, smelters and battery plants are
the major sources of lead in the air. Approximately 10 areas are still
classified as non-attainment for the air quality standard for lead.
Nitrogen, Dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide (NO?) belongs to a family of highly reactive gases called
nitrogen oxides (NOx). Nitrogen oxides form when fuel is burned efficiently at
high temperatures. They are derived primarily from motor vehicle exhaust and
stationary sources such as electric utilities and industrial boilers. By .itself,
NOx poses a human health and ecosystem threat, but it also serves as a precursor
to ozone and particulate matter. NOx reacts with volatile organic compounds in
the presence of sunlight to form urban haze.. Nitrogen dioxide can be converted
into fine nitrate aerosols, a constituent of fine particles (PM2.5) . In addition,
it is .a strong oxidizing agent and reacts in the air'to form corrosive nitric
acid, as well as toxic organic nitrates.
Nitrogen oxides irritate the lungs -and lower resistance to respiratory
infections such as influenza. They can also have adverse effects on both
terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, contributing to acid rain and eutrophlcation
in coastal waters.
Currently, all areas in the U.S., except southern California, are
classified as in attainment for the N02 air quality standard.
EPA has made progress toward reducing the emis.sions of these pollutants and
toward the goal of having all areas in attainment for all of these pollutants by
2005. Over the next several years we will continue to work with areas to achieve
attainment and with those areas in attainment to maintain that status. We will
also review the standards to assure that they are at a level that protects public
health.
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Key.Milestones
1999: Start phasing in revised motor vehicle revised exhaust emission test
procedure for an 11% reduction in CO emissions.
Establish a plan and schedule for the review of the NAAQS for nitrogen
dioxide.
Issue final intervention level policy to give states guidance on
identifying and addressing peak exceedences of the sulfur dioxide NAAQS
that are only of short durations.
2000: 'Prepare carbon monoxide NAAQS review staff paper for CASAC review..
Propose reaffirmation or revision to carbon monoxide NAAQS.
2001: Promulgate revision or reaffirmation of the NAAQS for carbon monoxide,
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
: 1998 PresBud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 03 Attain NAAQS for CO, $47,497.2 $46,749.6 $44,878.2
SO2, NO2, Lead
Environmental Program & $16,546.2 $15,814.1 $16,750.5
Management
Science and Technology $130.0 $114.5 $113.2
State and Tribal Assistance $30,821.0 $30,821.0 $28,014.5
Grants
Total FTE 192.0 189.6 189.9
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• Redes.ignate 14 areas to attainment for carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
lead, and/or nitrogen dioxide.
Carbon Monoxide
EPA has set standards for CO and currently assists states in implementing
strategies to reduce CO pollution and maintain compliance with the standard. CO
tends to be a local pollution problem and is not transported from one area to
another. States submit state implementation plans for CO, which include many
mobile-source related programs such as reformulated gasoline.
EPA will continue existing CO work, concentrating primarily on mobile
source programs (such as oxygenated fuel and reformulated gasoline), and on
assisting states to implement attainment and maintenance plans. EPA will provide
information to the scientific community and stakeholders on the environmental
aspects of the use of oxygenated fuels and will provide " recommendations to
improve the program.
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In the mobile source program, the control of CO at the Federal level is
carried out as an integral part of the control programs for ozone and NOX. The
resources associated with these integrated programs are accounted for under the
ozone and PM objectives. Additional benefits will be derived from programs
(Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV)) accounted for under the
Climate Change goals and objectives. Only a relatively small amount of work is
performed directly aimed at CO control, mainly as it relates to non^attainment
areas, and the associated planning (SIPs, conformity) and control measures (I/M,
oxygenated fuels).
Sulfur Dioxide
EPA will continue to ensure that all areas are in compliance with the
standard and will review the standard, as the Clean Air Act mandates, to ensure
that it adequately protects human health. The sulfur dioxide program is not
expected to grow in the near future. The most recent review of the sulfur
dioxide standard is complete and the standard has been reaffirmed. In 19,99, EPA
will issue the final intervention level policy which is intended to give states
guidance on identifying and addressing peak exceedences of the sulfur dioxide
standard that occur for only short durations.
EPA will boost efforts to reduce the more pervasive sulfur oxides in the
acid rain, particulate matter and regional haze programs. Information on sulfur
dioxide and the programs that reduce it, are described in the acid rain
objective.
Lead
EPA will continue a relatively low level of existing work, emphasizing
primarily the few nonattainment areas near smelters. Mandating the use of
unleaded gasoline will continue to be the most effective way to prevent airborne
lead. EPA will review the standard, as the Clean Air Act mandates, to ensure
that it adequately protects human health.
.Nitrogen Dioxide
EPA will continue to ensure that all areas are in compliance with the
standard and will review the standard, as the Clean Air Act mandates, to ensure
that it adequately protects human health. The nitrogen dioxide program is not
expected to grow in the near future.
However, EPA will boost efforts to reduce the more pervasive nitrogen
oxides in the acid rain and mobile source programs, encouraging market-based, low
cost pollutant trading.. These programs will simultaneously address nitrogen
oxides, ozone, and fine particulate matter. Information on nitrogen oxides and
the programs that reduce it are described in the ozone, partieulate matter and
visibility objective.
Permits/NSR
EPA will make revisions to Part 71 Federal operating permit rules to
include state operating permit requirements and provide technical support to
Regions and states on permit program revisions. In 1998, EPA will promulgate the
NSR re.form rules which simplify the new source permitting process. In 1999, EPA
will enter an .intensive period of training and technical'Support activities to
ensure smooth implementation of this major regulatory reinvention effort. We
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will continue to be involved in and expand as needed our efforts to reform and
streamline our permitting programs.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• Redesignate 22 areas to attainment for carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
lead, 'and/or nitrogen dioxide.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars
FTE
03 Obj. Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
$(1,871.4)
$936,4
$(1.3)
$(2,806.5)
0.3
0.3
0.0
Between 1998 and 1999:
• (-$2,806,500) The budget request reduces grant funding to four criteria
pollutant programs. Much of the work directed towards carbon monoxide,
lead, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide is associated with maintenance
level activities. Ambient monitoring for these pollutants is being
reduced as well as resources associated with developing the SIP revisions
required under the Clean Air Act amendments of 1990 (CAAA).
• (+$873,800) Total payroll costs for this objective will increase to
reflect increased workforce costs.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
HEADQUARTERS
Areas redesignated to attainment
for CO, S02, Pb, and N02. (Only 1
nonattainment area exists for NO2
and it will not be' redesignated
in 1998 or 1999.
REGIONS
Final action on CO redesignation
requests taken.
22 areas.
16 final actions.
Final action on S02 redesignation 5 final actions.
requests taken.
14 areas.
7 final actions.
5 final actions.
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Final action on Pb redesignation 1 final action * 2 -final actions.
requests taken.
STATES
Requests for redesignation to 7 requests. 5 requests-.
attainment for CO submitted.
Requests for redesignation to 5 requests, 5 requests.
attainment for S02 submitted.
Requests for redesignation to 2 requests, I request.
attainment for Pb.
Conclusion
Through achievement of this objective, EPA will significantly enhance
public health and welfare for the 45 million Americans currently living in
non-attainment areas. These people will enjoy longer and better lives, and will
be able to engage in activities they otherwise would be precluded from doing.
Although the attainment of the objectives will lead to improvements, it is also
likely that additional work will have to be done beyond the current planning
horizon to account for growth in both population and economic activity and
improvements in our scientific understanding of the environmental problems and
their solutions. For example, health risks .and exposure assessments have always
been done ppllutant-by-pollutant. We do not know the effects of exposure to low
doses of multiple pollutants. Improvements in risk assessment techniques and
multiple exposure analysis will present us with greater options for improving the
protection to public health.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Data sources:
• EPA National Emission Trends Database;
• EPA AIRS Air Quality Subsystem;
• EPA Findings and Required Elements Data System;
• Area redesignations in the Federal Register.
Data from the National Emission Trends Database and the AIRS Air Quality
Subsystem is used to determine if nonattainment areas have the requisite 3 years
of clean air data needed for redesignation. The FREDS system tracks the progress
of states and Regions in reviewing and approving the required elements of -the
state implementation plans also needed for redesignation to attainment.
QA/QC procedures:
To assure that the .ambient ,air quality data provide a .sound basis for
monitoring the progress in air quality, the following quality assurance steps are
taken. There are quality control methods specified for the collection .of data
such as filter handling to ensure the technical quality of the data at each site.
There are also methods in place such as collocation of monitors to ensure uniform
readings across the monitoring network. Finally, there are systems audits which
regularly review the overall air quality data collection activity for any needed
changes or corrections.
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Plans to Improve Data:
The emissions data are much harder to quality assure because of -the varying
methods of determining the tota.l emissions in a given area. In the future all
state emissions data will be posted in a compiled data base so that states and
other interested parties can provide a much more complete review of the
inventory. One other method for developing better state emissions data will
result from the Emissions Inventory Improvement Project which will provide
consistent methods of estimating emissions .data.
Statutory Authority
Clean Air Act
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Request to Congxess
Clean Air
Objective #4: Acid Rain
By 2010, reduce ambient sulfates and total sulfur deposition by 20-40
percent from 1980 levels due to reduced sulfur dioxide emissions from utilities
and industrial sources^. By 2000, ambient nitrates and total nitrogen deposition
will be reduced by 5-10 percent from 1980 levels due to reduced emissions of
nitrogen oxides from utilities and mobile sources.
Overview
Emissions of sulfur dioxide (S02), primarily from power plants and other
industrial sources, and nitrogen oxides (NOx), primarily from power plants and
motor vehicles, react in the atmosphere and fall to earth as acid rain, causing
acidification of lakes and streams and contributing to the damage of trees at
high elevations. NOx emissions are a major precursor of ground-level ozone,
which affects public health and damages crops, forests, and materials. NOx
deposition also contributes to eutrophication of coastal waters, such as
Chesapeake Bay and Tampa Bay. Additionally, before .falling to earth, S02 and NOx
gases form fine particles that affect public health through premature mortality,
chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory problems, and that contribute to
reduced visibility in national parks and elsewhere. Acid rain also accelerates
the decay of building materials and paints and contributes to degradation of
irreplaceable cultural objects such as statues and sculptures.
The Acid Rain program is authorized under Title IV. of the Clean Air Act and
has numerous statutory deadlines. In addition, the U.S. is committed to
reductions in SO2 and NOx under the U.S.-Canada Air Quality Agreement of 1991.
EEA's Acid Rain program uses market-based approaches to achieve S02 and NOx
emission reductions. The program provides affected sources with flexibility to
meet required emission reductions at least cost (both to industry and
government). The SO2 program features tradeable units called allowances (1
allowance ?= 1 ton of SO2) , accurate and verifiable measurement of emissions, and
a cap on total emissions. The acid rain program .is seen as ;a model for flexible
and effective regulation both here and abroad.
Major program activities include measurement, quality assurance, and
tracking of S02, NOx and C02 emissions as recorded by continuous emissions
monitors at more than 2000 electric utility units, conducting field audits and
certifying emissions monitors, operation of an allowance tracking system to
record transfers of emission allowances between different parties., reconciliation
of emissions and allowances at each electric utility unit to ensure compliance,
processing of permit actions, and assessing the environmental impacts of emission
reductions.
Phase I of the Program began in 1995 for 450 electric utility units. In
the year 2000, Phase II of the program begins and approximately 2,000 electric
utility units will be affected. Despite this increase in the number of affected
units, the number of quarterly emission reports processed (8,000 per year) will
remain unchanged because Phase II electric utility units are already required to
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report their emissions;. .However, there will be a five-fold increase in the
number of electric utilities units for which an annual reconciliation of
allowances with measured emissions will be conducted- In addition, there is
likely to be a significant increase in allowance trading activity in Phase II of
the program. (More than 1,000 private allowance transfers per year are currently
processed and this number is expected to triple in Phase II of the program.)
This increased workload will be handled through improved information resource
management and by improving program operation and efficiency through rule
revisions.
In addition to administering the S02 and NOx provisions ox" Title IV, the
Acid Rain Program will be developing and operating the Emissions and NOx
allowance tracking systems for the 12 states of the Ozone Transport Region. The
first year of compliance for this program is 1999. Approximately 400 additional
facilities will require certification of emissions monitors and 'will report
quarterly emissions beginning in 1998. NOx allowance trading will begin as soon
as the NOx Allowance Tracking System is operational in 1998. The Acid Rain
Program is also assisting with the development of the 22 State ozone transport
SIP call and is leading the effort to develop a model NOx budget trading rule.
This effort will help States to meet their NOx budgets cost effectively.
The program has recently b-een given the responsibility to operate the Clean
Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet) dry deposition network and to provide
critical support for operations of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program
(NADP) wet deposition network and for a number of visibility monitoring sites.
These monitoring efforts will play a .crucial role in the program's ongoing
assessment activities, including reporting program results for the Government
Performance and Results Act (GPRA) and fulfilling assessment responsibilities
under Title IX of the Clean Air Act and the U.S.- Canada Air Quality Agreement.
In addition to EPA programmatic activities, states will carry out
activities to implement the SO2 and NOx portions of the Acid Rain Program,.
including certification and recertification of continuous emissions monitors
(CEMs), field audits of CEMs, and permitting activities. Some states may use
acid rain state grant funds for monitoring programs to 'help assess the success
of the program in reducing environmental risks.
When fully implemented in 2010, the S02 reductions alone under Title IV
could provide as much as $12 - $40 billion in health benefits (mostly from an
estimated reduction in premature mortality of 1,500 to 9,600 cases per year) and
$3-4 billion in improved visibility, largely from an expected 30% improvement in
visibility in the eastern 'United States. Acid .Rain control will also produce
significant benefits in terms of lowered surface water acidity and less damage
to high elevation forests and materials. Nevertheless, after full implementation
of the program, significant residual risks will remain to human health,
ecological systems and quality of life.
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj.
04 Acid Rain
Environmental Program &
Management
Science and Technology
State and Tribal Assistance
$21,794.1
$13,264.1
$4,000.0
$4,530.0
$20,800.3
$11,770.3
$4,500.0
$4,530.0
$21,565.8
$13,035,8
$4,000,0
$4,530.0
Grants
Total FTE 92.0 92.0 92.0
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• In 1999, maintain 4 million tons of S02 emissions reductions from utility
sources.
• In 1999, maintain 300,000 tons of NOx reductions from coal-fired utility
sources.
• Launch the NOx Emissions and Allowance Tracking System for the Ozone
Transport Region.
The acid rain program will complete its rule revisions, thus streamlining
implementation of the program for industry and the Ageney, and also process all
quarterly emissions reports and verify annual compliance of affected sources with
SO2 and NOx limitations. Achieving these performance goals will lead to the
attainment of our programmatic objectives: in 2000, the reduction of ambient
nitrates and total nitrogen deposition by up to 10% from 1980 levels, and the
beginning of the Phase II SOZ reductions which will culminate in a reduction of
ambient sulfates and total sulfur deposition of up to 40% from 1980 levels by the
year 2010.
The program will also begin operation of the NOx Allowance Tracking System
for the Ozone Transport Region. Achieving this performance goal will assist the
12 Northeastern states to attain and maintain the ozone standard.
1998Annual Performance Goals
• In 1998, maintain 4 million tons of S02 emissions reductions from utility
sources.
• In 19.98, maintain 300,000 tons of NOx reductions from coal^-fired utility
sources.
• Develop NOx Emissions and Allowance Tracking Systems for Ozone Transport
Region.
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars
FTE
04 Obj. Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
$765.5
$1,265.5
$(500.0)
0.0
0.0
0.0
Major programmatic changes between 1998 and 1999 include:
* The completion of rulemaking and,
• The operation of the NOx Emissions and Allowance Tracking Systems
for the Ozone Transport Region.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
S02 Emissions
NOx Reductions
4,000,000 tons of
SO2 emissions from
utility sources
reduced from 1980
baseline.
300,000 tons of
NOx emissions from
coal-fired utility
sources reduced
from uncontrolled
levels.
4,600,000 tons of
S02 emissions from
utility sources
reduced from 1980
baseline.
300,000 tons of NOx
emissions from
coal-fired utility
sources reduced
from uncontrolled
levels.
Reductions of S02 and NOx .emissions and sulfate and nitrate deposition are
indicators of achievement of program objectives.
Conclusion
Accomplishing the Acid Rain Program objective's target for a decrease in
ambient concentration and deposition of nitrates assumes that other sources of
nitrogen oxides (e.g., mobile sources) do not grow at a faster rate than
currently projected. Despite this caveat, progress is already being made in
meeting the Acid Rain Program objectives. In 1995, the first year of compliance
under the program, sulfur dioxide emissions dropped by about 3.5 million tons,
the greatest one year drop in SO2 emissions ever recorded. This has led to a 10
- 25 percent reduction in rainfall acidity throughout the Northeastern U.S, and
has reduced fine sulfate particulates.
Full implementation of the objective will further reduce deposition and
ambient concentration of sulfates and nitrates, thereby reducing a variety of
risks to human health, ecosystems, and quality of life. In addition, full
implementation of the sulfur dioxide reductions under the Acid Rain Program will
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be a critical component for nonattainment areas as they work to meet the PM2.5
standard once it is implemented.
Although implementation of this objective will significantly reduce risks,
residual risks will remain. For example, further reductions in SO2 and NOx (such
as reductions that would be required under the NAAQS revisions) would be
necessary to reduce the health impacts of PM2-S and ozone. In addition, further
reductions in nitrogen and -sulfur deposition would be necessary to fully-protect
the most sensitive ecosystems from acidification.
KeyPerformance Measures Verification
The Acid Rain program performance data is some of the most accurate data
collected by the EPA because the data consists of actual monitored, instead of
estimated, emissions. The emissions data is collected through continuous
emissions monitors (CEMS) and electronically transferred directly into EPA's
Emissions Tracking System (ETS) . Actual emissions of SO2 and NOx are measured
for each unit/boiler within a utility plant. The ETS allows EPA to track actual
reductions for each utility, as well as aggregate emissions by all power plants.
A principal output of the ETS is the publication of quarterly and annual utility
emission reports based on emissions monitoring data. The ETS quarterly and
annual reports include summary statistics for SO2 and NOx emissions..
The Acid Rain program also tracks indicators which validate the quality of
the emissions data, such as the accuracy of the monitors achieved during
certification testing. There are four validation measures that help to
demonstrate the high quality of the data collected: the number of CEMS certified;
the percentage of CEMS that meet the 10% relative accuracy standard; the.
percentage of CEMS that exceed the 7.5% relative accuracy target; and, the number
of quarterly reports processed.
Finally, the program also tracks trends in wet acidic deposition data from
the National Acid Deposition Program (NADP) and dry acid deposition from the
Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet).
Statutory Airbhority:
Clean Air Act (CAA)
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Goal 2: Clean and Safe Water
-------
Goal 2: Clean and Safe Water II-l
Enhance Human Health Through Safe Drinking Water II-7
Conserve and Enhance Nation's Waters 11-26
Reduce Loadings and Air Deposition 11-47
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request, to Congress
Clean and Safe Water
Strategic Goal: All Americans will have drinking water that is clean and safe
to drink. Effective protection of America's rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers,
and coastal and ocean waters will sustain fish, plants, and wildlife, as well as
recreational, subsistence, and economic activities. Watersheds and their aquatic
ecosystems will be restored and protected to improve human 'health, enhance water
quality, reduce flooding and provide habitat for wildlife.
Goal Summary
(Dollars in Thousands)
_____ • 1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 19.99 Pres Bud
Clean and Safe Water $2,706,342.7 $3,170,864.6 $2,801,869.3
Obj. 01 Safe Drinking Water, $966,204.5 $979., 216..6 $1,018,705.9
Fish and Recreational Waters
Obj. 02 Conserve and Enhance $270,281.6 $298,573.9 $296,643.9
Nation's Waters
Obj. 03 Reduce Loadings and Air $1,469,856.6 $1,893,074.1 $1,486,519.5
Deposition
Goal Total FTE 2,381.6 2,440.3 2,449.5
Safe and clean water is needed for drinking, recreation, fishing,
maintaining ecosystem integrity, and commercial uses such as agricultural and
industrial production. Our health, economy, and quality of life depend on
reliable sources of clean water.
Safe drinking water is the first line of defense in protecting human
health. While most drinking water is very safe, occasional violations of
pollutant standards are of concern because of the large number of people that can
be exposed to microbiological contaminants or toxic chemicals. The greatest
risks posed by such contaminants are to sensitive populations, such as children
and adults with compromised immune systems.
The passage of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 has led to
tremendous success in reducing pollution entering surface 'waters. In 25 years.,
EPA has worked with its State, local, and Tribal partners to stop billions of
pounds of pollution from flowing into our rivers, lakes, and streams, and doubled
the number of waterways that are safe for fishing and swimming. Polluted rivers
and lakes devoid of life are now restored centerpieces of healthy communities
because of combined governmental and private sector efforts.
The goal of protecting our Nation's waters, however, remains unrealized.
Approximately 40% of surveyed waters still do not meet Clean Water Act standards.
The health of Americans continues to be threatened by" exposure to harmful
organisms in our waters; consumption of fish from many of our waters presents a
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threat to the most vulnerable among us; polluted runoff has had a degenerative
effect on the country's watersheds and wetlands. All living things need clean
water. Waterfowl, fish, and other aquatic life that live in and on the water,
as well as plants, animals, and other life forms in terrestrial ecosystems are
dependent on clean water. The challenge of maintaining clean water focuses on
ensuring that the entire aquatic ecosystem remains healthy.
The 1999 President's Budget requests a total of $2,SOI,869,300 and 2,450
workyears to support its efforts to ensure clean and safe water. To achieve this
goal, EPA will focus its efforts on carrying out the Safe Drinking Water Act
Amendments of 1996 and will build on the Clean Water Act's success of maintaining
Water quality by implementing the Clean Water Action Plan — a plan to restore
and sustain the nation's watersheds and further address polluted runoff.,
Protecting watersheds involves participation by a wide variety of stakeholders,
a comprehensive assessment of the condition of watersheds, .arid implementation of
solutions based on the assessment of conditions and stakeholder input. The
watersheo! approach enhances the abilities of EPA, its Federal partners, States,
tribes, local governments, and other stakeholders to implement tailored solutions
and maximize the .benefits gained from the use of increasingly scarce resources >
As part of the Agency's commitment to using sound science to .achieve clean
and safe water, EPA's research activities will provide a better understanding of
the risks to human health. Research activities in this goal will focus on
increasing our understanding of health effects, exposure assessment, and risk
management issues associated with contaminants in drinking water. EPA's research
activities also will support watershed protection.
The resources requested in this budget will enable the Agency, in
conjunction -with EPA's State, local, and Tribal partners, to achieve several
important goals for 3-999. The most significant of these goals include:
• 85% (an increase of 2% over 1998) of the population served by community
' water systems will receive drinking water meeting all health-based
standards, up from 81% in 1994;
• 6,000 community water systems (serving 24 million people) will be
implementing programs to protect their source water (an increase of 3,250
systems over 1998);
• EPA will issue and begin implementing two protective drinking water
standards for high-risk contaminants, including disease-causing micro-
organisms (Stage I Disinfection/Disinfection Byproducts and Interim
Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rules);
• EPA 'Will develop cr.itical dose-response .data for disinfectant by-products
(DBPs) , waterborne pathogens, and arsenic for addressing key uncertainties
in the risk assessment of municipal water supplies;
* As part of the Clean Water .Action Plan, all states will be conducting or
have completed unified watershed assessments, with support from EPA, to
identify aquatic resources in greatest need of restoration or prevention
activities;
» EPA will' provide funding support to community-based projects for watershed
restoration including restoration of wetlands and river corridors in 160
watersheds (an increase of 110 watersheds from 1998);
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• .EPA will provide data and information for use by states and regions in
assessing and managing aquatic stressors in the watershed, to reduce toxic
loadings and improve ecological risk assessment;
• Another 3.4 million people will receive the benefits of secondary treatment
of wastewater, for a total of 183 million;
• More than 220 communities will have local watersheds improved by controls
on combined sewer overflows and storm water;
• In support of the Clean Water Action Plan, 10 additional states will
upgrade their nonpoint source programs, to ensure that they are
implementing dynamic and effective nonpoint source programs that are
designed to achieve and maintain beneficial uses of water; and
• By 2003, EPA will deliver support tools, such as watershed models, enabling
resource planners to select consistent, appropriate watershed management
solutions and alternatives, and less costly wet weather flow technologies.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Protecting *•>"* feftvLLgHealth and the Nation's Watersheds -- Clean water Action
Plan
The current pace of implementation of clean Water programs will not achieve
the goal of providing safe and clean water to all Americans. In recognition of
this, the Administration has called for a renewed effort to restore and protect
our nation's waters - the Clean Water and Watershed Restoration Initiative. In
1999, EPA is requesting an additional $145,000,000 in support of this commitment.
To achieve the key elements of the initiative, the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation
with other affected agencies, would implement a Clean Water Action Plan. This
plan addresses three majo.r goals:
strengthening and enhancing core programs, including protecting
public health, preventing polluted runoff and addressing source water
protection for safe drinking water, enhancing natural resources, and
improving information and citizens' right-to-know;
— promoting a state-led watershed approach, including restoring and
sustaining watershed health through coordination of Federal programs
across departments and agencies; and
— assisting states with reducing nonpoint source pollution by expanding
state grant assistance.
The Action Plan builds on the solid foundation of the existing clean water
program and proposes important new steps to strengthen the program. A key new
element of the program will be a cooperative effort by State, Federal, and local
governments and citizens to restore the health of aquatic systems in watersheds
not meeting clean water goals and to sustain healthy conditions in other
watersheds. Other new elements of the program will reduce the public health
threats of water pollution, enhance natural resources (e.g. wetlands, coastal
areas, and stream corridors), prevent polluted runoff, and make water quality
information more accessible to citizens. The 1999 Budget Request reflects this
Plan to revitalize our efforts to ensure clean and safe water.
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Enhancing Human Health through Safe Drinking Water
In 1999, EPA is requesting $1,0.18,705,900 and 855 workyears for efforts
addressing the threats of unsafe drinking water. (These resources include
$775,000,000 as part of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund discussed in the
Water Infrastructure section, and $3,200,000 .as part of the Clean Water Action
Plan investment.) Safe drinking water is essential to human health.
Contaminated drinking water can cause illness and even death, and exposure to
contaminated drinking water poses a special risk to such populations as children,
the elderly., and people with compromised immune systems (susceptible
populations). EPA's Science Advisory Board, in its 1990 report Reducing Risk:
Setting Priorities and Strategies for Environmental Protection, concluded that
drinking water contamination is one of the highest environmental risks to human
health. In 1994, 1.9 percent of those served by community water systems, or
approximately 46 million people, drank water 'that violated health standards at
least once during the year.
The drinking water program's highest priority is protecting human health
from microbiological contaminants and disinfectant/disinfection byproducts, as
well as critical chemical contaminants (e.g., arsenic and radon). Health
assessments, risk characterizations/ and regulatory support documents are
integral components of the standard setting/rule development process and will b'e
conducted for all these contaminants. In addition, the Agency-issued Contaminant
Candidate List, which identifies known or anticipated priority contaminants that
may require regulation, the unregulated contaminant monitoring rule, and the
national drinking water contaminant occurrence data base are .crucial tools in
ensuring safe drinking water.
EPA's research efforts will continue to strengthen the scientific basis for
drinking water standards, through the use of improved methods and new data to
better evaluate the risks associated with exposure to chemical and microbial
contaminants in drinking water.
Reducing Point and Nonpoint Source Loadings
EPA is requesting $1,486,519,500 and 886 workyears to address the
fundamental problems concerning the nation's waters: point and nonpoint source
pollution. (The resources requested include $1,075,000,00.0 for the Clean Water
State Revolving Fund, and $78,000,000 as part of the water infrastructure
financing resources for needy cities discussed in the Water Infrastructure
section. These resources also include $110,768,600 as part of the Clean Water
Action Plan investment.) A key element of the Agency's effort to achieve its
overarching goal of clean and safe water is the reduction of pollutant discharges
from point and nonpoint sources. To reduce pollutant loadings from sources, the
Clean Water Act established requirements for national technology-based effluent
limitations and water quality based limitations.
EPA and its partners have made much progress in reducing pollutant
discharges from point sources. A key goal for the .National Water Program in 1999
is to have local watersheds in more than 220 communities improved by controls on
combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and storm water. CSOs contribute to shellfish
bed closures, beach closures, aesthetic problems, and impairment of designated
uses. Controlling CSOs will reduce pathogens, biological oxygen demand (BOD),
total suspended solids (TSS), and will contribute to the overall reduction in
pollutant loadings.
EPA's nonpoint source program provides program, technical, and financial
assistance to help states .implement programs to control various forms of runoff.
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While agricultural sources are the most significant category of nonpoint source
runoff, state NFS programs address all categories of NFS runoff with a mix of
voluntary and regulatory approaches. These state programs are the primary means
for implementing nonpoint source TMDL allocations and for achieving water quality
standards. EPA's nonpoint source program works closely with a number of other
Federal agencies to help reduce runoff and encourage private sector partnerships
to spur voluntary adoption of NFS controls. As the program moves forward, new
tools, best management practices, and NFS and contaminated sediment control
strategies will need to be developed in cooperation with States, tribes, other
Federal agencies and the private sector. State implementation plans for nonpoint
sources will be required to provide reasonable assurances that load allocations
within an approved TMDL are met for waters impaired solely or primarily from
nonpoint sources.
EPA's research program will also focus on aiding effective watershed
management strategies for controlling Wet Weather Flows.
EPA is requesting a total o.f $7,151,600 and 8 work-years to address the
health threats from consumption of fish with elevated levels of contamination and
exposures to pathogens and other pollution in recreational waters. (These
resources include $1,250,000 as part of the Clean Water Action Plan investment,
and are included in Objectives 1 and 3 of this Goal.) Protecting Americans from
these threats is high priority. Exposure to contaminated water can cause serious
illness. These types of exposures pose a special risk to children, women of
ehildbearing age, subpopulations who fish for food or sport, and people with
compromised immune systems. Through enhanced fish tissue monitoring, risk
assessment, and beach assessment, EPA will work to improve the understanding of
the effects exposure to contaminated waters and consumption of contaminated fish
has on sensitive populations and human health as a whole.
Financing Water Infrastructure
The President's Budget requests a total of $1,928,000,000 for water
infrastructure financing through the State and Tribal Grants (STAG) Appropriation
under the Clean and Safe Water Goal. EPA's Water Infrastructure Program provides
financial assistance to States, municipalities and Tribal governments to fund a
variety of drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects. These funds
are essential to fulfill the Federal government's commitment to help our State>
Tribal and local partners obtain adequate funding to construct the facilities
required to comply with Federal environmental requirements. States and
localities rely on a variety -of revenue sources to finance their environmental
programs and to pay for the facilities needed to keep the water clean and safe
from harmful contaminants.
The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (CW and DW SRFs)
demonstrate a true partnership between States, localities, and the Federal
government. In 1999, the President is requesting $1,850,000,000 for these funds.
The Administration's 1999 request, combined with the outyear capitalization of
these funds, enables the Administration to meet its long term goals for both
funds to provide a total of $2,500,000,000 in annual financial assistance to
needy communities. In addition, states will have more funding flexibility
starting in 1998. The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 allow states
to move funds between the two SRFs, based on a percentage of the state's annual
allocation to the DW SRF.
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The President's Budget also requests $63,000,000 for the construction of
wastewater treatment facilities for Boston Harbor and Bristol County,
Massachusetts., and New Orleans, Louisiana. Funds are targeted to these areas
because of special circumstances including financial .hardship and unique sewer
system problems. In addition, $15,000,000 is requested for Alaskan Native
villages for the construction of wastewater and drinking water facilities, to
address serious sanitation problems.
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Bequest to Congress
Clean and Safe Water
Objective #1: Enhance Human Health through Safe Drinking Water
By 20.05, protect human health so that 95 percent of the population served
by community water systems will receive water that meets drinking water
standards, consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish will be reduced, and
exposure to microbial and other forms of contamination in waters used for
recreation will be reduced,
Overview
Safe drinking water is essential to human health. Contaminated drinking
water can cause illness and even death, and exposure to contaminated drinking
water poses ,a special risk to such populations as children, the elderly, and
people with compromised immune systems (susceptible populations). EPA's Science
Advisory Board, in its 1990 report Reducing Risk: Setting Priorities and
Strategies for Environments! Protection, concluded that drinking water
contamination is one of the highest environmental risks to human health. In
1994, 19 percent of those served by community water systems, or approximately 46
million people, drank water that violated health standards at least once during
the year.
The continued occurrence of waterborne disease outbreaks demonstrates that
contamination of drinking water with pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and parasites
still poses a serious health risk when protection is inadequate, or when
contamination occurs in the distribution system. Pathogens such as bacteria,
protozoa and viruses are the cause of these illnesses. A single outbreak of
cryptosporidium in Milwaukee in 1993 resulted in an estimated 400,000 cases of
acute gastroenteritis, and 100 deaths.
A large number of organic arid inorganic chemicals, such as trihalomethanes
and haloacids, has been identified as occurring in drinking water. These
disinfection byproducts (DBPs) result from the disinfectant used in the treatment
process reacts with organic .matter in the source water. These DBPs have been
.shown to cause adverse health effects, such as cancer, renal failure and adverse
reproductive outcomes in experimental animals. In addition, high levels of
arsenic are known to cause cancer as well as reproductive, developmental or other
adverse human health effects.
Unsafe drinking water not only poses a health threat, but it can also
impose large economic burdens. The cost of treating contaminated water to make
it safe for drinking can be quite substantial. These costs can be reduced by
better protecting source water and thus possibly eliminating some of the costs
associated with treatment.
The responsibility for ensuring that 260 million Americans have safe
drinking water rests with EPA, the states, and water suppliers as mandated by the
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and its 1996 Amendments. To carry out its portion
of the responsibility, EPA must work with the states and tribes on drinking water
protection regulation, and enforcement for drinking water'during the phases of
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the drinking water cycle -~ the raw source water, the water treatment plant, and
the pipes that deliver the finished water from the treatment plant to the tap,
The 1996 SDWA Amendments improve the ability of states, water suppliers,
and EPA to prepare for future drinking water safety challenges and assure
sustained availability of safe drinking water. The Amendments center around four
major areas of change; 1) improving the way that EPA sets drinking water safety
standards and develops regulations that are based on good science and data,
prioritization of effort, sound risk assessment, and effective risk management;
2) establishing new prevention approaches, including provisions for operator
certification, capacity development, and source water protection; 3) providing
better information to consumers, including consumer confidence/right-to-know
.reports (see Goal 7); and, 4) expanding funding for states and communities
through a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). In addition, the 1996
Amendments increase the states' flexibility to focus on human health-based
priorities and make better use of resources, recognize the problems facing small
systems and establish appropriate cost-effective approaches for such systems, and
emphasize the role of stakeholders and partnerships as a key aspect of an
effective national drinking water program.
For 1999 and future years, EPA's drinking water program closely relates to
the 1996 SDWA Amendments' four major areas of change. The program provides the
basis on which to measure the Agency's implementation of its statutory
responsibilities and ultimately its success in protecting human health.
The drinking water program's highest priority is protecting human health
from microbiological contaminants and disinfectant/disinfection byproducts, as
well as critical chemical contaminants (e.g., arsenic and radon). Health
assessments, risk characterizations, and regulatory support documents are
integral components of the standard setting/rule development process and will be
conducted for those contaminants for which standards and regulations are in
progress. In addition, the Agency-issued Contaminant Candidate List, which
identifies known or anticipated priority contaminants that may require
regulation, the unregulated contaminant monitoring rule, and the national
drinking water contaminant occurrence data base are crucial tools in ensuring
safe drinking water. Within this objective, $40,065,300 is requested for
establishing additional contaminant protective levels.
Federal/state/local government partnership is another key priority in
ensuring that safe drinking water is supplied to all Americans. The President's
Budget requests $775,000,000 for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
The DWSRF program assists public water systems in financing the cost of drinking
water infrastructure construction or retrofitting to achieve or maintain
compliance with SDWA requirements. The 1999 DWSRF request is $50,000,000 above
the 1998 level, in order to provide states with greater flexibility to address
their highest priority drinking water and water quality needs. Beginning in
1998, the SDWA Amendments of 1996 allow states to move funds between the DWSRF
and the Clean Water SRF. The amount available for transfer is based on a
percentage of the amount available in the DWSRF.
In addition, emphasis has been placed on assisting water systems, including
small systems, in strengthening their technical, financial, and managerial
capacity to meet the requirements set forth in drinking water regulations. The
new statute also .empowers EPA to publish national certification guidelines for
the state certification programs applicable to operators of public water systems.
Within this objective, $31,798,800, as part of the EPM appropriation, is
requested for increasing the number of the Nation's drinking Water systems that
meet the SDWA requirements.
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Preventing contamination of the sources of our Nation's drinking water is
a new priority area in the 1996 SDWA Amendments and a focal point of the Clean
Water Action Plan, States are required to conduct source water assessments that
help determine the vulnerability of each state's sources of drinking water to
contamination and their consequent risk to human health. Within this objective,
$13,653/500 is requested for source water assessment activities. In 1999, EPA
will work with the states, tribes, other Federal agencies, appropriate
organizations, and local communities to conduct source water assessments and
develop and implement source water protection programs. Source water assessments
are a feature of the Clean Water Action Plan, which is partially funded by the
Administration's Clean Water and Watershed Restoration Initiative, and increased
resources will be provided to the states for their assessments and program
development activities.
Increasing protective measures for source waters is the principal focus of
the Class V underground injection well rule that will be promulgated in 1999.
This rule is directed to those states with primary enforcement authority
(primacy) for the Underground Injection Control (UIC) program and to EPA in those
states without primacy or with partial primacy. The Class V rule applies to the
120,000 shallow, industrial injection wells that exist nationwide. Through its
multi-partner effort, EPA will work with states and local government managers of
source water protection programs to incorporate the implementation of the Class
V rule into their ongoing activities. Within this objective, $11,856,400 is
requested for increasing ground water contamination protection from injection
wells.
Under the Clean Water Action Plan, the drinking'water and ground water
programs will be linked more closely with Clean Water Aqt (CWA) activities. EPA
will work with the states in integrating more effectively SDWA and CWA assessment
activities, especially with respect to protecting critical watersheds. The
Agency will also accelerate its efforts in researching microbial contaminants
of drinking water and the criteria to be developed for these contaminants will
be used under both the CWA and SDWA.
To support SDWA and the 1996 Amendments, the Agency's drinking water
research will develop dose-response information on DBPs, waterborne pathogens,
arsenic and other drinking water contaminants for characterization of potential
exposure risks from consuming tap water. This work will also evaluate trade-offs
between disinfecting drinking water versus exposure to DBPs. Cost-effective
treatment technologies will be developed and evaluated for removing pathogens
from water supplies with as little DBP formation as possible. Treatment
technologies will also be developed and evaluated for treatment and removal of
arsenic with a focus on small systems. Within this objective, $35,573,000 is
requested for drinking water research.
Reducing exposure to contaminants in fish and shellfish and through contact
in recreational waters is another top priority for the National Water Program.
The Clean Water Action Plan charges the Agency with assuring that fish are safe
to eat and beaches are safe for swimming. In 1999, the Agency will continue to
work with its state partners to ensure that they adopt into their standards a
suite of criteria to protect recreational, fish consumption, drinking water^
human health, and aquatic life uses. Within this objective, $4,332,500 is
requested for ensuring the safe consumption of fish and shellfish, and for
reducing microbial contamination from recreational waters.
Approximately 75 percent of the nation's population lives, works, or plays
on or near our coastal waters. Use of water for recreation is divided into
primary contact recreation (swimming) and secondary' contact recreation
(activities such as boating). Several recent studies indicate that recreational
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waters (inland rivers, lakes, and coastal waters) expose swimmers to unacceptable
levels of infectious disease. Susceptible populations are the most likely to
develop illnesses or infections after swimming in polluted water. The Agency's
goal is to establish improved safety guidelines and pollution indicators so that
local authorities can monitor their recreational waters in a cost-effective way
and close them to public use when necessary to protect human health. For
beaches, the Agency will begin to implement the Clean Water Action Plan by
addressing the need to safeguard the health of children and other recreational
swimmers at beaches. Our goal is to strengthen beach standards and testing,
improve the scientific basis for beach assessment, and develop methods to inform
the public about beach conditions. EPA will also work with the states to adopt
appropriate microbiological water quality standards for recreational waters by
2001. Within this objective, $1,019,100 is requested to upgrade safety standards
and provide public access regarding beach conditions.
Monitoring and risk assessment procedures used by states in their fish and
shellfish and beach contamination advisory programs vary widely. In 1999, the
Agency will develop guidance documents addressing sampling and risk assessment
methods to provide a more uniform nationwide standard of protection. In keeping
with the Clean Water Action Plan, the Agency will promote Federal, state, tribal,
and local implementation of beach monitoring and notification programs. By
identifying and informing the public of human health ris'ks and providing the
tools needed to address those risks (including consistent national guidance,
methods, and monitoring/sampling protocols), the Agency can help improve the
ability of states, tribes, and local communities to protect their citizens from
this type of exposure. In support of this effort, the'Agency will also undertake
a nationwide survey of toxic residues in fish. In addition, the Agency will
conduct monitoring/modeling pilot programs to improve its ability to predict and
address contamination events at beaches; these demonstrations will be applicable
nationwide. The Agency will also complete peer review for alternative risk-based
indicators and methods for skin, respiratory, eye, ear, throat, and
gastrointestinal diseases most commonly resulting from exposure to contaminants
at beaches.
in addition, the Agency will work with stakeholders, encouraging full
involvement at all levels of government, to expand the total proportion of
surface waters assessed for possible fish and beach contamination and to
implement fish consumption and beach contamination advisory programs that are
consistent with published national guidance. The Agency will also provide tools,
such as scientifically-based models and methods, that will enable environmental
managers to better predict, assess, and take appropriate actions to protect the
public. The Agency will ensure that the public and regulators have access to
information about beach conditions nationwide by enhancing a database available
on the Internet by adding the locations of combined sewer overflow outfalls near
beaches. The Agency will also work with its state and local partners to assess
and document beach health conditions through the national database, identify
major priorities and scientific concerns, and improve public notification
practices. These efforts will be supported by the Agency's Beaches Environmental
Assessment, Closure and Health (BEACH) Program which is developing better tools
for determining when beach closures and advisories are warranted and is
developing better .mechanisms for detecting and measuring microbial contamination.
The Agency, through Office of General Counsel activities, also supports
this objective through legal counseling and advocacy. This may include advice,
participation in the development of Agency actions, document review, and the
conduct of defensive litigation.
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 01 Safe Drinking Water, $966,204.5 $979,216.6 $1,018,705.9
Fish, and Recreational Waters
Environmental Program & $101,317.5 $107,872.8 $101,726.1
Management
Science and Technology $35,606.5 $42,063,3 $37,699.3
State and Tribal Assistance $829,230.5 $829,280,5 $879,280.5
Grants
Total FTE 803.5 830.9 854.5
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• 85 percent (an increase of 2% over 1998) of the population served by
community water systems will receive drinking water meeting all health-
based standards, up from 81 percent in 1994.
• At least 400 community water systems will .receive Drinking Water State
Revolving Funds that will help ensure that these systems provide drinking
water that meets all health-based standards.
* EPA will issue and begin implementing 2 protective drinking water standards
for high risk contaminants, including disease-causing micro-organisms
(Stage I Disinfection/Disinfection Byproducts and Interim Enhanced Surface
Water Treatment Rules).
* Reduce risk of exposure to lead in drinking water • by ensuring
implementation of corrosion control treatment required by the Lead and
Copper rule (LCR) and decrease by 25 percent the number of systems (and
population served) with lead levels in drinking water exceeding the LCR' s
action level in 1996.
• 6,000 community water systems (serving 24 million Americans) will be
implementing programs to protect their source water (an increase of 3,250
systems over 1998) .
• At least 20 states will have satisfied the requirements for ensuring that
new small systems have adequate capacity...
• EPA will promulgate the monitoring of unregulated contaminants rule to
ensure that the highest risk contaminants are identified and managed,
• EPA will ensure protection of ground water sources of drinking water from
potential endangerment by promulgating the regulation of UIC Class V
wells.
• EPA will develop major risk analyses for microbial and chemical
contaminants to support selection of contaminants to be regulated.
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• EPA will ensure that 95 percent of injection wells requiring mechanical
integrity testing in a designated high priority protection area pass the
test on schedule.
• At least five tribes will assume major responsibility for their Public
Water System Supervision (PWSS) programs*
• 25% of the nation's rivers and lakes will have been assessed to determine
if they contain fish that should not be eaten or should be eaten in only
limited quantities.
• Expand baseline public right-to-know database on state/local government
beach monitoring and closure methods to include more beaches nationwide
and enter data for 42 states.
• EPA will develop critical dose-response data for disinfectant by-products
(DBPs), waterborne pathogens, and arsenic for addressing key uncertainties
in risk assessment of municipal water supplies.
• " Provide methodology for evaluating and comparing the health risks and
benefits associated with different drinking water configurations for
implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act.
• By 2003, provide cost effective risk management options to control
contaminants in drinking water.
• Provide methods to assess vulnerability to ground water supplies to viral
contamination to support decisions on the necessity to disinfect these
supplies.
In 1999, EPA, states/tribes, and water suppliers will be continuing to
implement the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) with the
principal purpose of improving and maintaining drinking water safety and,
thereby, health protection for the 240 million Americans who get their drinking
water from public water systems. Under SDWA, EPA and the states are charged with
ensuring that consistently safe drinking water is provided to all persons served
by public water systems. EPA meets that responsibility by setting drinking water
safety standards and providing technical assistance and other support to states
that have primary enforcement authority (primacy) of the drinking water program.
The Agency will increase the compliance rate of community water systems with
drinking water standards and consequently reduce the health risk of people served
by those systems. The baseline for measuring progress is 1994 when 81 percent
of the population, about 194 million people, were served by community water
systems that complied with contaminant level requirements throughout the year.
The target that EPA is working toward in 1999 and future years is that the
population served by community water systems providing drinking water that meets
all existing health-based standards will increase to 95 percent, or 228 million
people, by 2005. In 1999, EPA will continue its long tradition of support and
technical assistance to states and public water systems in the implementation of
all drinking water regulations, increased support will be targeted to the states,
through the Clean Water Action Plan, to support their activities in better
integrating SDWA and CWA programs. By making use of the assessment information
available from both SDWA and CWA programs, states will benefit both in terms of
saving time and reducing costs by aggregating existing water information as well
as 'undertaking new assessment activities. Increased attention will be focused
on Indian tribes in 1999. EPA will develop and implement activities tailored to
the needs of tribes and will help at least five Indian tribes to assume major
responsibility for their Public Water Systems Supervision (PWSS) program. EPA
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will also carry out PWSS direct implementation activities on the majority of
tribal lands.
Some of the new programs authorized in the 1996 SDWA Amendments will play
an important role in achieving this objective. For instance, all states will be
fully implementing the Drinking Water State Revolving .Fund (DWSRF) in 1999 as EPA
expects to have awarded DWSRF capitalization grants to all 50 states and Puerto
Rico by the end of 1998. The states will be providing loans to public water
systems that will assist in financing the costs of drinking water infrastructure
improvements necessary to achieve or maintain compliance with drinking water
safety standards. At the same time, EPA will .be providing extensive support to
the states to help them meet the statutory mandates of the DWSRF related to
systems' capacity (i.e., technical, financial, and managerial development and
operator certification). Specifically, if the states have not established the
legal authorities and developed strategies .or similar mechanisms to ensure
capacity development as well as operator certification and training for all
public water systems, then EPA can 'withhold a portion of the states' DWSRF
allotment beginning in 1999. In addition, EPA will be continuing its activities,
as required by the 1996 SDWA Amendments, on the Drinking Water Needs Survey that
serves as the basis for the DWSRF's allotment formula to the states.
Competency -of operators of public water systems is critical for the
protection of public health and the maintenance of safe, optimal, and reliable
operation of water treatment and distribution .facilities that meet all drinking
water standards. Under the 1996 SDWA Amendments, EPA is required to issue by
February 199,9 guidelines specifying minimum standards for certification and
recertification of the operators of community and nontransient, noncommunity
public water systems. These minimum Federal guidelines ensure that operators
have the skills, knowledge, experience, education, and training required to
operate water systems. The enabling legislation also requires EPA to obtain and
incorporate public comment in these guidelines and to communicate the
requirements of the guidelines to the states, water systems, and the public. EPA
will support a series of meetings to establish the criteria for both determining
the minimum standards for state operator certification programs and evaluating
existing state programs vis-a-vis the minimum standards. EPA will work very
closely with state officials in the necessary modification of existing programs
or the development of new programs to ensure that all states' operator
certification programs meet the federal guidelines.
Enhancing and ensuring the technical, financial, and managerial capacity of
all water systems, and especially small systems, is widely believed to offer
great potential for correcting and preventing noncompliance with drinking water
standards. By 1999, EPA will have completed all its system capacity guidelines
mandated in the 1996 SDWA Amendments and the states will be implementing small
systems programs that are tailored to their unique circumstances. EPA will
collaborate with states and other interested stakeholders to assist them in
building strong and solid capacity development approaches. States can set aside
funds from their DWSRF allotment to help support small systems' program
development and implementation. In fact, a state's DWSRF allotment will be
reduced if it fails to implement the capacity development provisions in SDWA.
EPA will continue to install the Safe Drinking Water Information System
(SDWIS) in the states and provide hands-on training to state and Regional staff.
EPA will emphasize the importance of quality assurance and quality control of
data in SDWIS as this data provides the basis for assessing how drinking water
program efforts are contributing to enhancing public health through safe drinking
water and increasing public water systems' compliance with drinking water
standards.
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The drinking water program will issue at least 10 ne'w standards focusing on
high risk contaminants by 2005. The 1996 SDWA Amendments affirm EPA's position
that the greatest risk reduction efforts for drinking water protection are
through the regulation of microbiological contaminants, especially
cryptosporidium, and disinfection byproducts. In 1999, EPA will promulgate two
regulations that are pivotal in the Agency's efforts. -The Interim Enhanced
Surface Water Treatment rule (IESWTR), which has a statutory deadline of November
1998, focuses on microbiological contaminants and will revise and strengthen the
existing 1989 Surface Water Treatment rule (SWTR) . The SWTR contains filtration
and disinfection requirements for .surface water systems as well as requirements
for the removal of giardia, viruses, and bacteria, but it does not specifically
address cryptosporidium, and may not be adequate for heavily contaminated source
waters. Both of these concerns will be addressed in the IESWTR. By November
1998, EPA will also issue the Stage 1 Disinfection Byproducts rule that will
revise an existing maximum contaminant level (MCL) for total trihalomethanes and
establish new MCLs for additional disinfection byproducts, such as haloacetic
acids, bromate, and -chlorite. The Stage 1 rule will also establish enhanced
coagulation requirements for precursor removal, which is not addressed by current
standards. The Information Collection Rule (ICR), an extensive national
information collection effort on contaminant occurrence, disinfection byproduct
formation, and treatment effectiveness in controlling for microbiological and
disinfection byproducts ..contaminants, will provide EPA and its stakeholders
essential data for regulatory risk management decisions. This data will support
development of microbial and disinfection byproducts rules by providing
information in such areas as source water protection, disinfection byproducts
precursors, crytosporidium, giardia, bacteria and viruses, and water quality
parameters in both treatment plants and distribution systems. These three rules
'—IESWTR, Stage 1, and ICR — are part of the six rule microbial/disinfectants
and byproducts (M-DBP)rule cluster. The cluster is the Agency's effort to
address comprehensively the risk/risk tradeoffs among these priority contaminants
of concern.
In addition to emphasis on microbial and disinfection byproducts
contaminants, EPA will be publishing materials and issuing MCLs on certain high
priority chemical contaminants in 1999. For sulfate, the Agency is required by
the 1996 SDWA Amendments to publish, by February 1,999, the results of the joint
EPA/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study of the dose response
relationship for adverse human health effects from sulfate in drinking water
including effects on populations at greater risk. with respect to radon, the
Agency will publish the health risk reduction and cost analysis for possible MCLs
for public comment by February 1999. These materials will be developed on the
basis of the National Academy of Sciences' risk assessment for radon in drinking
water as well as other analyses and information. The Agency must address
comments provided on the health risk reduction and .cost' analysis in the proposed
MCL goal and standard for radon in drinking water to be issued by August 1999,
For arsenic, EPA will be taking the necessary steps in the development of a
proposed regulation; such proposed regulation for arsenic has a statutory
deadline in early 2000.
The selection of contaminants for possible regulatory investigation and
research is another major statutory requirement, imposed by the 1996 SDWA
Amendments, that will contribute to the attainment of the objectives of the
drinking water program. The 1996 SDWA Amendments require EPA to list priority
contaminants, which are known or anticipated to occur in public water systems,
and which may require regulation. This Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate
List, issued In February 1998, will be used by EPA and stakeholders to determine
the appropriate action regarding each contaminant on the list, whether it be
health advisories, guidance, toxicity research, monitoring, or the development
11-14
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of a regulation. As part of the contaminant identification process, EPA must
consider the effect of these contaminants on sensitive subpopulations, such as
infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with a history
of serious illness. Fo*r those contaminants -with adequate current information, EPA
must make a determination if a regulation is necessary by 2001 and issue a
regulation shortly thereafter. Where there is inadequate health, analytic
method, and treatment information, the Agency must conduct additional research.
For those contaminants that have insufficient exposure information, the Agency
must collect additional occurrence data. The primary mechanism to collect this
occurrence information is the unregulated contaminated monitoring rule to be
issued by August 1999. That data and any .additional data will be stored in the
national drinking water contaminant occurrence data base. The results of
analysis of contaminants occurring in drinking water and source water will
provide the basis for establishing contaminant lists for future research,
regulations, and monitoring. The occurrence of contaminants will be evaluated
against their toxicity and exposure to ensure that the contaminants of greatest
risk are regulated first. The selection of priority contaminants is the linchpin
toward more effective expenditures for drinking water protection at the Federal,
state, and local levels and is an important component within the Clean Water
Action Plan to protect America's waters. Resources to implement the Action Plan
will be targeted to collecting information that will identify and document
microbial contaminants of highest human health risk and entering this information
in the national drinking water contaminant occurrence data base.
Preventing contamination of sources of drinking water is a major objective
of the drinking water program. The 1996 SDWA Amendments expanded EPA's
leadership role in drinking water protection to both include the establishment
of a source water assessment program and work with states and Indian tribes in
preventing contamination of the surface and ground water sources of drinking
water. The 1996 Amendments ensure that states conduct assessments, coordinated
with existing information and programs, to determine the vulnerability of sources
of drinking water to contamination. The delineations of source water protection
areas and the inventories of 'Sources ^of contamination are required state
activities that will provide the information necessary for communities to know
the threats to their drinking water, which, in turn, will prompt them to develop
and implement protection efforts to address known threats. In 1999, EPA will
work with the states, tribes, other Federal agencies, appropriate organizations,
and local communities to conduct source water assessments and develop and
implement source water protection programs. Source water assessments are a
feature of the Clean Water Action Plan and increased resources will be provided
to the states for their assessments and program development -activities.
Furthermore, EPA staff will work both within the Agency as well as with
stakeholders to make sure that source water assessments are incorporated, as
required by the 1996 SDWA Amendments, into such activities as monitoring relief,
consumer confidence reports, and the national contaminant occurrence data base.
The source water protection programs are expected to build on sole source
aquifer, wellhead protection, and comprehensive state ground water protection
programs already in place.
Assurance of source water quality must also include compliance with
regulations for underground injection control. The Underground Injection Control
(UIC) program protects source water by focusing on the most likely source of
contamination — underground injection wells, especially the shallow Class V well.
The shallow Class V well is usually an on-site drainage system for disposal of
industrial wastes. EPA estimates that each year shallow Class V wells inject 1.3
billion gallons of untreated industrial waste waters above the water table or
directly into ground water. By 2005, EPA intends to increase protection of
community water supplies from contamination by injection wells. In 1999, the
Agency will promulgate the final rule for Class V shallow industrial injection
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wells and cesspools, accompanied by guidance on implementation and,a variety of
technical issues. This rule will assure that high priority Class V wells are
addressed properly and that the threats to human health and the environment are
reduced or eliminated. Through a $500,000 increase in 1999, EPA will support
a pilot initiative in selected states that are ready to adopt and implement this
regulation. EPA will also publish the results of a study of all categories of
Class V injection wells and determine if other Class V wells, beyond the shallow
industrial type, need to be regulated in source water protection areas.
Furthermore, the Agency will continue its ongoing responsibilities to regulate
and manage Class I, II, and III underground injection wells and to work with
primacy states in assuring the full implementation of the UIC program.
In 1999, EPA's drinking water research 'will support the SDWA priorities
emphasizing research on sensitive subpopulations, adverse reproductive effects
of drinking water contaminants, research on selected DBFs and arsenic, and
waterborne disease occurrence studies, as well as treatment and maintenance of
water quality in the -distribution system.
Health effects research will strengthen the scientific basis for drinking
water standards through the development of improved methods and new data to
better evaluate the risks associated with exposure to chemical and microbial
contaminants .in drinking water. This will include studies to evaluate the extent
to which subpopulations, such as infants and pregnant women, may experience
elevated health risks from contaminants in drinking water. Research on chemicals
will emphasize laboratory and field research on the health effects of DBFs and
arsenic. The President's Budget request fox drinking water health effects
research includes $10,000,000 to support work authorized by the Safe Drinking
Water Act Amendments, Section 1452(n). This research is being funded as a direct
appropriation from the science and Technology appropriation, rather than
reserving funds from the DWSRF.
Many uncertainties still exist with respect to our ability to adequately
assess the health effects associated with many pathogenic bacteria, viruses and
parasites in drinking water. Microbial research will continue to emphasize field
studies to evaluate the nature and magnitude of waterborne diseases in
communities as a function of quality, treatment process, and demographic
characteristics. Development and application of improved tools for conducting
epidemiology studies of waterborne diseases will continue. Studies will further
evaluate various pathogen- and host-specific factors involved in human illness
for the most important waterborne pathogens, including the Norwalk virus and
cryptosporj.dd.um.
Work in the risk assessment area will characterize the magnitude and
severity of adverse health effects associated with exposures to DBPs, either
individually or as complex mixtures. Where possible, assessments will
characterize actual human risks associated with exposures to chlorinated waters
and provide improved methods for assessing epidemiologic exposures and risks,
Through the development and application of newer risk science methods and tools
for integrating and interpreting the scientific data, risk assessment studies can
provide the framework for comparing chemical and microbiological risks and
identify critical research needs and uncertainties. .In addition, researchers
will focus on the areas of pathogen risk assessment, mixtures feasibility
studies, and comparative risk modeling as well as more fully characterizing
uncertainties and assumptions associated with risk estimates.
In 1999 risk assessment research and assessment efforts will also include
the assessment and characterization of non-DBP drinking water contaminants.
Research will focus on the assessment of exposure and human susceptibility
parameters impacting arsenic toxicity and the assessment of dose response data
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for noncancer effects in human populations. Work will also commence on the next
round of contaminants identified in the 1998 contaminant candidate list.
Risk management researchers will focus on developing cost-effective
treatment and management approaches that simultaneously reduce the risk of
waterborne diseases and exposure to DBFs. Researchers will evaluate different
treatment processes for their ability to control pathogens and DBFs. As progress
is made in this area regarding the control of cryptosporidium, work will begin
to shift to other emerging pathogens of concern as their significance is
identified.
Additionally, to date, the focus of most of the EPA efforts to assure that
drinking water is safe has been on the quality•of water leaving the treatment
plant. In order to effectively protect the health of the consumer there must be
also be assurance that the transmission and delivery of the water to the tap" is
done such that pathogens do not contaminate the water in this phase of the
operation. There is substantial evidence that many factors can cause the quality'
of water to deteriorate after treatment. Greater attention needs to be given to
the design, operation, and maintenance of distribution systems to ensure water
quality as well as hydraulic reliability. This will include consideration of
advanced materials of construction as well as the installation of sensors for
real-time monitoring of important distribution system quality indicators such as
disinfectant residual, water pressure, flow direction, microbial densities, total
organic halides, and others.
In order to maintain the .integrity of drinking water distribution systems/
risk management scientists will initiate research to quantify the magnitude of
risk due to microbial intrusion into the distribution system, understand how this
intrusion occurs, determine the types of approaches needed to detect pathogens
in the distribution system and operating procedures needed to minimize exposure,
and identify how intrusion can best be prevented. This effort will include
developing guidance on rehabilitating, designing, replacing, operating and
maintaining distribution systems. In addition, efforts to evaluate and protect
source waters will be expanded.
Research will continue on the evaluation of technologies and the development
of techniques for controlling the formation of corrosion by-products in household
plumbing and drinking water distribution systems and controlling inorganics, such
as arsenic. As required by SDWA, the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for arsenic
(50 ug/liter) is being reevaluated by EPA. If a more stringent standard is
adopted, it will have important implications in terms of both cost and technical
feasibility, particularly for small community water systems. This research will
focus on the identification and evaluation of more cost effective treatment
systems for small communities, in order to meet SDWA's revised MCL, Corrosion
research will assist community water systems in achieving lead and copper levels
established under SDWA.
In 1999, the ground water research program will focus on determining the
factors that govern the transport and survival of pathogens in the subsurface,
which are critical in determining whether ground water as a source of drinking
water does or does not need to be treated and provides support to the Ground
Water Disinfection Rule rulemaking process.
The 'President's Budget Request includes a total of 50 workyears to be used
for 3-year term appointments of postdoctoral candidates to work at Office of
Research and Development laboratories. Of the 50 workyears, 5.7 -will support
this objective.
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Reducing exposure to contaminants in fish and shellfish and through contact
in recreational waters is a another priority for the National Water Program and
a major component of the Clean Water Action Plan. The National Water Program's
ultimate goal is to eliminate the presence of contaminated fish/shellfish in the
environment and eliminate contamination of public waters used for recreation;
however, a number of interim goals will allow the Agency to more quickly address
the human health threats that result from these environmental problems. Steps
that the Agency can take until such risks are eliminated include increasing our
knowledge of current conditions and providing easy-to-use, scientifically-
defensible tools to allow states, tribes, and local communities to assess the
extent of contamination and communicate the risks to the general public.
Today's knowledge base is limited because states have not assessed all of
their waters for contaminated fish and recreational waters. The Agency's interim
goal, therefore, is to increase the proportion of waters assessed, in 1999, the
Agency will also continue to devote resources to manage the ongoing base fish
consumption/advisory program.
States and tribes need to address first those areas where contaminants in
fish are of greatest risk to human health. Ten years ago, the Agency conducted
a survey to evaluate the incidence and severity of known toxics like DDT and
PCBs, however, there remain many potential threats from pollutants in use today
whose effects are not as well studied. The Agency proposes to invest $2,500,000
to conduct a nationwide survey to determine the extent and impact of pollutants
in fish (including mercury, as noted in the Clean Water Action Plan) in order
to build the Agency's nationwide .knowledge base and to help states and tribes
establish priorities for addressing fish contamination problem areas. The fish
tissue survey will also include other Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics (PBTs).
In the beach health protection- area, the Agency will invest $250,000 to
focus on expanding baseline data on storm water/CSO outfall locations and
completion of peer review activities for alternative risk based indicators for
diseases associated with exposure to contamination at bathing beaches.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• 83 percent of the population served by community water .systems will receive
drinking water meeting all health-based standards, up from 81 percent in
1994.
• 50 states will be awarded DWSRF capitalization grants by EPA*
• EPA will complete risk analyses, including MCLG-s for human health
protection, to support promulgation of the Stage 1 Disinfection/
Disinfection Byproducts rule.
« 2,750 community water systems (serving 12 million Americans) will be
implementing'programs to protect their source water resources.
• EPA will publish information to assist states in developing affordability
criteria.
• EPA will issue the initial unregulated contaminants' candidate list..
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' Reduce risk of exposure to lead in drinking water 'by ensuring
implementation of corrosion control treatment required by the Lead and
Copper Rule (LCR) and decrease by 1.5 percent the number of systems (and
populations served) with lead levels in drinking water exceeding the LCR's
action level in 1996.
• EPA will propose the UIC Class V regulation that focuses on management
practices of injection wells identified as high ris.k (based on existing
data) in priority protection areas.
300 large public water systems will report occurrence and treatment data on
contaminants in the drinking water they provide.
• At least 15 Indian tribes will be strengthening their capacity to provide
.safe drinking water.
• Ensure that 95 percent of .all scheduled mechanical integrity tests for
injection wells are completed.
• 20% of the nation's rivers and lakes will have been assessed to determine
if they contain fish that should not be eaten or should be eaten in only
limited quantities. .
• Establish baseline public right-to-know database, and enter data for the 8
Great Lakes states, on state/local government methods for monitoring
microbial contamination at bathing beaches and deciding on beach closures.
• Provide analytical methods for bromate and aldehydes in drinking water.
1 Address uncertainties and improve risk assessments associated with cancer
risks from chlorinated drinking -water using .epidemiologic data.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted.
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
01 Obj. Total Change $39,489.3 23.6
Environmental Program & Management $(6,146.7) 12.3
Science and Technology $(4,364.0) 11.3
State and Tribal Assistance Grants $50,000.0
(+$50,000,000 STAG) for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
The President's Budget request supports the Administration's long term
goal for annual financial assistance.
• (+16.9 workyears and +$1,226,500 EPM) to reflect a technical correction to
the distribution of Regional Management workyears.
• (+$500,000 EPM) to support state implementation of the Class V shallow
industrial injection well regulationk These funds will support
demonstration and model activities that states can undertake as they adopt
and implement these regulations.
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(+$1,950,000 EPM) to implement the Clean Water Action Plan to enhance the
protection of the nation's drinking water. EPA will work with the states
in integrating more effectively SDWA and CWA assessment activities,
especially with respect to protecting critical watersheds.
(+$2,500,000 EPM) to help reduce the need for fish advisories called for
in the Clean Water Action Plan. This investment will allow the Agency to
initiate a .nationwide study to document the extent and nature of fish
tissue contamination. The survey will focus on mercury, persistent
bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs), and other contaminants that were not
considered when the prior study was done ten years ago. The results of
the study will be used to assess the impact of emissions from targeted
industries and storm water runoff from specific land use activities and to
help identify areas where cross-media prevention and control measures can
be effectively implemented.
(+$250,000 EPM} to expand the baseline public right-to-know data base
containing beach monitoring data to include information on all 50 states
as well as on state and local government methods to include GIS
information on storm water/CSO outfall locations on beaches.
(+$468,000 EPM) to support drinking water standard setting and regulatory
development.
(+$830,000 EPM) for activities related to risk characterization and the
development of criteria for the selection of contaminants to be regulated.
(+$892,100 EPM) for source water protection activities.
(-$6,298,900 EPM) from support to the National Rural Water Association and
the Rural Community Assistance Program for drinking water and ground water
activities in rural communities. These activities are eligible for
funding from the state 2 percent technical assistance set-aside .in the
Drinking Water SRF. While not targeted specifically to rural areas, this
set-aside may provide up to $15.5 million for drinking water and ground
water technical assistance. All 50 states will have established DWSRFs
and will be able to take advantage of this set-aside in 1999.
The 1999 request is $11,736,000 below the 1998 Enacted budget level due to
Congressional Add-ons received during the appropriations process, but not
part of the 1999 President's Request.
(-4.6 workyears and -$383,200 EPM) from drinking water implementation
activities to support EPA's implementation of the drinking water
Information Collection Rule,
(+$571,800 and +1.0 workyear S&T) will be used to address the issue of
maintaining the integrity of drinking water distribution systems. This
new research will be conducted to quantify the magnitude of microbial
intrusion into the distribution system, understand how this intrusion
occurs, determine the types of approaches needed to detect pathogens in
the distribution system and operating procedures needed to minimize
exposure, and identify how intrusion can best be prevented. This effort
would include developing guidance on rehabilitating, designing, replacing,
operating and maintaining distribution systems.
(+$383,200 and +4.6 workyears S&T) to support EPA's implementation of the
drinking water Info'rmation Collection Rule. '
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(+5.7 workyears S&T) This request includes workyears for postdoctoral
scientists and engineers to enhance the intramural research program.
These 3-year term appointments will provide a constant stream of highly-
trained postdoctoral candidates who can apply state-O'f-the-science
training to EPA research issues.
The 1999 request is $5,850,000 (S&T) below the Enacted budget level due to
Congressional Add-ons received during the appropriations process, but not
part of the 1999 President's request.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Population served by CWSs that
will receive drinking water
meeting all health-based
standards
States awarded DW SRF
capitalization grants
Tribes participating in EPA-
funded capacity development
Tribes assuming .responsibility
for their PWSS programs
CWSs providing drinking water
that meets all health-based
standards
Availability of affordability
criteria information
States with legal authority for
ensuring that .new smal'l systems
have adequate capacity
Number of large drinking water
systems reporting data on
occurrence and treatment
Availability of unregulated
contaminants' candidate list
Availability of monitoring of
unregulated contaminants rule
Risk analyses completed for Stage
I D/DBP
Risk analyses for microbial/
chemical contaminants
Regulations promulgated that
establish protective levels for
high-risk contaminants
CWSs with ground or surface water
protection programs in place
83% Population
50 States
15 Tribes
85% Population
5 Tribes
400 CWSs
1 Guidance
20 States
300 DW systems
1 List
1 Regulation
1 List
2,750 CWSs
1 List
2 Rules
6,000 CWSs
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Availability of UIC Class V
Regulation
Underground injection wells
tested for mechanical integrity
CWSs/NCWSs with lead levels in
drinking water above action level
in Lead and Copper Rule
States/Tribes monitoring and
assessing for fish advisories
Rivers/Lakes assessed for
^contaminated fish
States with data entered into the
public right-to-know database on
beach monitoring/closures
Report on meta-analysis of
epidemiologic studies on cancer
and chlorinated water
Publication of bromate assay
methods
Determination of infectious dose
for Norwalk virus
Publication of aldehyde assay
method
Report on evaluation of membrane
technology to control oocysts
Report on results of technology
evaluations for controlling DBFs
Report summarizing results of two
technology evaluations
Interim report on modeling
.methods for estimating the
vulnerability of ground water to
'viral contamination
Completed hazard 1-d,/screening
studies on reproductive/
developmental effects of selected
DBFs
Data on first city study on
microbial enteric disease
'Report on results of technology
evaluations controlling
cryptosporidium
Comparative Risk Framework Report
1 Proposed Reg
95% Wells
15% CWS/NCWS
1 List
20% Rivers/Lakes
1 List
9/30/98
9/30/98
9/30/98
9/30/98
9/30/98
1 Final Reg
95% Wells
25% CWS/NCWS
1 List
25% Rivers/Lakes
1 List
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
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Statistical models .for dose- 9/30/99
response modeling of risk
waterbo'rne pathogens
Assessment of health risks 9/30/99
associated with three waterborne
pathogens
Conclusion
Many of the activities to be carried out in 1999 will make significant
contributions to achieving the objective of protecting public health through the
delivery of consistently safe drinking water by community water systems. Through
loans awarded to systems under the DWSRF, new or strengthened operator
certification programs administered by the states, and capacity development
..efforts (especially by small systems), EPA expects that substantial progress in
improving both the infrastructure and day-to-day operations of public water
systems will be made and sustained.
EPA believes that the greatest risk reducing efforts are through the
regulation of microbial contaminants and has therefore put a very high priority
on promulgating the I.ESWTR and the Stage I Disinfection Byproducts rule in 1999.
In addition, the risk-based contaminant selection process and better technical
data will lead to better regulations focused on contaminants that pose the
greatest threat to human health.
Gains will also be made in preventing drinking water problems by
increasing states' and public water systems' capacity to provide safe water. The
source water assessment program will give states and water suppliers information
they need to determine what is needed to prevent contamination of a community's
drinking water source, thereby adding an extra layer of defense to current
treatment options. The promulgation of the rule for Class V shallow industrial
.injection wells and cesspools will greatly reduce their contribution to drinking
water contamination.
Drinking water research will .develop dose-response 'information on DBPs,
waterborne pathogens and arsenic for characterization of potential exposure risks
from consuming municipal drinking-water. This work will also evaluate trade-offs
between disinfecting drinking water vers. exposure to DBPs, Cost-effective
treatment technologies will be developed and evaluated for removing pathogens
from water while .minimizing DBF formation. Treatment technologies will also be
developed and evaluated for treatment and removal of arsenic with a focus on the
special needs of small drinking water .systems. Methods will be developed to help
assess whether or not ground-water sources need to be disinfected to control
viral contamination and co.st effective approaches will be identified for
maintaining the quality of treated water in the distribution system and
preventing the intrusion of microbial contamination.
Whether through .drinking water, eating contaminated fish or shellfish,
or contact with water while recreating, exposure to contaminated water can cause
serious illness and even death- These types of exposure pose a special risk to
.children, women of child-bearing age, .sub-populations who fish for food or sport
or who use public bathing beaches or waters for recreation, and people with
compromised immune systems. The states and tribes have primary responsibility
for protecting their residents from the health risks associated with eating
contaminated non-commercially caught fish and wildlife and with recreation in
public waters.
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Both the Fish Consumption Advisory and Beach Protection programs are
voluntary, and the Agency does not have the statutory or regulatory authority to
impose specific methods or practices. EPA's efforts are predicated on the
continuation and improvement of relationships with its state, tribal, and local
partners as well as the continuing and enhanced cooperation of other Federal
agencies like the Army Corps .of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, National
Marine Fisheries Service, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Key Performance Measures Verification
The Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWISJ is the primary data
source for verifying and validating the performance measures related to the
objective of enhancing public health through safe drinking water in the Agency's
annual plan. There are two components to SDWIS. SDWIS/FED is a national data
base (housed on a mainframe computer) that includes the core information needed
by EPA to assure that public water systems are in compliance with all of the
statutory requirements in SDWA. SDWIS/ STATE is a PC-based system at the state
level that has been designed to address the specific drinking water information
needs of the state. It includes not only the data that the state must report to
SDWIS/FED but also data the state determines to be critical to carry out its
primary enforcement authority. Formal QA/QC procedures have been implemented for
both data entry and data retrieval. In addition, the SDWIS Executive Board
reviews QA/QC approaches regularly and a peer review process is in place to test
any new modules or revisions to existing modules of SDWIS.
Data will also be compiled on efforts to implement the underground
injection control program, including performance data on mechanical integrity
testing of UIC wells and permitting and closure efforts targeted at Class IV and
V wells. EPA will collect this data from the UIC Federal Reporting System (7520
forms), which includes information submitted annually by EPA and State UIC
Program directors to Headquarters.
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures
in the area of environmental .science and research. The Agency has implemented
a risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and risk management
as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its research and
determine planning priorities.. To better draw upon the expertise of the
environmental academic community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants.
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator states that peer review will be expanded "to include both the major
work products provided in the past and...all scientific and technical products
supporting Agency decisions..." This expanded and strengthened focus on peer
review will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are verified
and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer review
throughout the research planning and implementation process^ both to ensure that
planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EPA's mission, and
to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products, and proposals.
This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as the Science
Advisory Bpa.rd (SAB)and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC). The BOSC,
established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine the way
the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of its research and
development laboratories.
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EPA's external research program undergoes extensive peer review,
Proposals from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects
are then selected for funding through grants or cooperative agreements. In
addition, Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often
developed jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation.
In this way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and
relevance of its research program.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System
(OMIS) will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate
performance measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated
into OMIS to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater
accuracy and consistency of information to users.
The National Listing of Fish and Wildlife Advisories database is the
primary data source for verifying and validating the performance measures related
to safe consumption of fish and wildlife. Each year, states and tribes submit
information that the Agency enters into the database and validates. The database
contains information on the waterbodies under advisory, the types of advisories
and bans in place, the special category and size ranges of fish and/or wildlife
involved, chemical contaminants identified in the advisories, lake acreage of
river miles under advisory, the data advisories were issued, and the proportion
of assessed waters that are under advisory in a given year.
EPA data is not currently available on beach monitoring and closures,
However, the Agency issued and Information Collection Request (ICR) to solicit
data on beach monitoring and actions taken to protect the public from
contamination in these recreational waters. The state/local government survey
that will be developed as a result of the ICR will be the key piece of
information used to report progress. The EPA survey will be phased in to obtain
data on all beaches. The survey will be designed to report all information
necessary to measure progress against the annual performance measure.
Statutory Authority
Clean Water Act (CWA)(33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)
Safe Drinking Water Act {SDWA) (42 U.S.C. 300f-300j-26)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (15 U.S.C. 2601-2692)
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Clean and Safe Water
Objective #2: Conserve and Enhance Nation's Waters
By .2005, conserve and enhance the ecological health of the nation's (state,
interstate, and tribal) waters and aquatic ecosystems — rivers and streams,
lakes, wetlands, estuaries, coastal areas, oceans, and groundwater — so that 75
percent of waters will support healthy aquatic communities.
Overview
Healthy aquatic communities depend on ecologically healthy waters and
aquatic ecosystems. This objective will be met through a broad array of
activities performed by organizations across the Office of Water and in all
Regions, It is supported by the Office of General Counsel (OGC) and the Office
of Research and Development (ORD) and is accomplished in coordination with the
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), as well as through the
.efforts of other Federal agencies (e.g., USDA), state, tribal, and local
governments, and organizations outside government.
Activities undertaken to meet this objective are essential to the
successful implementation of the interagency Clean Water Action Plan, which will
strengthen and enhance core programs including prevention of polluted runoff,
protection of public health, enhancement of natural resources, and improved
information for citizens' Right-to-Know. .In addition, it will promote a
watershed approach and building partnerships, as well as expanding program
.funding, including state grant assistance.
Critical to improving water quality is our refinement .of water quality
criteria for human health, aquatic life, and sediments:. EPA will work with its
.state partners to ensure that they adopt into their standards a suite of criteria
to protect designated uses. The Agency will support risk characterization
analyses, priority setting, risk management decisions, and state/tribal adoption
and Implementation of water quality standards based on revised criteria. These
activities are conducted through the development and implementation of a
consistent regulatory framework and through scientifically sound tools and
quality technical assistance and training. In support of these efforts, the
Agency will move toward providing the .BASINS modeling package, a powerful
geographic information system on the Internet which integrates projected nonpoint
source runoff with point source discharges. The BASINS model will also allow
states and tribes to simulate complex and local environmental conditions. By
providing training and workshops, EPA will work with tribes to implement
'"Treatment in a Similar Manner as a State" provisions and establish final water
quality standards approved by EPA for waters under tribal jurisdiction.
In watersheds where sediment contamination is determined to be widespread,
.EPA will ensure greater controls of point and nonpoint sources of that
contamination. The Agency will assist states and tribes in addressing sediment
contamination by publishing a Sediment Quality Criteria users guide and
distributing a sediment quality criteria modeling package. The Agency will also
conduct a case study of assessment, prevention, or remediation within an area of
concern, and issue guidance for assessing the environmental benefits and costs
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of remediation o:f sediment contamination. The Agency will publish new and
existing" sediment quality advisory Levels in a document and verify advisory
levels using chronic test methods for five compounds.
EPA is working towards providing a means to identify, assess, and manage
aquatic stressors, including contaminated sediments. Threats to .human health
occur when contaminants bioaccumulate in fish and shell fish consumed by humans.
Risk assessments conducted for individuals consuming contaminated fish, shell
fish, and lobster on a weekly basis have estimated excess cancer risks ranging
from 1 in 100 (New Bedford Harbor study) to 4 in 1,000 (Puget Sound, Santa Monica
Bay studies). Thus, sediment contamination is of national concern and poses
risks to aquatic life, human health and wildlife.
Contaminated sediments research will focus on the development of toxicity
criteria for .aquatic life for chemical and -nonchemical stressors to allow for the
characterization of these stressors in aquatic ecosystems. These efforts will
determine biological effects from .exposure to contaminated sediments leading to
the development of methods to predict toxicity at the organismal and ecological
community scale. More cost—effective technologies and approaches for .managing
contaminated sediments will be developed and evaluated and will emphasize the
identification of innovative in situ solutions.
The Agency will also make available to states and tribes updated,
scientifically-based tools to enhance their ability to 'assess and address
ecological problems on a watershed basis. EPA will develop guidance on base
monitoring requirements to support comprehensive, resource-based water quality
programs. EPA will also publish final revisions to the aquatic life criteria
methodology and publish new or revised aquatic life criteria for selenium. The
Agency will complete and distribute an ecological risk assessment guidance
document. To promote the comprehensive ecological approach, EPA will begin to
integrate biological assessment and criteria into water quality standards, Total
Maximum Daily Load (TKDL), and permit programs by developing a comprehensive,
biologically-weighted approach to evaluate aquatic life use support, including
case studies and pilot projects to test this integrated approach.
Based on the findings of the Nutrient Assessment Workshop, in particular
the recommendation to set nutrient standards on an eco-region or watershed basis,
the Agency's strategy will develop a summary of currently available tools for
assessing eutrophication, identify gaps in our understanding, and discuss
implementation issues related to controlling eutrophication. The strategy will
provide the Agency's long term plan for developing guidance for specific types
of water bodies and, simultaneously, beginning development of detailed technical
guidance documents which can serve as "user manuals" for specific water body
types. Since the process for assessing and controlling eutrophication is
considered site-specific in nature, the 'best assistance will allow state and
tribes to pick and choose the tools that best fit their .conditions (water
body-specific guidance) . Additionally, the Agency will provide information for
specific types of lakes or types of estuaries to illustrate practical
site-specific applications. Consistent with the Clean Water and Watershed
Restoration budget initiative to help fund implementation of the Clean Water
Action Plan, the Agency will establish numeric criteria for nutrients (i.e.,
nitrogen and phosphorus), that are tailored to reflect different water body types
and different geographical regions.
The Agency will support comprehensive water quality assessments that will
establish baselines against which to gauge progress toward objectives and goals
and support decision-making necessary to implement watershed enhancements on a
priority basis. The Agency will continue to work with bur state and tribal
partners to establish water quality monitoring and assessment programs
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appropriate to their identified goals and .needs, including addressing the
elements outlined in EPA's monitoring guidance. EPA will assemble and report
state water quality assessments under Clean Water Act Section 305(b). EPA will
also ensure that states and tribes are entering relevant water quality and
related data into EPA's modernized national data systems. An important use of
state comprehensive quality assessment programs and other data is the Index of
Watershed Indicators (IWI), a collaborative exercise with EPA stakeholders to
clearly characterize the condition and vulnerability of all of the Nation's
watersheds and coastal waters (as defined by the USSS 8-digit Hydrological Unit
Code). The IWI will be critical to understanding and communicating progress
toward the Agency's goals.
As part of the Clean Water Action Plan, EPA, in concert with USDA, USDOI and
other Federal agencies, will produce estimates of inputs (by major source
category), transport, and exports of nitrogen and phosphorus in watersheds across
the Nation. Existing hydrologic models, such as USGS-SPARROW, will be used. We
will help initiate a tracking system in 1999 to report key indicators of the
success of programs to reduce nutrient runoff to America's waters. Working
through the National Water Quality Monitoring Council, we will co.operate on a
comprehensive assessment of nutrient reduction program effectiveness (to be
completed in 2001).
As part of the Agency's Tribal Partnership initiative, increased resources
will support the development, modification, and delivery of EPA training
materials and workshops for tribes on water quality monitoring, quality assurance
and water quality standards. Funding under this initiative will also support
development of a National Tribal Watershed Assessment Framework to support
defensible, reproducible Tribal assessments of the conditions of their watersheds
and the sources of watershed impairments.
Fundamental to all of the Agency's efforts to meet this objective is
managing water quality resources on a watershed basis, with full involvement of
all stakeholders including communities, individuals, businesses, state and local
governments and tribes. EPA's ability to meet this objective will depend on the
success of regulatory and non-regulatory programs and nationwide efforts to
provide and use a broad range of policy, planning, and scientific tools to
establish local goals -and assess progress. The Agency will continue to work with
states to implement Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) programs to establish the
analytic underpinning for watershed decisions. EPA will also provide up-to-date
scientific tools (such as easy-to-use geographically-based models), training, and
technical assistance to support state TMDL programs. These TMDLs will meet the
requirements of Clean Water Act Section 303(d), including timely submission of
approvable lists of impaired waters and development of TMDLs at an appropriate
pace.
As part of the Clean Water Action Plan, EPA will substantially increase
direct technical and program assistance to states to .help them integrate their
new State Unified Watershed Assessments and Restoration Action Strategies with
their ongoing implementation of 303(d) lists of impaired waters and resultant
priority total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). This increased assistance will also
help states accelerate the pace and implementation of TMDLs for NPS-impaired
priority waters in the key watersheds where Unified 'Assessments will be conducted
under the Clean Water Action Plan. We will expand and improve the Watershed
Academy and its course offerings specifically to better train state and local
agencies in meeting these needs in these watersheds.
EPA will continue its targeted efforts (in particular, under the National
Estuary Program) to work with states and other stakeholders to develop and
implement watershed management plans for coastal ecosystems that restore and
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maintain the health of degraded and threatened coastal aquatic communities. Fox
coastal ports, EPA will work with Federal and state partners and other
stakeholders to help ensure that comprehensive dredged material management plans
are developed to maintain, restore, and improve the health of coastal ecosystems .
The Agency will also manage pollution sources subject to the Marine Protection,
Research, and Sanctuaries Act; Clean Water Act; Marine Plastic Pollution Research
and Control Act; and other related programs in such a way as to further protect
and enhance our Nation's coastal and ocean waters.
As part of the Clean Water Action Plan, EPA will begin providing small
grants to non-profit organizations to support development of watershed
partnerships and advance watershed restoration efforts. Priority in allocation
of grant assistance will be given to organizations that have the capacity to
bring diverse interests together to work to find creative ways to restore and
sustain the health of aquatic systems on a watershed basis. EPA, 'in concert
with USDA and NOAA, will also work with other Federal agencies arid states to
dramatically increase the number of people involved in .local organizations that
have "adopted" their watersheds and to encourage new efforts where there are
none. A majo.r focus will be to engage students, seniors, business owners and
workers and others not traditionally involved in water resource issues and
encourage their participation in ongoing community watershed efforts.
EPA will continue to support targeted geographic initiatives of national
importance, including the National Estuary Program, the Chesapeake Bay Program,
Gulf of Mexico Program, South Florida/Everglades, the Acadian Prairie, the Great
Lakes, and the Pacific Northwest Forest Plan. Special emphasis in 'these areas
provides the opportunity not only to have necessary heightened Federal
involvement in critical watersheds, -but to develop and implement water quality
control practices whose successes can be transferred to other watersheds
nationwide. EPA is .also committed to supporting the implementation of the
Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, the Long Island Sound
Office, and the Lake Champlain Management Conference in 1999.
the Gulf of Mexico Program performance goals and activities for 1998 and
1999 .support three interrelated regional environmental goals: (1) protecting
human health and the food supply; (2) maintaining and improving Gulf habitats
that support living resources; and (3) maintaining and enhancing the
sustainability of Gulf living resources. Within these goals, the Program' s • focus
is on four areas: public health, nutrient enrichment, non-indigenous species, and
habitat restoration. In 199:9, the Gulf Program will work to reduce sources
contributing to fecal contamination in Gulf shellfish growing waters and nutrient
pollution into Gulf estuaries.
The Chesapeake Bay Program' s overall goal is to restore and protect living
resources and their habitats.. To accomplish this goal, the Chesapeake Bay
Program has focused on reducing the level of nutrients by 40 percent by the year
"2.000 and maintaining that level thereafter, and on reducing toxics and restoring
habitats important to fish and shellfish in the Bay. Annual performance goals
for 1998 and 1999 reflect these three areas through point and nonpoint source
controls, pollution prevention initiatives, and habitat restoration.
Wetlands
This .objective also encompasses the Agency's efforts to protect and restore
the Nation' s wetlands through a combination of regulatory approaches and
assistance and incentive-based programs. Within this objective, $33,115,400 is
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requested for the Wetlands Program, o.f which $15,000,000 is requested from the
STAG appropriation for the wetlands grants program, EPA will work with other
federal agencies and non-federal partners to continue implementation of the Clean
Water Action Plan in an effort to achieve a net gain of 100,000 acres of wetlands
per year by 2005. This goal, adopted from EPA's Strategic Plan under the
Government Performance and Results Act, will require that wetland loss rates be
reduced by continued reliance on avoiding and minimizing destruction of wetlands
to the extent practicable. Information on watersheds will be reviewed to identify
where the continuing loss of wetlands is a significant factor contributing to
problems of water quality and loss of species. Working with Federal agencies
through the White House Interagency Wetlands Working Group, and with state and
tribal agencies, we will develop a program to reduce wetland losses in those
watersheds in a manner that will yield the most water quality and habitat
benefits. EPA will continue to work with other Federal agencies to implement the
provisions of the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 program to protect wetlands,
free-flowing streams, and shallow waters in a fair, flexible, and effective
.manner. .EPA -will support community-based partnerships to restore river corridors
and wetlands to remediate significant ongoing adverse impacts of past policies
and practices. EPA will Work with state and tribal partners to provide
comprehensive protection and efficient implementation of government programs.
With these partners, EPA will develop biological indicators, criteria and
assessment methods to relate net changes in wetland acreage to its effect on
environmental functions. EPA will provide training to its partners and sponsor
demonstration projects to improve the quality o.f decisions affecting wetlands and
associated resources. EPA will work with economic sectors that impact wetlands
to improve communication and to engage them in dialogues with environmental
interests.
With its programs for Watershed Management and Restoration Partners, EPA is
uniquely positioned to direct these resources to community-based restoration
projects and to attract matching resources from many partners, including
corporate, state, tribal, local, non-profit, volunteer, and Service/Conservation
Corps groups. EPA will help its partners to identify new opportunities for
collaboration so that they can undertake future restoration independent of on-
going Federal assistance. The initiative will also enable EPA to provide
additional guidance, training, methods and technical assistance to support
restoration programs nationwide.
The wetlands state/tribal/local grant program will enhance the Agency's
wetland protection efforts, fostering strong partnerships between EPA and the
states, tribes, territories, and local entities* Agencies at all levels of
government will continue to develop programs that move toward the
Administration's goal of no overall net loss and long-term gain in the quantity
and quality of wetlands. The grants will provide assistance for state, tribal
and local programs contributing to the goal of a net gain per year of 100,000
acres of wetlands per year by 2005, watershed protection and restoration
projects, development of programs to assume Section 404, streamlining regulatory
programs (including development of programmatic general permits), incorporating
wetlands protection in state water quality certification processes, development
of programs to monitor wetlands, and development of State Wetlands Conservation
Plans.
OtherGrantAssistance
Section 106 grants to states, tribes, and interstate agencies are a primary
funding source for the prevention, reduction, and elimination of surface and
ground water pollution from point and nonpoint sources (under Goal 2, Objective
3) and for enhancing the ecological health of the Nation's waters. Within this
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•objective, $115,529,300 is requested for Section 106 grants, an increase of
$20,000,000 over 1998. Activities within the Section 106 program include
permitting, water quality planning and standard setting, pollution control
studies, assessment and monitoring, and training and public information, state
efforts will include developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), implementing
an integrated wet weather strategy in coordination with nonpoint source programs,
and developing wellhead protection programs and comprehensive state groundwater
protection programs. Tribes will continue to conduct watershed assessments and
will maintain and improve their capacity to implement water quality programs
through monitoring, assessments, planning, and standards development. The $20
million increase will support activities in support of watershed restoration
efforts in the Clean Water Action Plan.
As part of the Clean Water Action Plan, states will be undertaking a new
cooperative, intergovernmental and public process to identify watersheds where
aquatic systems do not meet clean water goals and take action to address problems
in these watersheds, including developing State Unified Watershed
Assessments/Restoration Priorities followed by State Watershed Restoration Action
Strategies.- Working with public agencies and the private sector, states will
develop Watershed Restoration Action Strategies for those watersheds most in need
of attention in 1999-2000 while buttressing their existing water quality
management programs to better address the watershed and nonpoint source needs
required by these Strategies. The increase will also support efforts to permit
Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs.)
Water Quality Cooperative Agreements (WQCA) support the creation of unique
and innovative approaches to address requirements of the NPDES program, with
special emphasis on wet weather activities, i.e., storm water, combined sewer
overflows, sanitary sewer overflows and animal feeding operations.. In the wet
weather area, these grants have been invaluable in enabling demonstrations of
unique technical, as well as managerial and funding techniques for addressing wet
weather problems. Specifically these funds will be used to conduct special
studies, demonstrations, outreach and training efforts which will enhance the
ability of the regulated community to deal with non-traditional pollution.
problems in priority watersheds. Within this objective, $19,000,000 is requested
for WQCA grants.
.legal Support
The Agency supports this objective through legal counseling and advocacy by
the Office of General Counsel. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 02 Conserve and Enhance $270,281.6 $298,573.9 $296,643.9
Nation's Waters
Environmental Program & $127,261.4 $155,638.1 $135,543.9
Management
Science and Technology $12,490.9 $12,406-5 • $11,570.7
State and Tribal Assistance $130,529.3 $130,529.3 $149,52-9.3
Grants
Total FTE 730.3 749.6 709.3
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• 20 states will electronically update their 1998 305(b) information
reflecting adequate monitoring and assessment programs. (Base of 0).
• .25 states submit implementation plans to EPA (either as separate plans or
as part of water quality management plans or other watershed planning
process) that describe the processes for implementing TMDLs developed for
-waters impaired solely or primarily by nonpoint sources.
• Complete 24 of 28 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs)
in the National Estuary Program. (Base of 19)
• Complete review of ocean disposal testing requirements.
• Appropriate action taken in five additional cases with regard to dredged
material ocean disposal site designation. (Base of 77).
• Provide to states and tribes appropriate tools for risk characterization of
and decision-making regarding -surface water contaminants, including
persistent bioaccumulative toxics and nutrients, that allow them to set and
meet their own water quality standards.
• EPA will review and approve or disapprove new or revised water quality
standards for 1.5 states that reflect current guidance, regulation, and
public input. (Base of 10).
• 22 Tribes will have established effective water quality standards programs.
(Base of 17),
• Conduct broad-based shareholder development of quantitative and/or
qualitative nutrient loadings reduction goals and supporting strategies to
reduce the adverse impacts of Gulf hypoxia in two states.
• Complete coordination of modeling efforts among state and federal agencies
to develop basin level modeling/decision support capacity for targeting
future nutrient loading reduction support and reporting environmental
progress for six Mississippi River Basins.
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• Reduce' the number of point and nonpoint sources contributing to the total
load of fecal contamination in Gulf shellfish growing waters, in two
priority Gulf coastal watersheds.
» There will be 65,000 acres of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the
Chesapeake Bay.
• 15 states/tribes developing tools and programs to assess and monitor
overall wetland improvements/deterioration (Base -of 10).
* EPA will provide funding support to community-based projects for watershed
restoration including restoration of wetlands and river corridors in 160
watersheds (an increase of 1.10 from .1998) ,
* Develop methods for screening aquatic systems, including sediments, for
significant chemicals.
• By 2003 .develop and/or evaluate promising technologies for the ex-situ and
in-situ management of contaminated sediments.
• By 2005 develop technical resource documents on the risk management of
contaminated sediments.
• EPA will provide data and information for use by .states and regions in
assessing and managing aquatic stressors in the watershed to reduce toxic
loadings and improve ecological risk assessment.
• As part of the Clean Water Action Plan, all states will be conducting or
have completed unified watershed assessments, with -support from EPA., to
identify aquatic resources in greatest need of restoration or prevention
activities.
The Agency's goal of having states electronically update their 1998 Clean
Water Act 305 (b) water quality assessments reflects a significant enhancement of
service delivery for one of the key sources of information available on the
quality of the nation's waters. Current information on the extent to which
waters have attained their designated uses is critical to effective planning and
decision—making.
'The establishment of agreements between states and EPA on state-specific,
tailored processes for implementing approved Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)
will ensure substantial progress toward achieving water quality standards.
Effective TMDL programs will integrate long-standing programs of regulatory
controls, financial incentives, and training to reduce pollutant loads .and meet
the environmental goal.
State adoption of the Watershed Approach .represents a key element of
Community Based Environmental Protection (CBEP), including full stakeholder
participation and the need to address environmental issues on a geographic,
rather than a media- or statute-specific basis. By supporting state efforts to
move permitting, wetlands, nonpoint source and other programs to a watershed
orientation, EPA can help ensure that the limited water quality resources
available to states are most efficiently and effectively deployed,
As provided in Clean Water Act Section 320, development of Comprehensive
Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs) under the National Estuary Program
represents a key component of ensuring the conservation and enhancement of
coastal watersheds. Serving as a blueprint for protection and restoration within
and around estuaries, CCMPs are developed by management conferences comprising
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a diverse cross-section of Federal, state, and local government representatives
and interested members of the .environmental community, industry and the general
public. Involving all stakeholders, tailoring solutions to watershed- and
community-specific problems and developing or identifying funding mechanisms for
implementation are critical steps toward re-establishing the health of our
coastal resources.
Under Section 102 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act
(MPRSA) , EPA is responsible for designating ocean sites for the disposal of
dredged material to ensure that the dredged material is disposed of in locations
that are not harmful to human health and aquatic communities. Generally, the
Water Resources Development Act of 1992 prohibits the issuance of a permit for
disposal at such a site unless it has been finally designated by EPA and has a
Site Management and Monitoring Plan developed by EPA and the Corps of Engineers.
The additional designations are critical to necessary dredging, and to ensuring
that disposal of the material occurs in an environmentally sound manner.
As directed in Section 102 of the MPRSA, EPA develops ecological criteria
to be used to evaluate the suitability of dredged material for disposal at ocean
disposal sites. Specific testing requirements exist in order to ensure that
dredged material meets the ecological criteria before it is disposed. The
ongoing comprehensive review of the ocean disposal testing requirements is
pursuant to the Administration's commitment (July 24, 1996), and is designed to
ensure that any revisions to these criteria reflect both sound policy and sound
science.
The environmental functions of many of the nation's remaining wetlands are
adversely affected by stressors such as pollution, hydrological disturbances, and
proliferation of non-native species. To respond to these problems, EPA needs
monitoring data on the health of wetlands. Such data will be used to set
program and geographical (watershed) priorities, and to help identify the actions
that will improve the functions of impaired wetlands. Ten states/tribes are now
in the process of -selecting and calibrating indicators of wetlands health or are
developing monitoring programs to collect and evaluate data on wetlands within
their jurisdiction. In 1999 five additional states/tribes, with EPA financial
and technical support, will be undertaking significant efforts on wetlands
monitoring.
As part of the Clean Water Action Plan, EPA will provide financial and
technical assistance to communities to restore wetlands and associated river
corridors. These projects involve partnerships of local governments, the
corporate and non-profit sectors, other government agencies, foundations, and
volunteer and or Conservation/Service Corps labor. EPA has developed partnership
networks that rely upon extensive cost-sharing and contributions of labor,
equipment and materials. This enables a significant expansion of watershed
coverage in 1999 with strategically targeted EPA investments. EPA's community-
based approach enables progress in revitalizing wetlands and river corridors in
places traditionally under served by environmental programs, such as economically
disadvantaged urban areas and tribal lands.
With respect to assessing and managing aquatic stressors, effects research
will be done to develop methods to predict toxicity at the organismal and
ecological community scale, EPA has developed an equilibrium partitioning theory
that causally links the normalized bioavailable concentrations of sediment
contaminants to organism response. This information has been used to predict
toxicity for specific species and has been applied for nonionic organic
contaminants. Research is needed to apply this theory for other types of
sediment contaminants, individually and as a mixture such as ionic organics,
metals, and bioaccumulatives. This area of research involves the development and
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application of methods to evaluate the potential impact of specific chemicals and
mixtures of chemicals in .sediments.
Effects research will 'also be done to characterize the effects of
nonchemical stressors on aquatic ecosystems. Research in this area will build on
what is learned concerning the effect of chemical stressors on aquatic organisms
and wildlife and will evaluate the combined impact of chemical and nonchemical
stressors on aquatic ecosystems.
Exposure research will be done to develop models to characterize sediment
loading of various contaminants. Research on exposure, especially modeling, is
required for risk assessments and permit development. The primary environmental
focus for this research is the characterization of sources of nutrients, metals,
pesticides (i.e., EDCs) and other hazardous chemicals, particularly those
associated with .sediment loads, transport .and deposition; the relative loadings
from watersheds; and the evaluation of the role of these sediment-related
contaminants from sub-basins on downstream water bodies from both a human and
ecosystem exposure-risk perspective.
Risk assessment research will be done to improve methodologies for
developing specific criteria (e.g., aquatic life and human health criteria for
ambient water of the U.S.), including wildlife criteria reflecting endangered
species concerns. This research encompasses the development of risk
assessment/characterizations of human health and ecological risks for exposures
to contaminants (single and multiple stressor) in ambient waters. This research
would support the establishment and communication of fish health advisories,
beach closing warnings, remediation actions to protect human uses of the water
body and ecosystem health. Methods will be developed with both specific
application to a water body and broader application to an .eco-region or
community. Models or tools are needed to integrate risks from multiple sources
of stressors and for performing ecological and economic analyses of environmental
impacts.
Risk management research will be done to develop and evaluate more cost-
effective technologies and approaches for managing contaminated sediments. This
research will focus on the development and evaluation of less costly technologies
and approaches for managing contaminated sediments and will emphasize the
identification of innovative, in situ solutions.
EPA' s research program will invest in a cadre .of highly-trained postdoctoral
scientists who can apply state-of-the knowledge to EPA research issues and will
make a significant contribution to EPA's in-house research capability* This
investment will introduce more highly educated, energetic, and innovative
researchers into EPA's national laboratories and centers.
To identify, control, and address ecological problems, the states and tribes
must have and be able to use a variety of scientifically-based tools for risk
characterization. The Agency will provide case studies, models, sampling and
assessment methods, and a host of guidance documents to .address specific
chemicals, specific water body types, and specific environmental problems,
To assure human and ecological health, the Clean Water Act requires states
to review and revise their water quality standards every three years. The Agency
will review and approve these triennial reviews to assure that state standards
employ the latest scientific information and that they are consistent with
guidance and regulation. EPA will provide direct -technical assistance and
support to the states in reviewing, revising, and managing their water quality
programs; these standards are a vital part of the Agency's efforts to encourage
the states to incorporate the latest scientific knowledge and biological
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approaches into their programs. This -review and approval process, which is a
critical part of the ongoing base water program, promotes nationwide consistency
in ecological and human health protection.
Indian tribes are only just beginning to address their environmental
problems. The Agency will provide guidance, training, and other assistance to
tribes to assure that they adopt and implement water quality standards programs
that are consistent with those managed by the states. Ultimately, the Agency
hopes that all tribes will have in place adequate water quality programs.
Beginning in 1999, the Gulf of Mexico Program will broaden assistance to the
Gulf State partners to reduce the loading of nutrients into tributaries and Gulf
estuaries and to implement voluntary actions to reduce 'nutrient pollution. The
Program will work to reduce the negative consequences of Gulf hypoxia (i.e., low-
dissolved oxygen) by: (1) facilitating efforts to understand the ecological and
economic consequences of the hypoxic zone; (2) developing monitoring and modeling
strategies necessary to characterize the impacts of the hypoxic zone on the Gulf
ecosystem; and (3) assisting Mississippi and Louisiana in quantifying and
reducing nutrient loads from tributaries that contribute to Gulf hypoxia.
Within its partnership framework, the Gulf Program will support monitoring
of shellfish growing waters and shellfish quality to identify incidences of
disease, source waters causing the disease, areas of water contamination, and
potential sources of pollution causing the contamination. The Program will focus
on reducing human exposure through improved public information (e.g. food
consumption and swimming advisories) and through improved control of sources of
water pollution.
In 1999, voluntary integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices in the
Chesapeake Bay watershed will be implemented through working with the state
agricultural agencies in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, the Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the USDA Extension Service to work with
farmers and suburban land owner groups to teach different IPM approaches. EPA
will continue to provide funding to .the states to accomplish this goal, will
support workshops, and will develop and implement a tracking system to show
results -
The Chesapeake Bay Program will work with member states and wastewater
treatment facilities to upgrade treatment facilities for biological nutrient
removal (BNR). This activity is critical for meeting the 40 percent nutrient
reduction goal, particularly for nitrogen. By the end of 1999, at least 25
percent of sewage plant loadings will be on BNR.
Acreage of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) has been increasing in the
Chesapeake Bay since a low point in 1984. SAV .has certain light requirements
necessary to reestablish itself. These light requirements are affected by
loadings of nutrients and sediment. By continuing implementation of the
tributary strategies in the Chesapeake Bay, habitat for SAV should increase. By
the end of 1-999, there will be at least 65,000 acres of SAV in the Chesapeake
Bay.
1998 Annual Pegfeiir"""iC6 Goals
• 5.0 states submit 1998 305 (b) information reflecting adequate monitoring and
assessment programs and characterizing the extent to which ITS waters are
meeting all designated uses (approximately 62% of assessed waters in 1996) ,
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50 states submit 303(d) lists, including specific written agreements in
each State with an expeditious schedule for establishing TMDLs for the
listed waters.
Complete 19 of 28 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Elans (CCMPs)
in the National Estuary Program. (Base of 17)
Progress in implementing CCMP priority actions is reviewed for the first 12
NEPs. (Base of zero)
Establish National Marine Debris Monitoring program with 20
states/territories. (Base of 15)
Technical support to Gulf States threatened and/or impaired by Gulf hypoxia
through improved monitoring of nutrient loads from major tributaries and
implementation of innovative management and prevention approaches to reduce
nutrient loading to surface waters.
Coordinate modeling efforts among state and federal agencies to develop
basin level modeling/decision support capacity for targeting future
nutrient loading reductions and reporting environmental progress for two
Mississippi .River Basins,.
Provide to states and tribes appropriate tools for risk characterization of
and decision-making regarding surface water contaminants, including
persistent bioaccumulative toxics and nutrients, that allow them to set and
meet their own water quality standards.
EPA will review and approve or disapprove new or revised water quality
standards for ten states that reflect current guidance, regulation; and
public input.
'17 Tribes will have established effective water quality standards programs.
:Reopen 137 miles of spawning habitat to anadromous fish through fish
passage in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
10 states/tribes developing tools and programs to assess and monitor
overall wetland improvements/deterioration. (Base of 4)
Provide funding support to community-based projects for the restoration of
wetlands and river corridors in 50 watersheds.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
^ Dollars FTE
02 Obj. Total Change $(1,930.0) (40.3)
Environmental Program & Management $(20,094.2) (42.1)
Science and Technology $(835.8) 1.8
State and Tribal Assistance Grants $19,000.0
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gPM
(+$20,000,000 STAG) These funds in the Section 106 grant program will
support activities in reducing pollutant discharges from point and
nonpoint sources and management programs to support healthy aquatic
communities in support of the Clean 'Water Action Plan. Of this amount,
$2,600,000 will support eligible tribes conducting comprehensive
monitoring programs and implementing water quality programs.
(-$1,000,000 STAG) This reflects a decrease in the Water Quality
Cooperative Agreements to fund Underground Injection Control Class V
implementation pilots.
(+$4,000,000 EPM) This will to encourage and assist comprehensive
watershed management programs for all states and tribes for the waters
under their jurisdiction, including development of locally-determined
watershed management plans needed to restore and maintain the health of
aquatic communities on a priority basis. Supports implementation of the
Clean Water Action Plan.
(+$2,200,000 EPM) This will fulfill commitments in the Clean Water Action
Plan to restore water quality on a watershed basis where polluted runoff
has created significant water pollution problems. To this end, the Agency
will establish numeric criteria for nutrients that are tailored to reflect
the different types of water bodies and different regions of the country.
The Agency will also assist states to adopt numeric water quality
standards based on these criteria over the following three years. EPA
will complement these tools with data retrieval and assessment methods to
help states develop their own criteria and descriptions of Best Management
Practices (BMPs) to support active management of nutrient-related
pollution. EPA will also revise and fine-tune existing
geographically-based water quality models to include a variety of sources
(including air deposition) and provide workshops and technical assistance
to states/tribes in using these models to develop TMDLs and address
nutrient problems.
(+$1,500,000 EPM) This is for small grants to organizations to support
development of watershed partnerships, in support of the CWAP.
(+$1,500,000 EPM) This will advance wetlands restoration in support of the
Clean Water Action Plan (CWAP). EPA will provide financial and technical
assistance to communities to restore wetlands and associated river
corridors. These projects will involve partnerships of local governments,
the corporate and non-profit sectors, other government agencies,
foundations, and volunteer and or Conservation/Service Corps labor.
(+1,000,000 EPM) This will support implementation of the Lake Champlain
Management Conference. This does not carry forward the $1,500,000
Congressional addition and provides a total of $1,000,000 in 1999.
(+3616,900 EPM) This supports completion and implementation of
recommendations from review of ocean disposal testing requirements (per
Administration's 7/96 commitment) into the ocean dumping permit program
and the guidance for long-term dredged material management planning.
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(+$500,000 EPM) This will support enhanced monitoring and assessment
activities, in concert with other Federal agencies, in support of the
CWAP.
(+$500,000 EPM) This will support the Agency's Tribal Partnership
Initiative, funding training and technical assistance on water quality
monitoring and support for baseline watershed assessments on tribal lands.
(+$500,000 EPM) This is to support the Long Island Sound Office. This
does not carry forward the $700,000 Congressional addition and provides a
total of $750,000 in 1999.
(+$500,000 EPM) This will continue support to state responses to toxic
Pfiesteria outbreaks. Activities Include monitoring and assessment to
identify Pfiesteria outbreaks and potential sites vulnerable to Pfiesteria
outbreaks; transferring new technologies and methodologies for identifying
Pfiesteria or mitigating the impacts of Pfiesteria outbreaks; and
providing public education and outreach information on the risks to human
health posed by Pfiesteria outbreaks. Supporting these activities will
achieve the clean Water Action Plan (.CWAP) goals of protecting public
health and ensuring community-based watershed management. The CWAP will
also help prevent .future outbreaks of Pfiesteria by reducing nutrient
pollution from nonpoint sources and animal feeding operations.
(+$325,000 EPM) This will support addressing the environmental problem of
persistent bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs). Complementing the fish tissue
survey described in objective 1 under the Clean and Safe Water goal, the
Agency will revise and develop water quality criteria to assure the
greatest possible protection that can be attained with available
scientific knowledge and tools. In 1999, EPA will develop monitoring,
screening, and testing protocols that are both affordable and provide
timely results that will afford the greatest possible human health
protection. EPA will produce guidance documents., training, and technical
assistance necessary for states and tribes to effectively monitor and
evaluate their waters for the presence and control of PBTs. Supporting
objective 3, these water quality criteria could be used to modify in-plant
processes in the Effluent Guideline process and to modify NPDES permit
limits.
(+$300,000 EPM) This will support helicopter-based monitoring activities
in the New York-New Jersey area.
(+$250,000 EPM) This supports improving the Integrated Risk Information
System (IRIS) database. EPA will work to ensure consistent quality
preparation and peer review of new or revised IRIS files and support
documents that we will generate for high-priority chemicals.
(+$103,000 EPM) This supports the continued use of ecological assessments
in the permitting of ocean discharges. Use of ecological assessments
helps ensure the health of living marine resources, including
commercially-important fish species taken for human consumption.
(+$70,400 EPM) This increases support for higher-priority water quality
monitoring and assessment activities.
(-41.7 total workyears EPM) and (-$2,873,200 EPM) This reflects a
technical correction to the distribution of Regional management workyears.
(-$1,000,000 EPM) This reduction from EPA support for CALFED is in
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S&T
recognition of the interagency resources requested by the Department of
Interior.
(-$700,000 EPM) This is a reduction from the Chesapeake Bay Implementation
Grants to states. The states will be encouraged to apply for nonpoint
source funding assistance under Section 319, which is an area of
investment in the Budget.
(-$519,200 EPM) This reflects the completion of major system development
work in our efforts to modernize STORET, our national ambient water
quality data system.
(-$136,600 EPM) This is a reduction from Great Lakes RAP implementation.
(-$100,000 EPM) This reflects the completion of the final contaminated
sediment strategy in 1998.
(-$87,500 EPM) This reduction is from the Chesapeake Bay modeling program.
Modeling has been a large focus of the CBP to be able to understand how
nutrient reductions will affect nutrient levels in the Bay and,
ultimately, living resources. Model development has been ongoing for
several years and the CBP now -has internationally recognized models.
while the models will continue to be refined, it is no longer necessary to
fund model development at current levels.
(-$87,500 EPM) This reduction is from the Chesapeake Bay living resources
program. The CBP will work with other Federal agencies to combine funding
for priority habitat restoration projects.
The 1999 request is $29,862,000 below the 1998 Enacted budget level due to
Congressional Add-ons received during the appropriations process, but not
part of the 1999 President's Request.
(6.9 total workyears S&T) This supports EPA's Postdoctoral research
program. This investment will introduce highly educated, energetic, and
Innovative researchers to EPA's in-house research program.
(17.0 total workyears S&T.) These will be redirected within this objective
to support an increased emphasis on the development of data and methods to
evaluate the effects of sediment contaminates at the ecosystem level, with
a transition of resources from strictly chemical-specific research. The 17
workyears will be directed out of more narrowly focused research to
determine the biological effects resulting from exposure to specific
contaminants in sediments.
(-$833,600 S&T) This will be reduced from research to evaluate the
exposure to contaminated sediments at population, community and ecosystem
scale. Limited funds were allocated to other, higher priority research
areas.
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Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
States submit adequate 305(b) 50 States
States electronically submit
updated .305 (b)
States submit 303(d) lists 50 States
States submitting implementation
plans for TMDLs impaired solely
or primarily by NPS
Completed CCMPs 19 CCMPs
Biennial review of first NEPs 12 NEPs
States/territories with 'National 20 States
Marine Debris Monitoring
Report on ocean disposal testing
requirements
Appropriate actions taken re:
dredged material ocean disposal
Gulf States with enhanced 2 States
nutrient monitoring/management
programs
Gulf states with community-led
nutrient loadings reduction
strategies
MS River Basins integrated in the 2 Basins
Gulf hypoxia assessment system
Gulf watersheds with State
actions to reduce point and NPS
loads to shellfish growing Waters
Models, methods, criteria 1 List
developed/available for risk
characterization of surface water
contaminants
States for which EPA has reviewed 10 States
and approved or disapproved new
or revised water quality
standards
Tribes with water quality 17 Tribes
standards adopted and approved
Stream miles reopened 137 miles
Acres of submerged aquatic
vegetation (SAV) in the
Chesapeake Bay
20 States
.25 States
24 CCMPs
1 Report
5 Actions
2 States
6 Basins
2 Watersheds
1 .List
15 States
22 Tribes
65,000 Acres
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Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
States developing tools/programs 10 States 15 States
to assess wetland improvement or
deterioration
Watersheds that received funding 50 Watersheds 160 Watersheds
support for CBEP wetlands/river
corridors
Report on sediment quality
criteria for PAHs in sediments. 9/30/98
Publish reports on Big Darby
Watershed-Phase I analysis and
Problem Formulation. 9/30/98
Report on the requirements of
submerged aquatic vegetation in
coastal environments. 9/30/99
Publish peer reviewed journal
article on biotreatment of PAH
contaminated sediments. 9/30/99
Methods for assessing ecological
and economical impacts for
managing watershed protection. 9/30/99
00003.118 ion
• Over the last 25 years, substantial progress has .been achieved in cleaning
up waters polluted by major dischargers such as sewage treatment plants and
industrial facilities. However, states report that broad-based surface water and
groundwater quality problems remain. In addition to the problems of chemical
pollution, much work remains to be done to maintain and restore the physical and
biological integrity of our waters, adversely affected by habitat alteration and
destruction, hydrological modification, emerging threats from exotic species and
other ecosystem stressors. The principal remaining threats do not involve
discrete facilities and conveyances, but derive from the activities of citizens
in general. In order to address these more diffuse sources and regionally
Variable problems, activities conducted in pursuit of this objective will focus
on implementing the watershed approach, enlisting as allies all stakeholders,
including communities, individuals, businesses, state and local governments, and
tribes. Achievement of this objective will confirm substantial progress toward
our goal of clean and safe water.
To fully understand the impairments threatening the Nation's water
resources and better determine the steps to take to remedy these impairments,
comprehensive assessment of water quality is essential. In order to achieve this
objective, states and tribes must increase monitoring and assessment of their
waters. The EPA Science Advisory Board's 1990 report, "A Framework For Change,"
has led to a wider acceptance of the fact that physical and biological
indicators, as direct measures of aquatic health, are needed in addition to
.long-standing chemical assessment methods. Chemical methods of assessing water
quality. need to be supplemented with biological criteria and risk
characterization that use the health of the natural systems as measures of
progress.
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This objective is designed to restore and maintain the chemical, physical,
and biological integrity of the Nation's waters overall and reduce human health,
ecological and quality of life risks. By identifying and informing the public
of risks and providing the tools needed to assess and address those risks, we
can better focus the management of environmental risks on a watershed basis. in
addition to risk reductions, we will enhance service delivery through our
targeted electronic information initiatives, streamlining efforts, and a
continued emphasis on information flow to and from stakeholders via the watershed
approach.
Key to the success of this objective is the attainment of "designated uses"
as determined by states and tribes and reported by them periodically as required
by Clean Water Act §305(b). These designated beneficial uses include drinking
water supply; recreation; protection, propagation, and consumption of fish,
shellfish, and wildlife; and other agricultural, industrial, and navigational
uses. Biological and numerical chemical water quality and sediment criteria are
crucial to quantifying the minimum physical., chemical, and biological parameters
required to support a designated use. By moving from 69% attainment in assessed
waters to our goal of 75% attainment, EPA will continue to move aggressively
toward its goal of clean and safe water.
Source reduction activities under 'objective ,3 are also critical to
achieving the designated use targets under objective 2. Efforts to support
environmentally-sound planning and management practices in coastal and .marine
areas will also address problems facing our Nation's aquatic ecosystems such as
aquatic debris, vessel discharges, dredged material management, control of non-
indigenous species, habitat loss, nutrient and pathogen contamination, and
declines in fish and wildlife.
Consistent with the President's Wetlands Plan and with the Clean Water
Action Plan, the Nation will progress towards a significant reversal in historic
trends of wetlands destruction, first by achieving a balance between the annual
acreage lost and that gained and subsequently by achieving a net annual .gain,
primarily by restoring former wetlands *. This will re-establish fish and wildlife
habitat, improve water quality, and restore hydrological processes. This
initiative will expand community^based partnerships to restore wetlands and
associated river corridors, using nutrients to produce helpful wetland plants
instead of harmful algae in receiving waters.
in addition to increasing our inventory of wetlands, we must improve their
quality by better managing stressors that impair wetlands functions and values.
EPA will develop and implement tools to better determine the extent to which our
efforts to reduce these stressors result in better habitat, water quality
improvement, more species diversity, and enhancement of other critical functions
and values.
Still, we recognize that even after meeting our current objective, much
work will remain. The projected 25% of waters that will still not support
healthy aquatic communities will represent some of the most difficult remaining
issues. These waters, impeded by relatively persistent problems —* substantial
hydrological modification, channelization, degradation or destruction of riparian
buffers, in-place contaminated sediments — must also be addressed.
We must continue to bolster our programs to address other continuing
threats to the overall health of aquatic communities such as nutrients,
pathogens, habitat loss, sedimentation, and invasive species. Protecting waters
from degradation will involve use of the same types of education and information
activities that are currently being used in areas needing restoration,
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The research done within this Objective will improve the : (1)
understanding of the structure and function of aquatic systems; (2)
understanding of fundamental ecosystem characteristics and processes that
determine ecosystem sensitivity to stressors (chemical, physical, and
biological); (3) evaluation of the exposure to and effects of physical,
biological, and chemical, stressors-^-including the exposure and effects of
contaminated sediments; (4) development of ecological risk assessment methods and
integration of criteria types for the protection of ecosystem integrity including
endangered or threatened species; (5) development of new criteria types
(biological, habitat and wildlife criteria); and (6) development of cost
effective technologies for managing contaminated sediments with an emphasis on
identifying innovative in situ solutions.
As a geographic initiative of national importance, the Gulf of Mexico
Program's special emphasis is on three critical goals that were identified by the
citizens of the Gulf states: (1) 'Protecting their human health and food supply;
(2) Maintaining and enhancing the sustainability of the Gulf's resources on which
they depend; and (3) Maintaining and improving the critical habitats that support
the richness and abundance of the Gulf's resources. Within these goals, the Gulf
Program will focus its performance goals and measures on four priority threats
to the ecological and economic health of the Gulf state communities: (1) Gulf
hypoxia;(2) Shellfish growing waters contamination of over 57% of the Gulf's
growing waters; (3) Critical habitat degradation; and, (4) Introduction of
nonindigenous species that threaten the ecology of communities throughout the
region. Through strategic planning and assessment, integrated environmental
indicator tracking and analysis, and community education, outreach, technology,
and strategic community project assistance, the Gulf Program will provide the
opportunity to develop state, regional, federal, and non-government activities
to implement local solutions and practices whose successes can be transferred to
watersheds nationwide.
• Annual performance goals for the Chesapeake Bay will help to achieve the
overall directive, by working with federal, state, and local partners, as well
as private organizations, to implement nutrient and toxic reduction strategies
and to improve habitat. All of these goals will be met through working closely
with stakeholders on a voluntary basis and will have clear environmental results.
These results will include reductions in nutrients from point and non'point
sources, reduction in toxics ,through pollution prevention of toxics, and
improvement of habitat for fi-sh and shellfish:,
Key Pegforma"ee Measures Verification
Each State, Territory, Interstate Water Commission, the District of
Columbia and participating Tribe must, per Clean Water Act Section 305 (b),
develop a program to monitor water quality of its surface and ground waters and
prepare a report describing the status of its water quality. This 305(b) process
•is the principal means by which EPA, Congress, and the public evaluate whether
U.S. waters meet water quality standards, the progress made in maintaining and
restoring water quality, and the extent o.f the remaining problems,
EPA with the assistance of the States, other jurisdictions and
participating Tribes prepares guidance to delineate the water quality elements
needed as well as guidance to ensure consistency and comparability of the water
quality monitoring and assessments. The Water body System (WBS) defines and
tracks the data elements at the water body level and summarizes at various
scales. The WBS provides coding guides with technical instructions for data
users. The numbers of total State waters are obtained using EPA's Reach File
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Version 3.0 . The guidance describes annual electronic protocols for submission
of the water quality data.
In addition to our Section 305(b) reporting, several of our 1999
performance measures for this objective are based largely on programmatic outputs
and .activities that can, in the near-term, serve as adequate surrogates for
determining the extent to which our programs are moving the Agency toward its
environmental goals. As such, verification of the quality of data will be
conducted through normal communications among EPA offices and Regions and with
states and other partners. For example, the review of the ocean dumping testing
requirements will provide numerous opportunities for stakeholders nation-wide to
help identify the issues and priorities involved in the review. In addition, the
review process and outcome will be guided by a Federal Advisory Committee,
assuring high quality, independent advice on the most appropriate revisions to
the testing requirements. These measures, in contrast to certain environmental
outcome measures planned for the future, typically include annual or other
routine reports from state agencies, but also include milestones in established
processes where verification can be established through EPA staff involvement.
EPA is a member of an intera.gency working group that will reconcile
wetlands trends data from the Department of Interior's National Wetlands
Inventory and the Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation
Service's Natural Resource. In addition, EPA has requested that the Wetlands
Subcommittee (Chaired by the Fish and Wildlife Service) of the Federal Geographic
Data Committee reconcile differences among agencies in the reporting of wetland
acres created or restored that are appropriate for tabulating as increases in the
inventory of the nation's wetlands.'
The Gulf of Mexico Program' s performance evaluation process is supported
through the distributed Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan of the Office and
those of the participating federal departments and agencies. Additionally, the
Gulf Program has organized a Scientific Review Committee of regional experts
•(both public and private) that assist in the review and verification of the
environmental analyses and performance evaluations administered by the Program.
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of environmental science and research. The Agency has implemented a
.risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and risk management
as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of it's research and
determine planning priorities. To better draw upon the expertise of the
environmental academic community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants; the Agency is
also working with the National Research Council to identify emerging
environmental issues for which we must begin planning the necessary research.
Chief .among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator stated that peer review will be expanded "to include both the major
work products provided in the past and...all scientific and technical products
supporting Agency decisions.,."- This expanded and strengthened focus on peer
review will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are verified
and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer review
throughout the research planning and implementation process., both to ensure that
planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EPA's mission, and
to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products, and proposals.
This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as the Science
Advisory Board (SAB)and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC). The BOSC,
established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine the way
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the Agency uses peer review, as wel.l as the management of its research and
development laboratories.
EPA's external research program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
selected for funding through grants or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science 'Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
Statutory Author!t.y
GWA (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)
[Other related authorities, directives, obligations: CAA section 309 (42 U.S.C.
7609),-'TSCA section 6 (15 U.S.C. 2605), ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544), and NEPA (42
U.S.C. 4321-4370d)]
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Clean and Safe Water
Objective #3: Reduce Loadings and Air Deposition
By 2005, pollutant" discharges from key point sources and no'npoint source
runoff will be reduced by at least 20 percent from 1992 levels. Air deposition
of key pollutants impacting water bodies will be reduced.
Overyiew
A key element of the Agency's effort to achieve its overarching goal of
clean and safe water is the reduction of pollutant discharges from point and
.nonpoint sources. To reduce pollutant loadings from point and nonpoint sources,
the Clean Water Act established requirements for national technology-based
effluent limitations and water quality based limitations implemented through
standards for point sources. In support of these and other requirements, EPA
and the states operate the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) permitting, Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), sediment
management, and nonpoint source control programs. Under the NPDES program (which
includes NPDES permits, the pretreatment program for non-domestic wastewater
discharges into municipal sanitary sewers, and for biosolids management
controls), specific limits are set for pollutants discharged from point sources
into waters of the United States. These limits are designed to ensure that
national technology-based standards .(effluent limitations and guidelines) and
water quality based requirements are adequate to meet water quality standards
throughout the country. Establishing Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) levels for
specific waterbodies plays an important role in defining the specific objectives
for point and nonpoint sources. Financial assistance for many of these
activities is provided through the Section 106 grant program included under
Objective 2 of the Agency's Clean Water Goal: Conserve and Enhance Nation's
Waters. EPA also provides financial assistance through the CWSRF program to
states for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities and other water
quality management activities. The program is also fostering the use of CWSRF
loans to finance the highest priority traditional and nontraditional projects on
a watershed or statewide basis including nonpoint source projects.
These base programs have been largely responsible for the substantial
progress made to date in reducing water pollution. Providing states with
continuing support is essential to achieving this objective and the overall goal
of clean and safe water. EPA, in partnership with the states, will continue to
ensure that all facilities required to have a permit have one that is effective
and includes all conditions needed to ensure water quality protection. The
Agency will continue its efforts to streamline and simplify the effluent
guidelines rulemaking process and implementation of the NPDES program, and we
•expect to issue final regulations to streamline the administrative and procedural
requirements of the NPDES and pretreatment programs. In addition, both the NPDES
and CWSRF programs will continue to reorient to a watershed focus*
States report that pollution from nonpoint sources is now the single
largest remaining cause of water pollution, with agriculture as a leading cause
of impairment in 25% of the river miles surveyed. In order to meet this
objective and restore and maintain water quality, significant loading reductions
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from nonpoint (NFS) sources must be achieved. Because EPA has limited direct NFS
authority under the Clean Water Act, state NFS programs are critical to our
overall success, states will need to make revisions to their existing nonpoint
source programs and fully and expeditiously implement all of the nine key program
elements agreed to with EPA. In addition, coastal states will need to implement
their EPA/NOAA-approved Coastal Zone Management Act Reauthorizatio.n Amendments
(CZARA) coastal nonpoint source programs. In recognition of the importance of
addressing nonpoint sources and the critical role states play in those efforts,
a significant investment is proposed in 1999 under the Clean Water Action Plan,
which is partially funded as part of the Administration's Clean Water and
Watershed Restoration Initiative, for direct grant assistance to states for
implementing their nonpoint source programs.
EPA's nonpoint source program provides program, technical, and financial
assistance to help states implement programs to control various forms of runoff.
Within this objective, $215,524,800 is requested to reduce nonpoint source
sediment and nutrient loads, of which $200,000,000 is for direct grant assistance
to states. While agricultural sources are the most significant category of
nonpoint source runoff, state NFS programs address all categories of NFS runoff
with a mix of voluntary and regulatory approaches. These state programs are the
primary means for implementing nonpoint source TMDL allocations and for achieving
water quality standards. EPA's nonpoint source program works closely with a
number of other Federal agencies to help reduce runoff and encourage private
sector partnerships to spur voluntary adoption of NFS controls. As the program
moves forward, new tools, best management practices, and NPS and contaminated
sediment control strategies will need to be developed in cooperation with states,
tribes, other Federal agencies and the private sector. State implementation
plans for nonpoint sources will be required to provide reasonable assurances that
load allocations within an 'approved TMDL are met for waters impaired solely or
primarily from nonpoint sources.
As part of the Clean Water Action Plan, EPA (in coastal areas working with
NOAA) will increase our efforts to promote the establishment of authorities by
all states, by October of 2000, needed to assure the implementation of nonpoint
source controls to achieve water quality standards, with particular emphasis on
nutrients and other NPS pollutants of concern in specific priority watersheds.
EPA will publish guidance -describing existing and potential models of enforceable
authority related to polluted runoff and will assist states in this effort. As
part of this increased effort, EPA will work with states on upgrading their
polluted runoff programs to 'better ensure NFS implementation; and, EPA (in
concert with NOAA) will work to ensure that all states have developed fully-
approvable programs to reduce polluted runoff in coastal areas.
Achieving the -ambitious targets under this objective will only be possible
through a strong continuing partnership between various parts of the National
Water Program, states, municipalities, industry, advocacy groups, individual
citizens, and other federal agencies. Programs will be increasingly implemented
on a watershed basis in support of the Agency's focus on Community Based
Environmental Protection (CBEP).
As part of the Clean Water Action Plan, states will be working with public
and private sector agencies and organizations and citizens to develop Watershed
Restoration Action Strategies for watersheds most in need of attention in the
1999-2000 period. Additional Section 319 grants will be targeted to support
implementation of priority NPS and watershed protection activities called for in
State Watershed Restoration Strategies, including those implementation actions
necessary to support NPS management and controls outlined in TMDLs developed for
NPS-impaired priority waters.
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Over the next five to ten years, the Agency will place much greater
emphasis on controlling wet weather sources of pollution from combined sewer
overflows (CSOs), sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), and storm water and will focus
greater attention on the impacts of contaminated sediment. Nationally, urban
runoff is a leading cause of impairment in 18 percent of the estuaries, 8 percent
of lakes, and 5 percent of rivers surveyed by states. This runoff has
significant economic as well as environmental impacts. Implementing cost-
effective 'wet weather programs will pose new challenges for EPA, states, cities,
and industry — both technologically and financially. However, by having these
programs in place, we will be able to implement basic wet weather water pollution
controls for all major point sources and will achieve a major milestone for the
National Water Program. By the end of 1999, the Agency expects to publish final
regulations to control storm water from small municipalities and commercial
sources, to have all 950 CSO communities covered by NPDES permits and
implementing controls based on EPA's CSO policy, and to issue an SSO policy and
modification of the NPDES regulations to clarify reporting requirements and
prohibition on SSO discharges.
In support of the Clean Water Action Plan, EPA will place emphasis on
updating regulatory programs related to animal waste management in order to
reduce environmental and public health problems caused by animal feeding
operations (AFOs).. Agricultural practices in the United States are estimated to
contribute to the impairment of over 25 percent of the Nation's surveyed rivers
and streams; 19 percent of the Nation's surveyed lakes, ponds, and reservoirs;
and 10 percent of the Nation's surveyed estuaries. Intensive animal operations
alone, not including the potential runoff from farms using manure as fertilizer,
are estimated to adversely impact 20 percent of waters impaired by agricultural
practices. The Agency is developing a multi-year strategy to address how it
will minimize environmental and public health impacts from AFOs over the next
decade and beyond. By the end of 1999, the Agency expects to have in place a
national inventory of AFOs with estimates of pollutant loadings. The Agency also
plans to analyze the number of AFOs which are currently permitted by EPA and
states and the extent to which those permits include manure management
requirements,
EPA will work towards delivering decision support tools and alternative,
less costly wet weather flow control technologies for use by local decision
makers involved in community-based watershed management. Wet weather flow (WWF)
discharges pose significant risk to both human health and downstream ecosystems.
These discharges have the potential to result in widespread, short-term high
exposures to Infectious agents which can result in gastrointestinal illness and
even death. In addition, there is an increase in chronic, long-term
contamination of sediments and the aquatic food chain through the release of
persistent, bioaccumulative toxic agents. Effective watershed management
strategies and guidance for WWF dischargers is one of the key priority areas
remaining to assure clean water and safe drinking water.
Wet weather flow research will develop diagnostic tools to evaluate the
exposures to toxic constituents of Wet Weather Flows, and develop and validate
effective watershed management strategies for controlling Wet Weather Flows,
especially during high volume and toxic Wet Weather Flows. This research will
also develop and provide effective beach evaluation tools necessary to make
timely and informed decisions on beach advisories and closures.
The Beaches Environmental Assessment, closure and Health (BEACH) research
program will develop and provide the tools necessary to make timely and informed
decisions on beach advisories and closures, develop models that can be used to
predict when beach closures or warnings are needed, and develop faster, cheaper
test methods and indicators for detection and measurement of human pathogenic
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microbes. These efforts will complement work being done under Objective 1 of. the
Clean and Safe Water Goal to ensure that exposure to microbial and other
contaminants at beaches is reduced and waters support designated recreational
uses..
EPA provides financial assistance through the CWSRF program for the
construction of wastewater treatment facilities and implementation of nonpoint
source and estuarine .management plans. The Agency also provides technical
assistance through staff and through other networks and outside associations that
.come together to support community needs. These efforts include dissemination
of information on wastewater technologies, enhancement of community awareness of
financing programs, assistance with program development activities, and, with
Office o.f Research and Development (ORD) support, the establishment of a
technology testing center. Federal capitalization funds are a critical component
of financing for point and nonpoint source programs aimed at reducing pollutant
discharge levels. In 1999, the Agency is requesting $1,075,000,000 in
capitalization grants to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Combined with the
Drinking Water SRF 1999 funding (discussed in Objective 1 of this Goal) and
outyear capitalization, this level enables both SRFs to meet the Administration' s
long-term goals for providing $2.5 billion per year in funding assistance to
needy communities. The CWSRF is expected to provide about $2 billion of this
amount. Also in 1999, the Agency expects that 50 percent of state CWSRF programs
will meet or exceed threshold measures for the appropriate pace of program
implementation including loan issuance, construction progress, and loan
repayments, in addition to the CWSRF program, the Water program is responsible
for managing Water Quality Cooperative Agreements and the section 106 grants
program which directly support efforts to reduce point source loadings. The
Agency continues to manage the construction grants close-out process and expects
by the end of 199:9 to have closed-out all but 175 projects.
As part of the Clean Water Action plan, the Agency will place special
emphasis on activities which will allow us to meet the goal of restoring and
protecting America's water resources. These will include a multi-pronged effort
to address sources of nutrients and pathogens from animal feeding operations; a
mining initiative which will provide a comprehensive and consistent approach to
restoring abandoned resources extraction sites; an effort to establish management
programs for rural or suburban on-site wastewater treatment systems; and work on
outreach and data collection for a proposed revision to the NPDES regulations to
remove or modify the current exemption of forest roads from NPDES program
requirements. Other high priority activities during 1999 will include
implementation of the pulp and paper rule; development of proposed regulations
for cooling water .intakes (rules currently subject to court order); a
revitalization of the Whole Effluent Toxicity program; and support of special
.activities for Tribes such as training in water quality monitoring and direct
implementation assistance for the NPDES program.
Control of atmospheric deposition of pollutants is important because it is
a significant source of nonpoint pollution, and traditional land-based water
pollution controls alone .may not be sufficient to meet the water quality goals
for some watersheds. As part of the Clean Water Action Plan, EPA will work with
other Federal, State, and local agencies to better quantify the risks associated
with atmospheric deposition of nitrogen compounds and other pollutants to water
bodies. EPA will also work with .States and Tribes to use both Clean Water Act
and Clean Air Act authorities to reduce air deposition of nitrogen compounds and
other pollutants adversely affecting water quality.. To address air deposition,
the Agency has established a cross-media team to plan and implement strategies
to reduce air deposition. As a result, water quality protection has taken a
prominent place in regulatory development under the Clean Air Act, in air
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research-, and in the focus of partnerships with local communities. Air
deposition is being addressed Agency wide as an ecosystem problem with health,
environmental, and economic impacts. Increased transportation demands associated
with urban sprawl and other land development may increase air deposition loads.
In 1999, the Agency will further clarify the mechanisms of and risks from
airborne sources of -persistent bioaccuinulative toxics, nutrients, and other
pollutants and link this cross-media effort with existing mercury and toxaphene
source reduction programs from the Great Lakes and other Great Water Bodies.
Activities will also include issuance of reports on the effects of air deposition
of mercury on aquatic ecosystems and on air deposition of nitrogen to watersheds
and estuarine systems, along with the initiation of coordinated studies of air
deposition to near shore ocean waters and air deposition contributions to
drinking water contamination. Resources will also be devoted to incorporating
air deposition in existing geographically-based models that states and tribes use
to develop TMDLs and calculate permit limits. Within this objective, $831,400
is requested for air deposition activities.
The Agency, through Office of General Counsel activities, supports this
objective through legal counseling and advocacy. This may include advice,
participation in the development of Agency actions, document review, and the
conduct of defensive litigation.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 03 Reduce Loadings and Air $1,469,856.6 $1,893,074.1 $1,486,519.5
Deposition
Environmental Program & $113,023.8 $116,170.9 $127,453.8
Management
Science and Technology $3,832.8 $4,278.2 ' $6,065.7
State and Tribal Assistance $1,353,000.0 $1,772,625,0 $1,353,000.0
Grants
Total FTE 847.8 859.8 885.7
1999 Annual PerformanceGoals
• Another 3.4 million people will receive the benefits of secondary treatment
of wastewater, for a total of 183 million.
« More than 220 communities will have local watersheds improved by control on
combined sewer overflows and storm water (base of zero).
* All of the current permits for the 950 CSO communities will be based on
EPA's 1994 CSO policy.
• All storm water sources associated with industrial activity, construction
sites over 5 acres, and designated storm water sources will be covered by
current NPDES permits.
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• -90% of major point sources discharging toxics will be covered by current
NPDES permits.
• An assessment of necessary elements of a comprehensive general permit will
be developed to aid Regions and states to issue permits to concentrated
animal feeding operations.
• 30 states are funding nonpoi.nt source and estuary projects with their
CWSRFs.
* 25 states are using integrated priority setting systems to make CWSRF
funding decisions.
• Initiate operations at a total of 5000 CWSRF projects.
• 38 states meet or exceed "pace of the program" measures for loan issuance,
pace of construction, and use of repayments, in the CWSRF program.
* All states and Puerto Rico conduct separate annual audits of their CWSRFs
and utilize fund management principles
• 30 Colonias projects will have been completed or under construction.
• All but 175 of the remaining construction grants projects will be closed
out.
• 50% of biosolids are beneficially reused.
• Take final action on two and propose one effluent guidelines limitations
for industrial categories that contribute significantly to pollution of
surface waters.
• ' 20% of pretreatment facilities audited per year.
• Development of a national inventory of AFOs and estimates of pollutant
loadings.
• Quantify the number of AFOs which are currently permitted by EPA and states
and the extent the permits include manure management requirements.
• In support of the Clean Water Action Plan, 10 additional States will
upgrade their nonpoint source programs to ensure that they are implementing
dynamic and effective nonpoint source programs that are designated to
achieve and maintain beneficial uses of water.
• Issue a report on the use of atmospheric and bioaccumulation models to
assess extent of air deposition in estuaries and .effectiveness of potential
controls-
» By FY 2003, deliver support tools, such as watershed models, enabling water
resource planners to select consistent, appropriate watershed management
solutions and alternative, less costly wet weather flow control
technologies.
* Initiate research into beach contamination from pathogens.
A key goal for the National Water Program in 1999 is to have all of the
current NPDES permits for the 950 combined sewer overflow" (CSO) communities be
based on EPA's 1994 Combined Sewer Overflow Policy. The 1994 Policy addresses
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a significant water pollution and public health threat in a flexible, cost
effective manner that provides for local discretion and negotiated, site-specific
approaches leading to loading reductions and the achievement of water quality
standards-. CSOs contribute to shellfish bed closures, beach closures, aesthetic
problems, and impairment of designated uses. Another key goal for the National
Water Program in 1999 is to have local watersheds in more than 220 communities
improved by controls on CSOs and storm water. Controlling CSOs will reduce
pathogens,, biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), and will
contribute to the overall reduction in pollutant loadings. The Policy is
implemented through NPDES permit issuance, which is reflected by the Annual
Performance Goal.
Another 1999 program performance goal is that all storm water sources
associated with industrial activity, construction sites over five acres, and
other designated storm water sources will be covered 'by current NPDES permits.
Urban runoff, mostly comprised of storm water, has been identified by states as
the source of water quality impairment in 46 percent of estuaries, 19 percent of
lakes, and 12 percent of rivers assessed by states. By assuring that all storm
water sources are covered by credible, effective NPDES permits, EPA starts the
process by which facilities prevent pollutants from being introduced into storm
water, and thus reduces the overall pollutant loading to surface waters.
The Agency has also established a performance goal that 90 percent of major
point sources discharging toxics will be covered by current NPDES permits. By
assuring that NPDES permits fully implement controls on toxics required by new
pretreatment standards, effluent guidelines and water quality standards, EPA will
ensure that facilities reduce the overall pollutant loading to surface waters.
Another key program performance goal is that the necessary elements of a
comprehensive general permit will be developed to aid EPA and states to issue
permits to concentrated animal .feeding .operations. States have identified
agriculture as a leading source of impairment in 25 percent of rivers and 19
percent of lakes assessed, and have further identified intensive animal
operations as the cause of 2.0 percent of the impairment. By assuring that
concentrated (mostly large) animal feeding operations (AFOs) are covered by
credible, effective NPDES permits, EPA accelerates the process 'by which
facilities reduce the overall pollutant loading to surface waters. EPA and state
experience show that general permits provide the greatest scope of coverage for
concentrated animal feeding operations, and thus developing a model comprehensive
general permit will facilitate EPA and state issuance of a permit for -these
sources. In support of these efforts, the Agency will be developing an inventory
of AFOs, preparing estimates of pollutant loadings from AFOs, and analyzing the
AFO inventory to determine which feeding operations are currently covered by
permits and the extent to which permits specifically address manure management
requirements.
One of EPA's 1999 goals is to ensure another 3.4 million people will receive
the benefits of secondary treatment of wastewater, for a total of 183 million.
•Additional program performance goals address the Clean Water SRF program's
ability to address a state's highest environmental priorities on a watershed
basis. The Clean Water Act requires states to establish priority systems for the
use of their CWSRF funds, but provides them broad discretion in the priority of
making loans. Historically, most states have used their CWSRF funds to support
the construction of municipal wastewater facilities. In 1997, the Agency, in
close cooperation with the states, developed a funding framework which
encourages the States to integrate priority setting for municipal wastewater
treatment, nonpoint source management plans, and estuarine management plans on
a state-wide or watershed basis. The program has established a 1999 performance
goal that 25 states will .be using fully integrated priority setting processing
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to align their funding decisions with their highest priority needs and that 30
States are funding nonpoint source and estuary projects as well as traditional
municipal wastewater treatment facilities„
In the last few years, the Agency has established indicators to measure the
pace of the Clean Water SRF program and encouraged the states to exceed threshold
levels of loan issuance, construction, and the use of repayments. The 1999
performance goal is that 38 states will meet or exceed these threshold measures
for loan issuance, construction progress, and use of loan repayments.
Through June 30, 1997, over $24 billion in CWSRF assistance has been made
available for CWSRF loans. By the end of .1999, EPA expects that 5,000 projects
funded with CWSRF loans will be in operation and achieving their environmental
goals.
EPA has encouraged all states to conduct more detailed audits than required
by the Single Audit Act. These audits would include reviews of internal controls
of CWSRFs. EPA's goal is that all States will conduct such audits by the end of
1999.
Another performance goal for the National Water Program in 1999 will be the
construction of wastewater projects in disadvantaged communities, called
colonias, on the U.S. side of the U.S./Mexico border. By achieving the 1999 goal
of 30 projects completed or under construction, the program will assist colonias
to achieve basic sanitation needs, reducing occurrences of hepatitis,
gastrointestinal illnesses, and other diseases. Projects underway will provide
benefits to more than 282,000 people who have been living in the U.S. without
modern wastewater facilities.
EPA will also continue to manage the timely and effective completion of the
construction grants program to ensure that its high standards of fiduciary
responsibility are maintained with a goal of closing out all but 175 grants .by
the end of 1999. This program was largely responsible for the past advances made
in effective pollution control.
The beneficial reuse of biosolids will continue as a program priority. For
1999, the program has established a performance goal that 50% of biosolids will
be beneficially reused. Efforts in this area will lead to a reduction in
pollutant discharges by effectively managing the residuals of the wastewater
treatment process and ensuring that a valuable resource is used effectively.
With respect to evaluating stream system indicator methods, exposure
research will be done to develop diagnostic tools to characterize the key sources
and stressors in multi-stressed ecosystems. This research will use the data from
a variety of biological and biochemical indicators to fully realize their source
diagnostic potential. This research will also develop source and stressor
signatures using biological stream measurements, including fish and invertebrate
assemblage, biological markers, aquatic toxicity data, and habitat information.
Exposure research will also be done to develop and provide the tools necessary
to make timely and informed decisions on beach advisories and closures. EPA will
develop models that can be used to predict when beach closures or warnings are
needed. EPA will develop faster, cheaper test methods and indicators for
detection and measurement of human pathogenic microbes, as there is growing
evidence of the risk of infectious diseases resulting from exposure to microbes
in recreational waters.
With respect to improved watershed management and controls, risk management
research will be done to develop and validate -effective, less costly technologies
and approaches to treat high volume and toxic Wet Weather Flow (WWF) discharges.
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The focus of this program is to develop alternative, less costly WWF control
technologies for use by local decision makers involved in community-based
watershed management and pollution control. Risk management research will also
be done to develop and validate effective watershed management strategies and
guidance for communities to select the most appropriate subset from these to
match specific watershed WWF management needs. This research will involve
development of decision support tools to evaluate and verify improved watershed
management strategies. A truly holistic watershed management approach will
include practical interaction with flood and erosion control, reuse and
reclamation techniques, and infrastructure demands while protecting the watershed
environment including source waters. A major public health emphasis will be
placed on WWF management needs. This program is designed to promote "community^
based" decisions by developing decision support tools and alternative WWF control
technologies and strategies for use by local decision makers involved in
community-based watershed management and pollution control.
EPA's research program will invest in a stream of highly trained,
postdoctoral scientists who can apply current state-of-the^-science to EPA
research issues. This investment will introduce highly educated, energetic, and
innovative researchers to EPA. Postdoctoral students would work in EPA's
National Laboratories and Centers. These students would make a significant
contribution to strengthening EPA's in-house research program.
Another performance goal under this objective assures that effluent
guidelines limitations will continue to be developed and promulgated for major
industrial categories. As states and municipalities implement these guidelines
through NPDES permits, further reductions in pollutant loadings will be
realized. The Agency estimates that in 1999, the promulgation .of the final
guidelines for the Centralized Waste Treatment industry will result in an annual
reduction of 85 million pounds of toxic and conventional pollutants from these
industrial discharges. The promulgation of the final guidelines for Industrial
Laundries will result in an annual reduction of 27 million pounds of toxic and
nonconventional pollutants. The Agency will support the Clean Water Action Plan
goal of reducing nutrient over enrichment by developing effluent guidelines
limitations for animal feeding operations. A proposed rule is expected in late
1999. Further, the Agency will support existing technology-based standards by
providing implementation guidance documents and supporting appropriate legal
defense in instances where the guidelines are challenged.
Working with the states to upgrade their nonpoint source programs to reflect
the nine key elements of the Agency's 1997 guidance is a key component in
achieving the objective of reducing sediment and nutrient loads. Some of the
elements in the guidance are: establishing explicit short and long-term goals,
developing objectives and strategies to protect surface and ground water,
developing strong working partnerships and collaboration with appropriate
stakeholders, maintaining a balanced approach that emphasizes statewide nonpoint
source programs and on-the-ground management of individual watersheds where
waters are impaired or threatened, identifying waters and watersheds that are
impaired or threatened by nonpoint source pollution and a process to address
these waters, and developing a feedback loop whereby the state reviews, evaluates
and revises its nonpoint source program at least every five years.
In the area of air deposition, the Agency has committed to producing a
report on its assessment of atmospheric deposition to estuaries based on modeling
efforts. The report will provide crucial data .regarding the effects of airborne
mercury on aquatic ecosystems. A better understanding of these effects will
increase the capacity of all stakeholders to protect aquatic ecosystems from the
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effects of air-deposited mercury and other pollutants, and will support
attainment of reduction goals for airborne persistent toxics and nitrogen.
The Annual Performance Goals describe a suite of program activities focused
on gaining control of the most significant remaining point source problems
including wet weather sources (storm water, CSOs, and SSOs), animal feeding
operations, and mining activities. Successful completion of the goals will add
controls that will result in great progress towards meeting the objective of a
20% reduction in point ajid nonpoint source loadings by the target date of 2005,
Many of the environmental benefits resulting from achieving the Annual
Performance Goals will not be fully realized until 2005. New controls are
implemented in NPDES permits as the permits expire, and this occurs over a five
year cycle. Facilities require time to install new treatment technology or
revise their manufacturing process in order to comply with the new controls in
the permits. Typically, facilities require at least three years to comply,
although with wet weather sources this may take up 'to 15 years. Thus, completion
of the Annual Performance Goals will not always result in immediate annual
loading reductions, but will accelerate the process that, over the following five
years, will help achieve the desired 20 percent reduction goal for point and
nonpoint sources.
1998 Annual Performance goals
• 80% of the current permits -for the 950 CS.O communities will be based on
EPA's 1994 CSO policy.
» All 854 phase I communities will be covered by current NPDES permits.
• A targeting approach will be developed to aid Regions and States identify
animal feeding operations that alone or in combination with other feeding
operations pose .a substantial threat to water quality.
* 18 states are funding nonpoint source and estuary projects with their
CWSRFs
* 10 states are using integrated priority setting systems to make CWSRF
funding decisions
• Initiate operations at a total of 4000 CWSRF projects
• 30 states meet or exceed "pace of the program" measures for loan issuance,
pace of construction, and use of repayments, in the SRF program.
* • 40 states and Puerto Rico conduct separate annual audits of their CWSRFs
and utilize .fund management principles
• 20 Colonias projects will have been completed or under construction.
* All but 322 of the .remaining construction grants projects will be closed
out.
-• Take final action on two and propose five effluent guidelines limitations
for industrial categories that contribute significantly to pollution of
surface waters.
• 20% of pretreatment facilities audited per year.
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5 States upgrade their NFS programs to reflect the nine key elements from
the 1996 EPA-ASIWPCA NFS Guidance. (Base of zero)
29 States/territories with approved or conditionally approved CKARA NFS
programs. (Base of zero)
Evaluate effects of air deposition on estuaries.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
03 Obj. Total Change $(406,554.6) 25.9
Environmental Program & Management $11,282.9 23.3
Science and Technology $1,787.5 2.6
State and Tribal Assistance Grants $(419,625.0)
EPM_
(+$95,000,000 STAG) to nearly double nonpoint source grants under the
Clean Water Action Plan. Additional funds will be targeted to support
implementation of priority NPS and watershed protection activities called
for in State Watershed Restoration Action Strategies.
(+$2,000,000 STAG) for a grant to New Orleans, Louisiana to support
planning, design, construction, and other activities related to the unique
storm water problems in the city's sewer system.
(-$275,000,000, STAG) for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).
The President's Budget request supports the Administration's long term
goal for annual financial assistance.
(-$50,000,000 STAG) from the Colonias program to reflect the completion of
the Administration's commitment to this effort. The colonias are still
eligible to receive funding from the $100 .million in Federal financial
assistance from the U.S./Mexico border program requested in 1999 (Goal 6) .
(-$191,625,000 STAG) due to Congressional add-on funds received during the
1998 appropriations process, but not included in the 1999 President's
request.
(+$4,000,000 EPM) By .the year 2000, develop a model linking Urban
Stormwater Management Models and the Geographic Information System (GIS).
to address threats posed by animal feeding operations (AFOs), including
development of a national strategy targeted at AFOs addressing both point
and nonpoint source contributions. 1999 activities will include
development of a national inventory of AFOs and estimates of pollutant
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loadings, as well as an effort to determine the number of AFOs which are
currently covered by permits and the extent to which manure management
requirements are included in those permits.
(+$4,000,000 EPM) to provide assistance to communities in reducing point
source pollution in watershed restoration areas as part of the Clean Water
Action Plan.
(+$1,500,000 EPM) for a mining initiative aimed at characterizing and
remediating surface .and ground water contamination resulting from mineral
extraction activities.
(+$745,000 EPM) to develop effluent guidelines limitations of which
$300,000 will be for animal feeding operations in support of the Clean
Water .Action Plan goal of reducing nutrient over enrichment and the
impacts of polluted runoff.
(+$750,000 EPM) to assure comprehensive state implementation on nonpoint
source controls to achieve water quality standards and development of
upgraded state polluted runoff programs.
(+$500,000 EPM) to support development of regulations for cooling water
intakes under Clean Water Act Section 316(b). The rulemaking will
establish requirements that address the location, design, construction,
and capacity of cooling water intake structures and will reflect the best
technology for minimizing adverse environmental impacts. The rule is
being developed under court order.
(+$500,000 EPM) for implementation of the Pulp and Paper Rule. Efforts
will focus on assisting permitting authorities with development of water
quality based permits for this sector.
(+$500,000 EPM) to enhance the Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) program. The
investment will focus on developing the staff and laboratory
infrastructure necessary to implement the WET program and better integrate
program findings into the NPDES permitting program.
(+$450,000 EPM) for support to Tribes related to water quality monitoring
and direct implementation of the NPDES program.
(+$1,646,700 and +23.3 workyears EPM) to reflect a technical correction to
the distribution of Regional Management work years.
(14.6 workyears EPM) to be redirected from Construction Grants to support
the increased workload in the Mexican Border, Alaskan Native Villages and
needy cities programs. The proposed redirection will not jeopardize the
Agency's ability to achieve its 1999 performance target for construction
grant closeouts.
(+$500,000 EPM) which will support the establishment of management
programs for rural or suburban on-site wastewater treatment systems in
accordance with the clean Water Action Plan.
(+$1,560,000 EPM) to provide cities with tools and information necessary
to develop community-based solutions to pressing environmental problems.
(+$1,000,000 EPM) for the Sustainable Development Challenge Grants
Program.
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(+$500,000 EPM) for data collection and outreach to support proposed
revisions to remove or modify the current exemption for forest roads from
NPDES requirements as part of the Clean Water Action Plan.
(+$500,000 EPM) for guidance and other tools to support implementation of
the Storm Water Phase II regulations.
(+$247,000 EPM) to promote enhanced CWSRF fund management at the State
level and greater use of CWSRFs for nonpoint source projects in support of
water quality goals.
(-$272,000 EPM) from the Corps of Engineers support of the Construction
Grants Program which reflects progress toward the completion/close-out of
the program.
(-$85,000 EPM) from the Municipal NPDES and Sludge Permit Application
Rule. The proposed reduction reflects promulgation of the .final rule in
1998..
(-$42,700 EPM) from lower priority nonpoint source activities.
(-$100,000 EPM) from NPDES/Watershed activities which reflect completion
of the Biosolids streamlining rule.
(-$11,989,000 EPM) to reflect Congressional add-ons received during the
1998 appropriations process, but not part of the 1999 President's request.
(+$1,800,000 S&T) will be used to fund the new BEACH research program.,
This program will enable the Agency to develop and provide the tools
necessary for local authorities to make timely and informed decisions o.n
beach advisories and closures.
(+2.3 workyears S&T) for EPA's Postdoctoral research program. This
investment will introduce highly educated, energetic, and innovative
researchers to EPA' s in-house research program.
(+$29,200 S&T) for increase to ORD S&T payroll costs to reflect increased
workforce costs.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1.999
Facilities with current CSO 80% Facilities 100% Facilities
permit
Communities with current NPDES 854 Phase I 100% Storm water
permit
Major point sources with toxic 90% Point sources
loadings covered by NPDES
Completion of Animal Feeding 1 Document 1 Document
Operations documents
11-59
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Inventory of Animal 'Feeding
Operations/estimate loadings
Quantify AFOs which are permitted
States funding nonpoint source
and estuary projects with CWSRFS
States using integrated priority
setting ..systems to make CWSR.F
funding decisions
Number of CWSRF projects where
operations are initiated
States meeting or exceeding CWSRF
loan, construction, and
repayments measures
States that conduct .separate
annual audits of their CWSRFs,
utilize .fund mgmt principles
Colonias projects completed/under
construction
Number o.f Title II Construction
grants closed out
Effluent guidelines proposed or
promulgated
Biosolids beneficially reused by
POTWs
Pretreatment facilities audited
States that upgrade NFS programs
to reflect 9 key elements
States/territories with .approved
CZARA NFS programs
Assessment of effects of air
deposition on estuaries
Assessment of effects of mercury
air deposition.on aquatic
ecosystems, connections with
human health.
Complete needs assessment and
research plan for beach
contamination from pathogens.
Conduct peer review and publish
peer review comments on the
research plans
18 States
10 States
4,000 Projects
30 States
40 States
2,0 Projects
147
7 Rules
20% facilities
5 states
29 States
1 Report
1 Inventory
,1 List
30 States
25 States
5,000 Projects
38 States
51 States
30 Projects
83
3 Rules
50% Biosolids
20% facilities
10 States
1 Report
9/30/99
11-60
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By the year 2000, develop a model 9/30/00
linking Urban Stormwater
Management Models and the
Geographic Information System
(GIS) .
Conclusion
Under the Clean Water Act, EPA is required to protect the Nation's water
.resources and achieve a goal of restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical.,
and biological integrity of the Nation's waters. Further reducing both point and
nonpoint sources of pollution is essential to meeting this goal.
According to EPA's National Water Quality Inventory 1996 Report to
Congress, over 30 percent of the waters assessed in the U.S.. are top polluted to
meet their designated uses. The report identifies urban and agricultural runoff,
storm sewers, municipal and industrial point sources, and contaminated sediment
.as leading sources of impairment. Pollutants in coastal waters led to more than
3,600 beach closures in 1996, Further reduction of point and nonpoint source
pollution and the development of an effective sediment assessment and remediation
program are clearly needed to improve the quality of the Nation's impaired waters
and ensure that America's citizens are protected from significant public health
risks. In 1999, the National Water Program will focus its efforts on reducing
pollutant loadings from some of the most pervasive sources, including wet weather
sources, concentrated animal feeding operations, and mineral extraction sites.
The deposition of atmospheric-borne nitrogen and other pollutants, such as
mercury, is also a significant contributor to overall loadings in many
watersheds. For example, estimates of the atmospheric contribution of nitrogen
for the CKesapeake Bay and Albemarle/Pamlico Sounds are 27% and 44%,
respectively.. Projections for the coming decade estimate that the atmosphere
will become a more significant source of nitrogen loadings to coastal watersheds,
especially with the anticipated increase in population and land development
resulting in more mobile and agricultural sources and increased power generation
demands. To achieve sustainable watersheds, atmospheric deposition of nitrogen
must be reduced. Building on work already conducted through the National Estuary
Program and Great Waters Program, the Agency will continue efforts to
characterize the threats posed by airborne pollutants and develop technologies
and strategies for control.
In 1999, the Agency's nonpoint source control activities will build on
successes to date in working with communities, individuals, businesses, states,
tribes, local governments, and other federal agencies to develop and implement
effective tools and programs to abate the effects of the greatest remaining water
•quality threats. By supporting state efforts through increased technical and
financial assistance, including support for implementation of the nine key
nonpoint source program elements agreed to .by E.PA and the states, the Agency will
continue the establishment of partnerships and programs necessary to achieving
our long-term, load reduction target.
Achieving the pollutant loading reductions called for in this objective
involves three critical assumptions which, if invalid, jeopardize the program's
ability to achieve the objective. First, states and localities are assumed to
be able to continue'to raise sufficient funds for construction of 'necessary
wastewater treatment facilities, especially in newly regulated sources like storm
water and CSOs, and to maintain sufficient programmatic funds to continue to
effectively manage point source programs. In this regard, it is also assumed that
11-61
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CWSRF funding will remain at historical levels. Second, it is assumed that
individual effluent limitation guidelines will be promulgated within an
acceptable time frame to .be incorporated into. NPDES permits as they are issued
and renewed with sufficient time for facilities to come into compliance. Third,
it is assumed that states will effectively strengthen and implement improved
nonpoint source programs consistent with 'their commitments in this area.
The research in this objective will aid local decision makers by: (1)
providing new and improved indicator methods to describe the toxic inputs to
watersheds from WWFs; (2) developing methods to use condition and diagnostic
ecological indicators to evaluate wet weather flow management strategies in
preventing degradation of water and sediments quality by contaminated runoff;
(3) developing and improving effective watershed management 'Strategies for
controlling wet weather flows—emphasizing those that are high volume and toxic;
(4) developing and publishing methods for diagnosing multiple stressors in
watershed ecosystems; (5) providing evaluation of publicly available water
quality simulation models to improve their capability in predicting and analyzing
characteristics, impacts, and control technologies for wet weather flows in a
watershed; (6) comparing risk associated with various treatment scenarios; and(7)
providing effective tools to make timely and informed decisions on beach
advisories and closures following wet weather flow events into public beach
areas.
Achieving this objective will have a significant impact on the achievement
of the other two National Water Program objectives. All of the objectives are
closely interrelated and rely on effective point and nonpoint source programs to
help EPA and 'states ensure that watersheds meet designated uses and healthy
aquatic communities are in place. Similarly, effective' point source controls
that incorporate the latest technological and scientific knowledge are essential
to ensure that effective drinking water treatment can occur. Effective nonpoint
source programs are also critical to the implementation of effective source water
programs.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Performance data related to NPDES permits will be tracked largely through
the Agency's Permit Compliance System (PCS) database which is managed by the
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) . Data entered into this
system by the Regions and states is subjected to data entry QA procedures to
verify that the information is consistent with facility-provided information. The
system includes additional QA features related to discharge data. Performance
data on CWSRF management 'Will be compiled by EPA's Regional offices through
interaction with the states.
The Agency's progress toward the goal of clean and safe water can be
measured .in part by the extent to which point source and nonpoint source .(NPS)
pollutants are discharged into the Nation's waters. Our longer-term measurement
of NPS discharges will involve analyses of current versus baseline loading
estimates conducted by the U.S.. Geological Survey and the Department of
Agriculture. Since states are the primary implementers of NPS programs and
policies, the extent to which states have upgraded their nonpoint source programs
to reflect recent guidance will serve as an effective surrogate for measuring
progress toward our NPS reduction targets. State program upgrades will be
measured by evaluating each state's, explicit short- and long-term goals and
objectives and their associated indicators that demonstrate progress.
Data on the promulgation of effluent guidelines and support for existing
technology based standards is collected through internal tracking processes in
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the Agency organizations where the work is performed (no outside reporting is
involved for these measures).
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of environmental science and research. The Agency has implemented a
risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and risk 'management
as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its research and
determine planning priorities. To better draw upon the expertise of the
environmental academic community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants; the Agency is
also working with the National Research Council to identify emerging
environmental issues for which we must begin planning the necessary research.
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator states that peer review will be expanded "to include both the major
work products provided in the past and...all scientific and technical products
supporting Agency decisions..." This expanded and strengthened focus on peer
review will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are verified
and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer review
throughout the research planning and implementation process, both to ensure that
planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EPA's mission, and
to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products, and proposals.
This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as the Science
Advisory Board (SAB)and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC). The BOSC,
established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine the way
the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of its research and
development laboratories.
EPA's external research -program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
selected for funding through grants or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs.) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA .has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
The Agency's Management Information System (OMIS) will be another
accountability tool used to verify and validate performance measures. The
recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS to ensure
consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
Statutory Authority
Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f-300j-26)
[Other related authorities, directives, obligations: TSCA sections 4 and 6 (15
U.S.C. 2603 and 2605)]
11-63
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Goal 3: Safe Food
-------
Goal 3: Safe Food . .111-1
Reduce Agricultural Pesticides Risk ..... III-4
Reduce Use .on Food o.f Pesticides Not Meeting Standards Ill—9
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Flan Request to Congress
Safe Food
Strategic Goal: The foods Americans eat will be free from unsafe pesticide
residues. Children especially will be protected from the health threats posed
by pesticide residues, because they are among the most vulnerable groups in our
society.
Goal Summary
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Safe Food
Obj . 01
Reduce Agricultural
$59,764.9
$22,952.3
$56,459.3
$19,651.3
$63,552.4
$24,926.2
Pesticides Risk
Obj. 02 Reduce Use on Food of $36,812.6 .$36,808.0 $38,626.2
Pesticides Not Meeting
Standards
Goal Total FTE: Safe Food 687.2 681.0 682.3
The abundance, affordability, and wholesomeness of America's food supply
depend in part upon the safe use of pesticides during food production,
processing, storage, and transportation. Before any pesticide can be used
legally, the law requires EPA to conclude that its use will not lead to
unreasonable adverse effects, and that any food residues resulting from its use
are reasonably certain to cause no harm. EPA recognizes that older pesticides
with approved food uses may sometimes lead to residues which could result in
adverse health effects. EPA's priority is to minimize dietary exposure to these
potentially toxic pesticides, especially to children, by screening the pesticides
through the regulatory processes of registration and reregistration/special
review, thereby eliminating those pesticides that present a danger to human
health and the environment. The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996
mandated a more stringent health standard for EPA's pesticide reviews. Through
these processes, pesticides found to be harmful will be removed from the market
or restricted in their use to ensure the continued safety of our food supply.
The 1999 President's Budget provides $63,552,400 and 682.3 workyears for the
Safe Food goal, an increase of $7,093,100 and 1.3 workyears over 1998. EPA will
continue to focus its efforts on implementing FQPA, which amends both of EPA's
principal pesticide regulatory authorities, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) .
In 1999, the implementation of FQPA will continue to be- a priority for the
Agency, with significant efforts going toward tolerance reassessments, periodic
III-l
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reconsideration of food-use registrations, effective management of minor use
pesticides, and expedited registration of reduced-risk pesticides. EPA will
ensure that newly registered agricultural pesticides meet the current, more
stringent standards mandated in FQPA to ensure reasonable certainty of no harm
to human health and the environment. Implementation of FQPA is essential to
reducing dietary exposure to potentially toxic pesticides by subjecting them to
the new, more stringent health standard.
The resources requested for the Safe Food goal will enable the Agency to
meet a number of important performance goals. The most significant of these
include:
Decrease adverse risk from agricultural pesticides from 1995 levels and
assure that new pesticides that enter the market are safe for humans and
the environment through such actions as registering 17 safer pesticide
chemicals and biopesticides, issuing 95 new tolerances and approving 95 new
pesticide uses.
Under pesticide reregistration, EPA will reassess 19% of the existing 9,700
tolerances (cumulative 33%) for pesticide food uses to meet the new
statutory standard of "reasonable certainty of no harm."
Highlights:
Reduce Agricultural Pesticides Risk
The 1999 President's Budget requests $24,926,200 and 282.7 workyears to
ensure that the risk from agricultural use of pesticides will be reduced. FIFRA
and FFDCA authorize EPA to set terms and conditions of pesticide registration,
marketing and use. EPA will use these authorities to reduce the use of
pesticides with the highest potential to cause adverse effects, including those
which pose particular risks to children. Under EPA's Registration program, new
food/feed-use pesticides are registered after extensive review and evaluation of
human health and ecosystem data. The Registration program includes special
registration activities, tolerance setting, and permits for use of pesticides for
emergency situations, and experimental use. In 1999, EPA will continue to
emphasize addressing children's special sensitivities through registration
review.
In 1999, the Agency will decrease the adverse risk from agricultural
pesticides from 1995 levels through the regulatory review and approval of safer
pesticides (including new biopesticides} . The registration of safer pesticides
will increase the availability of safer alternatives to the consumer, resulting
in a reduction in the use of high risk pesticides. Under the Reduced Risk
Initiative, which began in 1993, EPA will continue to provide expedited review
of pesticides which meet the criteria of reduced risk i.e., reduce the level of
acute toxicity, reduce exposure to humans or non target organisms, and reduce the
environmental burden. These expedited pesticide review actions provide the
incentive to industry to develop, register, and use lower risk pesticide products
III-2
-------
that result in reduced risk to human health and the environment when compared to
existing alternatives.
Reduce Use of Pesticides on Food Not Meeting Current Standards
The 1999 President's Budget requests $38,626,200 and 399.6 workyears to
ensure that use on food of current pesticides that do not meet the new statutory
standard of "reasonable certainty of no harm" will be substantially eliminated.
Implementation of FQPA is essential to reducing dietary exposure to potential
toxic pesticides by subjecting them to the new, more stringent health standard.
This new standard requires the Agency to revise its risk-assessment practices to
ensure adequate protection of the health of children and other vulnerable
subpopulations and to reconsider some 9,700 tolerances for specific pesticide
residues approved before the passage of FQPA. To meet this requirement, the
Agency will complete approximately 1,850 tolerance reassessments in 1999.
In 1999, EPA will continue to work on the following additional requirements
mandated by FQPA: (1) develop a new program to reconsider registered pesticides
on a 15-year cycle, bringing them into compliance with contemporary standards;
(2) provide a special emphasis on management of minor use pesticides; and (3)
expedite registration of reduced risk pesticides.
In 1999, through the Reregistration program, the Agency will continue to
regulate pesticides approved for food use, with particular emphasis on those that
have been classified as potential human carcinogens or neurotoxins. The
reregistration process for pesticides registered prior to November 1984 is in its
final phase which is the issuance of Reregistration Eligibility Decisions {REDs) .
The issuance of a RED summarizes the findings of the reregistration review of
the chemical after examining its health and environmental effects. In 1999, EPA
will complete approximately 1,000 product reregistrations, and 42 REDs for active
ingredients subject to reregistration.
Pesticide User Fees
EPA is proposing appropriations language to reinstate pesticide registration fees
to collect $16,000,000 in 1999. The fee applies to pesticide manufacturers to
recover the costs of EPA's review of registration applications. The Agency
continues to collect Tolerance and Maintenance Fees at $18,000,000 a year. In
1999, EPA will promulgate the needed rules to increase tolerance fees to ensure
that the tolerance setting process will be as self-supporting as possible. EPA
expects these rules to take effect in 2000.
HI-3
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Safe Food
Objective #1: Reduce Agricultural Pesticides Risk
By 2005, the risk from agricultural use of pesticides will be reduced by 50
percent from 1995 levels,
Overview
A large number of pesticides currently on the market with approved food uses
have been classified as potential human carcinogens, neurotoxins, endocrine
disrupters, have other developmental effects, or present risks to children.
These pesticides present potentially significant health concerns and require
action to minimize dietary exposure.
Protecting public health and the environment from the risks posed by
pesticides is challenging and complex* Pesticides, inherently, are risky to
humans or the environment because, by design, they are biologically active and
have a detrimental effect on living organisms. At the same time, pesticides are
beneficial to society because of their ability to kill potential disease-causing
organisms, and to control insects, weeds, and other pests. Our challenge is to
allow the use of pesticides to increase production, without risking human health
or the quality of the environment.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) authorize EPA to set terms and
conditions of pesticide registration, marketing and use. The Food Quality
Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996 dramatically strengthened both FIFRA and FFDCA
requiring a new, more stringent safety standard for pesticides used on food with
special emphasis on protecting infants and children. The Agency will use these
authorities to reduce the use of pesticides with the highest potential to cause
adverse effects, including those which pose particular risks to children. Under
the Registration Program, new food/feed-use pesticides are registered after
extensive review and evaluation of health data by the Agency. A key new
component of the registration program is to identify and streamline the process
for bringing safer pesticides onto the market faster to replace older riskier
products. Existing food/feed use registrations are amended to add new uses and
new formulations. The Registration Program also includes special registration
activities, tolerance setting, and permits for use of pesticides for emergency
situations, and experimental use.
The FIFRA '88 Amendments also require the Agency to review and reregister
all pesticides that were registered before November 1984. The Agency has made
substantial progress in implementing FIFRA '88 and met several statutorily set
deadlines/ such as listing active ingredients (Lists A-D), processing of
registrants' declarations of intent to pursue reregistration, and issuance of
III-4
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guidelines for determining the adequacy .of previously conducted scientific
studies on pesticides. As of August 1997, 155 Reregistration Eligibility
Decisions (REDs) have been issued.
The program activities under this objective include:
a) New Pesticide Registrations -- EPA continues to emphasize addressing
children's special sensitivities through registration review.
Through the registration process, EPA will implement FQPA, which
requires the expeditious processing of reduced risk pesticide
registration actions and apply the new, more stringent health
standard for setting tolerances. Reduced risk pesticides are
characterized as those expected to reduce risk to human health or
nontarget organisms, groundwater, surface water or other ecological
resources.
b) Special Registration Actions -- Prompt action will be taken on
petitions for temporary uses of pesticides to meet emergency
conditions and for research purposes. These actions consist of
issuance of emergency exemptions (FIFRA sec. 18) allowing the use for
a limited time of a pesticide not registered for that specific
purpose; special local needs (FIFRA sec. 24c) allowing registration
of products by states for specific uses not Federally registered;
experimental use permits allowing pesticide producers to test new
pesticides uses outside the laboratory; amendments to previously
approved pesticides (e.g., to reflect label revisions or changed
formulations for products already registered); applications for new
uses of a pesticide; and additional registrations for new products
containing a pesticide already registered.
c) Reregistration of Existing Pesticides -- Reregistering existing
pesticides will ensure that older pesticides already in the
marketplace either meet the current standards, are taken off the
market, or are restricted in their use such that they do not present
undue risk. Reregistration includes the reassessment of all existing
tolerances to assure that they, too, meet current standards.
d) Special Review Activities -- Through the special review process, the
Agency determines whether the use of a pesticide poses unreasonable
risk. Pesticides posing concerns are rigorously reviewed and a
decision made as to whether future use should be eliminated or
restricted.
Major tasks required to achieve this objective include the development of
new science policies, the refinement of use and usage information bases,
acceleration of regulatory reviews for safer pesticides, and the adoption of
effective alternative tools for pest management-
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
IIj-5
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 01 Reduce Agricultural
Pesticides Risk
Environmental Program &
Management
Science and Technology
Total FTE:
$22,952.3 $19,651.3 $24,926.2
$20,922.8
$.2,029.5
28:3,2
$17,893.1
$1,758.2
281.5
$21,928.0
$2,998,2
282.7
1999,Annual Performance Goals
» Decrease adverse risk from agricultural pesticides from 1995 levels and
assure that new pesticides that enter the market are safe for humans and
the environment through such actions as registering 17 safer pesticide
chemicals and biopesticides, issuing 95 new tolerances and approving 95 new
pesticide uses.
In 1999, the Agency will decrease the adverse risk from agricultural
pesticides from 1995 levels through the regulatory review and approval of safer
pesticides (including new biopesticides) . The registration of safer pesticides,
thus the availability of safer alternatives to the consumer, will result in a
reduction in the use of high risk pesticides. Registration and the elimination
of the most hazardous pesticides from the marketplace through reregistration and
special review will reduce risk.
Routine pore program activities within the Registration and Reregistration
programs will continue in 1999 along with the implementation of FQPA.
Reregistration is EPA's primary regulatory tool for furthering use
reductions for older riskier pesticides. As such, it is an essential element in
pursuing this and other objectives for the Pesticide Programs. To avoid
duplication in the "tallying" of REDs, all REDs are listed under Objective 2 in
Goal 3, and none are listed under this objective.
Pesticides meeting the criteria for special review will either undergo a
thorough scientific review or, through negotiations, be restricted or phased out
to ensure that the pesticide does not pose undue risk.
In 1999, under the Reduced Risk Initiative, EPA will continue to provide
expedited review of pesticides which meet the reduced risk criteria. Expedited
pesticide review actions provide the incentive to industry to develop, register
and use lower risk pesticide products that result in reduced risk to human
health and the environment when compared to existing alternatives. The Reduced
Risk Initiative encompasses applications for initial registration, amendments,
iii-6
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and non-fast track new formulationsr The criteria used to determine whether a
pesticide enters expedited review include pesticides which provide reduced risk
to human health or nontarget organisms; those which demonstrate reduced potential
for contamination of groundwater, surface water or other resource; and pesticides
which broaden the adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) , and other
Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP)/Design for the Environment
(DfE) strategies or make these strategies more available or more effective*
By 2005, the annual number of registrations for safer new chemicals and
biopesticides will double and agricultural use of pesticides classified as having
the highest potential to cause cancer or neurotoxic effects will be reduced by
50% from 1995 levels. Annual activities contained in this budget, including the
re-evaluation of existing pesticides and the registration and availability of
safer pesticides alternatives, are essential to accomplishing our long term goal.
19 9 8 ftnnual Performance Goals
• Decrease adverse risk from agricultural pesticides from the 1995 levels.
Assure new pesticides that enter the market are safe for humans and the
environment through actions such as registration of new chemicals,
hiopesticides, amendments, me-toos, new uses, inerts, special registrations
and tolerance setting.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
^_ Dollars FTE
01 Obj. Total Change $5,274.9 , 1.2
Environmental Program & Management $4,034.9 0.2
Science and Technology $1,240.0 1.0
» (+$1,490,000 ($1,039,900 S&T, $450,100 EPM)) Increased funding for the
consolidation of pesticides laboratories at the new .Fort Meade, MD
Laboratory.
• (+$157,400 EPM) Increased funding for the Working Capital Fund.
• (+$2,269,400 EPM) increased funding in the Registration and
'Reregistration programs to produce increased tolerances and product
reregistrations.
» (+1,000,000 EPM) Change attributable to increased workforce costs.
III-7
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Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Register Safer chemicals & 16 17
biopesticid.es
Register new chemicals 17 17
Amendments 2056 2000
Me-toos 639 600
New Uses 99 95
Inerts 41 45
Special Registrations 366 370
Tolerance Petitions 91 95
The performance measures listed under this objective contribute to the
accomplishment of another objective (Goal 4, objective l) . However, they are
.listed only under this objective to avoid repetition.
Conclusion
EPA will ensure that newly registered agricultural pesticides meet the
current, more stringent standards mandated in FQPA to ensure reasonable certainty
of no harm to human health and the environment. Additionally, EPA will continue
to encourage reduced agricultural use of older, potentially more hazardous
pesticides, through the registration of newer, safer pesticides.
Pesticide risk is complex and depends not only on direct risk posed by a
specific pesticide, but also, how, where, and how often the pesticide is used,
what happens after application, the level/method/frequency of exposure, and the
specific population exposed to it. These variables make the task of measuring
risk challenging, however the .Agency is committed to working with stakeholders
to improve these measures.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Indices of progress will include the number of safer chemicals registered,
and the number of REDs issued. Another reference or indirect measure may include
the number of environmental partnerships in place or the number of IPM programs
in effect. As output measures, these will be readily counted or recorded upon
completion.
StatTitggv Authority
FIFRA (7 U.S.C. 136-136y)
FFDCA (21 U. S. C. 346a)
iii-s
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Safe Food
Objective #2: Reduce Use on Food of Pesticides Not Meeting Standards
By 2005, use on food of current pesticides that do not meet the new
statutory standard of "reasonable certainty of no harm" will be substantially
eliminated.
Overview:
Many current pesticides approved for food use have been classified as
potential human carcinogens or may cause serious adverse health effects at high
levels of exposure. Our highest priority is to minimize dietary exposure to
these potentially toxic pesticides, especially to children, by screening them
through the regulatory processes of registration and reregistration/special
review, and eliminating or severely restricting those that present a danger to
human health and the environment. Through these processes, pesticides found
harmful will be removed from the market or restricted in their use to ensure the
continued safety of our food supply.
Under the authorities of Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) , as amended by
the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996, the Agency sets terms and
conditions for pesticide registration, marketing and use. Amendments to FIFRA
in 1988 require EPA to review and reregister all pesticides first approved before
November 1984; Reregistration Eligibility Decisions (REDs) have been issued for
155 such pesticides to date, and as reregistration decisions are made for even
more of them, further reductions in potential dietary risks will be realized.
FQPA mandates a reassessment of all 9,700 existing tolerances in light of
a new, more stringent health standard. Some of these existing tolerances are for
pesticides for which a RED has already been issued, some are for pesticides
subject to reregistration for which a RED has not yet been issued, and some are
for pesticides first registered since 1984, Reassessment of existing tolerances
under the FQPA standard began in 1996 and is continuing. Implementation of FQPA
is essential to reducing dietary exposure to potentially toxic pesticides by
.subjecting them to the new, more stringent health standard.
To carry out tolerance reassessment, the Agency must incorporate the new
FQPA requirements into its existing procedures. The reevaluation of existing
tolerances will be a significant workload for the Program, since the statutory
criteria require consideration of new safety standards for children, the
potential to disrupt endocrine system functions, cumulative risk from related
pesticides, and from all avenues of exposure. Priority for reassessment will be
given to those pesticides most likely to pose a dietary risk. This "worst-first"
sequence will lead to correction of noncomplying tolerances at a quicker pace.
III-9
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Beyond tolerance reassessments, .FQPA mandates a variety of other reforms
to pesticide regulation under FIFRA and FFDCA, all contributing to significantly
increased Agency workloads. Among these additional requirements are (l) to
streamline review of antimicrobial pesticides,- (2) to develop a new program to
reconsider registered pesticides on a 15-year cycle, bringing them into
compliance with contemporary standards; (3) to provide special emphasis on
management of minor use pesticides; (4) to expedite registration of reduced-risk
pesticides,- and (5) to develop and implement an Endocrine Disruptor Screening and
Testing strategy by August 1998 and will implement a screening and testing
protocol by August 1999.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 02 Reduce Use on Food of $36,812.6 $36,808.0 $38,626.2
Pesticides Not Meeting
Standards
Environmental Program & $36,038.8 $36,109.4 $37,174.4
Management
Science and Technology $773.8 $698.6 $1,451.8
Rereg. & Exped. Proc, Rev $0.0 $0,0 $0.0
Fund
Total FTE 404.0 399.5 399.6
1999 A"iual Performance Goals
• Under pesticide rereg.istration, EPA will reassess 19% of the existing 9,700
tolerances (cumulative 33%) for pesticide food uses to meet the new
statutory standard of "reasonable certainty of no harm."
In 1999, through the Reregistration Program, the Agency will continue to
regulate pesticides approved for food use, with particular emphasis to those
classified as potential human carcinogens or neurotoxins. A major concern will
be to minimize dietary exposure to these potentially toxic pesticides. As we
continue tolerance reassessment, revising risk assessment policies will be
necessary for the Agency, ensuring that the health of subpopulations,
particularly children, will receive adequate protection.
Carrying out of FQPA will continue to be a priority for the Agency, with
significant efforts going toward tolerance reassessment, periodic reconsideration
III-10
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of food-use registrations, effective management of minor use pesticides, and
expedited registration of reduced-risk pesticides.
The reregistration process for pesticides registered before November 1984
is now in its final phase, the issuance of REDs. During this phase, EPA reviews
all studies that have been submitted for a chemical case. The issuance of a RED
summarizes the findings of the reregistration review of the chemical after
examining its health and environmental effects. A pesticide is considered
eligible for reregistration if its database is complete and it does not cause
unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment when used
according to labeling and restrictions. Many REDs include provisions to reduce
risks to pesticide handlers, farmers, children, or the environment. After the
RED is issued, reregistration reviews and decisions will continue at the product
reregistration level. Products are reregistered only after the last active
ingredient in the product is found eligible and product specific data and label
revisions are submitted.
As pesticides go through reregistration, they may meet certain criteria that
will trigger a special review, These criteria include (a) acute toxicity to
humans or domestic animals, (b) potentially chronic or delayed toxic effects in
humans, hazards to non-target organisms, (c) risk to threatened or endangered
species, (d) risk to critical habitats of threatened or endangered species, and
(e) any other unreasonable adverse effects to humans or the environment. This
review subjects the pesticide to a more in depth analysis to determine reasonable
certainty that no harm will occur when used.
By 2005, active ingredient and product reregistration will be completed for
all pesticides subject to reregistration under FIFRA '88. Also, by 2005, 90 per
cent of the reassessments of pesticide residue tolerances mandated by FQPA will
be completed. Both efforts directly relate and contribute to accomplishing a
reasonable certainty of no harm for the pesticides used on food/feed use
commodities.
1998 AnnualPerformance Goals
• Through Reregistration (issuance of REDs, product reregistration, tolerance
reassessment) , assure no use on food of pesticides that do not meet the new
statutory standard of "reasonable certainty of no harm."
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
^___ , Dollars FTE
02 Obj. Total Change $1,818.2 0.1
Environmental Program & Management $1,065.0 0.1
Science and Technology $753.2 0.0
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(+$1,200,000 ($750,000 S&T, $450,000 EPM) Increased funding for the
consolidation of pesticide laboratories at the new Fort Meade, MD Laboratory.
(+$89,000 EPM) Increased funding for the program infrastructure housed in the
Working Capital Fund.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
REDS
Product Reregistration
Tolerance Reassessments
40
750
1450
42
1000
1850
The performance measures listed under this objective contribute to the
accomplishment of other objectives (Goal 3, Objective 1 and Goal 4, Objective 1) .
However, they are listed only under this objective to avoid repetition.
Conclusion
The foremost objective of EPA programs is to preserve the safety of the food
Americans consume. The Agency will ensure, in part, through reregistration and
tolerance reassessment, that older agricultural pesticides now on the market,
meet the current, more stringent standards to provide reasonable certainty of no
harm. Children will be protected usinij a new standard for safety, Additionally,
the Agency will continue to encourage reduced agricultural use of these older,
more potentially hazardous pesticides, through replacement by newer, safer
chemical pesticides and biopesticides as they become available through the
registration process and by using Integrated Pest Management and Environmental
Stewardship.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Through the Reregistration Program, EPA will ensure that pesticides and
products failing to meet current standards will not remain on the market.
Reassessment of current tolerances will ensure that pesticide residues in food
do not constitute a health risk.
Primary indices of progress are completions of new REDs for food-use Active
Ingredients, completions of product reregistrations for food-use products, and
completions of tolerance reassessments. As output measures, these will be
readily counted or recorded upon completion.
The registration of safer alternatives, which will encourage reduced use of
the potentially more hazardous older conventional chemicals, will be used be an
indirect measure.
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Statutory Authority
FIFRA (7 U.S.C. 136-136y)
FFDCA Section 408 (21 U.S.C. 346a)
World Trade Organization Agreements
III-13
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Goal 4: Preventing Pollution
-------
Goal 4: Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes,
Workplaces and Ecosystems »......., IV-1
Reduce Public and Ecosystems Exposure to Pesticides ,.,,,.. IV-7
Reduce Lead Poisoning IV-13
Safe Handling and Use of Commercial Chemicals
and Microorganisms IV-19
Healthier Indoor Air. IV-30
Improve Pollution Prevention Strategies, Tools, Approaches. . . IV-38
Decrease Quantity and Toxicity of Waste ..... IV-4.5
Assess Conditions in Indian Country ............... IV-53
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes, Workplaces and
Ecosystems
Strategic Goal: Pollution prevention and risk management strategies aimed at
cost-effectively eliminating, reducing, or minimizing emissions and contamination
will result in cleaner and safer environments in which all Americans can reside,
work and enjoy life, EPA will safeguard ecosystems and promote the health of
natural communities that are integral to the quality of life in this nation.
Goal Summary
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Preventing Pollution and Reducing $239,993.1 $240,466.0 $258,845.0
Risk in Communities, Homes,
Workplaces and Ecosystems
Obj. 01 Reduce Public and $50,789.4 $47,108.9 $50,626.1
Ecosystem Exposure to
Pesticides
Obj. 02 Reduce Lead Poisoning $31,078.6 $30,453.7 $30,957,6
Obj. 03 Safe Handling and Use $31,646.7 $41,024.6 $41,272.5
of Commercial Chemicals and
Microorganisms
Obj. 04 Healthier Indoor Air $33,235.0 $30,292.2 $33,219.4
Obj. 05 Improve Pollution $27,074,1 $25,245.9 $26,865.5
Prevention Strategies, Tools,
Approaches
Obj. 06 Decrease Quantity and $22,327.2 $21,783.3 $25,053.2
Toxicity of Waste
'Obj . 07 Assess Conditions in $43,842.1 $44,557.4 $50,850..7
Indian Country
Goal Total FTE 1,045.8 1,143.6 1,125.5
EPA seeks to manage environmental risks to communities, homes, .and
workplaces, and to protect the environmental integrity of ecosystems, by a mix
of regulatory programs -with alternative approaches to achieve results .at less
IV-l
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cost and .in more innovative, sustainable ways. Rather than "end of pipe"
controls, preventing pollution at the source is our strategy of first choice.
Where pollution prevention at the source is not a viable alternative, the Agency
will employ risk management and remediation strategies in a cost effective
manner. These efforts will be directed towards the greatest threats, such as
those in our communities, homes, schools, and workplaces that have significant
impact on our most sensitive populations: children, the elderly, and individuals
with chronic diseases.
The 1999 President's Budget requests $258,8 million and 1,125.5 workyears
for this goal, an increase of $18.3 million and decrease of 18.1 workyears over
1998. EPA will focus on pollution prevention and reducing risks by minimizing
the exposure from pesticide misuse, lead poisoning, and by targeting persistent,
bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutants. The Agency will also enhance hazardous
waste minimization projects to reduce wastes at their source.
The resources requested in this budget will enable the Agency to meet a
number of important performance goals in 1999, The most significant of these
include:
• 850,000 additional people will live in healthier residential indoor
environments.
• Reduce by 2% in 1999 (for a cumulative total of 10%) the quantity of TRI
pollutants released, treated or combusted for energy recovery, with
emphasis on the use of Pollution Prevention practices.
• Divert an additional 1% (for a cumulative 29% or 64 million tons) of RCRA
municipal solid waste (MSW) from landfilling and combustion, an increase
from the 1990 baseline of 17%.
• Ensure that of the approximately 2,500 new chemicals and micro-organisms
submitted by industry each year, those that are introduced in commerce are
safe to humans and the environment for their intended uses.
• Complete the building of a lead-based paint abatement certification and
training program in 5.0 states-to ensure significant decreases in children's
blood lead levels by 2005 through reduced exposure to lead-based paint.
• 15% of Tribal environmental baseline information will be collected and 3.0
additional tribes (cumulative total of 90) will have tribal/EPA
environmental agreements or identified environmental priorities.
• Protect homes, communities, and workplaces from harmful exposures to
pesticides and related pollutants through improved cultural practices and
enhanced public education, resulting in a reduction of 10% (1995 reporting
base) in the incidences of pesticide poisonings reported nationwide.
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HIGHLIGHTS:
Reduce Public and Ecosystem Exposure to Pesticides
The 1999 President's Budget requests $50.6 million and 241 workyears to
ensure that public and ecosystem risk from pesticides will be reduced through
migration to lower risk pesticides and pest-management practices, improving
education of the public and at-risk workers, and forming "pesticide environmental
stewardship" partnerships with pesticide user groups*
The objective to reduce exposure to pesticides will be achieved through
continued application of the Worker Protection Standards (WPS) and certification
and training programs. The WPS for agricultural pesticides represents a major
strengthening of national efforts to safeguard agricultural workers from
occupational exposure to pesticides on farms, in forests, greenhouses and
nurseries. Additionally, EPA will continue to protect the nation's ecosystems
through the groundwater program, Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program
(PESP), integrated pest management (IPM), and endangered species programs.
One of EPA's concerns in 1999 will be the prevention of accidental or
deliberate pesticide misuse in urban and rural environments, particularly in poor
communities where significant public health risks to residents, especially
children and other sensitive populations, are likely to occur. In 1999, EPA will
support a new initiative to prevent misuse and reduce exposure. Pesticide misuse
prevention activities will focus on the reduction of risk in residential
settings. EPA will work with other Federal, state, and local agencies; the
private sector,- and communities to identify the critical deficiencies and to
carry out effective solutions. Also in 1999, EPA will continue to carry out the
Pesticide Groundwater Strategy. This strategy is based on cooperative efforts
with the states/tribes and the Regions to develop State Management Plans (SMPs)
to prevent groundwater pollution from pesticides.
ReduceLeadPoisoning
The 1999 President's Budget requests $31,0 million and 121 workyears to
ensure that the number of young children with high levels of lead in their blood
will be significantly reduced from the early 1990s.
Beginning in 1999, EPA will start implementing a training, certification,
and accreditation program for lead-based paint professionals in approximately 15
states that do not administer their own programs. Other regulations and public
outreach, such as publication of a lead information pamphlets, will ensure that
parents have access to information to make an informed decision about lead-based
paint in their homes, with a special emphasis on children in low-income, urban
areas. Another important effort in 1999 will be a collaborative project with the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to assist states and local communities in
targeting resources by examining 50-75 metropolitan areas to identify the most
vulnerable communities where lead poisoning prevention efforts should be
targeted. The identification of communities will be followed with a
multi-pronged outreach program to ensure awareness of the risk to children and
to ensure that steps are taken to provide assistance to the communities at risk.
Also in 1999, EPA plans to issue final rules on disposal of lead-based paint
IV-3
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debris and standards for lead-based paint hazards in paint, dust and soil. In
addition, EPA plans to issue proposed rules on training, accreditation and
certification requirements for renovation and remodeling activities and for
lead-based paint activities in buildings and superstructures.
Safe Handling and Use of Commercial Chemicals and Microorganisms
The 1999 President's Budget requests $41.3 million and 344 workyears to
ensure that, of the approximately 2,000 chemicals and 40 genetically engineered
micro-organisms expected to enter commerce each year, EPA will significantly
increase the introduction of safer or "greener" chemicals that will decrease the
need for regulatory management,
In 1999, EPA will focus on efforts to implement the Toxics Agenda. An
important part of the implementation effort will center on persistent,
bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals as part of a coordinated Agency
effort. One of the key health issues facing our nation's children today is the
threat posed by exposure to PBTs. These chemicals also imperil the health of
ecosystems as they accumulate and biomagnify in the food chain for years and
decades. To facilitate development of the Agenda, EPA will complete the Chemical
Use Inventory (GUI) amendment to the Inventory Update Rule. Promulgation of the
GUI rule, by identifying chemical uses of industrial, commercial, and consumer
products, will facilitate risk screening, including identifying risks to
children. In 1999, the completion of testing actions on new and existing
chemicals will result in the development of test data needed to support adequate
assessments of chemical risks by government, industry, and the public. Also,
EPA's Green Chemistry Program will continue to recognize and promote chemical
methods that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of toxic substances during
the design, manufacture and use of chemical products and processes and that have
broad application in industry.
A crucial element of EPA's approach is chemical information gathering and
testing to provide EPA and others, including the public, sufficient data for
screening, assessing, and managing the risks. EPA's research program will
support this effort by generating scientific information used in improving the
test methods used to generate the data. Research seeks to improve our
understanding of both the risks to human health and adverse ecological effects.
To the extent that this research supports testing guidelines that relate to both
toxic substances in general and to pesticides, research under this objective
additionally supports EPA's goal to reduce the risks to the nation's food supply
and the non-dietary pesticide risks posed to human health and the environment.
Achieving Healthier Indoor Air
The 1999 President's Budget requests $33.2 million and 152 workyears to
accomplish its healthy indoor air performance goals.
Indoor air pollution poses high risks to human health, especially in
sensitive populations, and has ranked among the top four environmental risks.
Radon, for example, is the second leading cause of lung cancer and is responsible
for about 14,000 deaths per year.
IV-4
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To help achieve healthier indoor air, EPA's priorities in 1999 include radon
testing, radon mitigation, and radon-resistant construction; implementing "Tools
for Schools"; increasing awareness of the harmful effects of children's exposure
to secondhand smoke; completing the analysis of data from the Building Assessment
Survey and Evaluation (BASE) ,- privatizing the radon proficiency program; and
focusing on community-based risk reduction. These programs support the 1999 goal
of having 850,000 additional people living in healthier residential indoor
environments, including 530,000 people living in homes built with radon-resistant
features.
EPA's research program will produce the scientific information needed to
understand indoor air effects. Research will identify, characterize, and compare
the health risks associated with indoor exposures to air pollutants so that risk
managers can make informed decisions to protect public health.
Improve Pollution Prevention Strategies, Tools, Approaches
The 1999 President's Budget requests $26.9 million and 80 workyears to
ensure that the quantity of toxic pollutants released, disposed of, treated, or
combusted for energy recovery will be reduced 10% from 1992 levels. Half of this
reduction will be, achieved through pollution prevention practices.
Beginning in 1999, EPA will develop innovative, multi-media strategies and
tools (through inter-office and regional coordination) to target 12-14 priority
persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic pollutants for pollution prevention (P2)
at domestic levels. The targeting will be done as a collaborative effort between
multiple offices and their regional components. Also, obtaining 2% reductions
in reported Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemical wastes in 1999 and beyond
will be the result of the cumulative efforts of EPA's pollution protection, clean
technologies, and green chemicals programs which encourage the use of source
reduction and integrated environmental management systems by American industry
and businesses,.
Decrease the Quantity andTgxicitv of Waste
The 1999 President's Budget requests $25.1 million and 133 workyears to
support the objective of decreasing pollution in communities, workplaces, and
ecosystems by decreasing the quantity and toxicity of wastes.
In 1999, the Agency will emphasize helping generators prioritize and focus
their efforts to reduce the volume and toxicity of hazardous wastes, EPA's
objective is to reduce the amount of waste generated annually, therefore
decreasing pollution or the risk of pollution in communities, workplaces, and
ecosystems. EPA will work together with state, tribal, and local governments,
business and industries, and non-governmental organizations to: encourage
reduced generation of industrial (hazardous and non-hazardous) waste through
material substitution and manufacturing process changes; encourage recycling of
wastes that must be generated; and assure the safe recycling of any wastes. 'EPA
will also focus on reducing the toxicity of wastes as states and regions begin
measuring and reporting reductions of PBTs. To accomplish this, the Agency's
waste minimization program will provide tools and assistance to identify
IV-5
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hazardous wastes containing the most PBTs among 900 chemicals in the waste
stream,
Assess Conditionsin Indian Country
The 1999 President's Budget requests $50.9 million and 55 workyears to
continue its efforts to improve environmental conditions in Indian Country in
this Goal.
EPA places particular priority on working with Federally recognized Indian
tribes on a government-to-govemment basis to improve environmental conditions
in Indian country. This is pursuant to our trust relationship with tribes and
the nation's interest in conservation of cultural uses of natural resources. In
1999, the Agency will continue to work with the tribes to establish an
environmental presence in Indian country and produce substantial progress tpwards
developing Tribal capacity to implement their own environmental programs. EPA
will complete its design and begin initiation of a framework for the baseline
assessment of environmental conditions on tribal lands.
EPA will also improve health and environmental conditions in Alaska Native
villages through training and education on sampling and assessing environmental
quality conditions. This investment will advance these villages capabilities to
correct health and environmental problems through the development of
Environmental Action Plans.
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes, Workplaces and
Ecosystems
Objective #1: Reduce Public and Ecosystem Exposure to Pesticides
By 2005, public and ecosystem risk from pesticides will be reduced through
migration to lower risk pesticides and pest management practices, improving
education of the public and at-risk workers, and forming "pesticide environmental
stewardship" partnerships with pesticide user groups.
Overview
EPA's mission is to ensure that the use of pesticides results in no
unreasonable adverse effects to human health or the environment. In fulfillment
of this mission EPA will: (1) register new non-food chemicals, (2) review and
reregister existing non-food chemicals; (3) implement our field programs; and (4)
promote environmental stewardship/integrated pest management (IPM)strategies.
The Agency will continue to work in partnership with Regions, states,
territories, tribes, and other stakeholders to accomplish this mission.
This objective covers a wide-range of activities encompassing non-food-use
reregistration and registration activities, worker protection, endangered
species, environmental stewardship, IPM, groundwater, and certification and
training programs.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) authorize EPA to set terms and
conditions of pesticide registration, marketing and use of non-food-use
pesticides and also food/feed-use pesticides. Under the Registration program,
new non-food-use pesticides are registered based on data reviewed by the Agency
and current non-food-use registrations are amended to add new uses and new
formulations. Increased regulatory approval of safer pesticides which may be
used as alternatives to older, higher risk chemicals, is essential to achieving
this obj ective.
The cancellation, restriction or denial of registration for dangerous non-
food-use pesticides through the regulatory programs will continue to reduce risk.
EPA will also .continue to encourage industry and pesticide users to .seek other
risk management approaches, such as developing safer chemicals or implementing
pesticide stewardship and IPM strategies. The Pesticide Environmental
Stewardship Program (PESP), began in 1994. PESP is a voluntary program that
forms partnerships with pesticide users to reduce both health and environmental
risks and carry out pollution prevention strategies. These partnership
strategies will provide users alternatives to conventional pesticides, by that
enhancing EPA's ability to achieve the risk reduction goals and objectives.
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The objective to reduce exposure to pesticides will be achieved through
continued implementation of the Worker Protection Standards (WPS) and
certification and training programs. The WPS for agricultural pesticides
represents a major strengthening of national efforts to safeguard agricultural
workers. WPS requires agricultural employers to ensure that employees receive
basic pesticide safety training and to notify them when they apply pesticides.
Whenever EPA designates some or all uses of a pesticide as "restricted
use, " the pesticide may only be used by or under the direct supervision of
specially trained and certified applicators. All states require commercial
applicators to be recertified, generally every three to five years.. States,
territories, and tribes conduct certification and training programs according to
national standards set by EPA.
These programs assure a better educated and therefore safer workforce of
pesticide handlers and users who can better protect themselves from pesticide
exposure and prevent ecosystem contamination. Additionally EPA protects the
nation's ecosystems through the groundwater, PESP, IPM and endangered species
programs. In 1996 EPA issued a proposed groundwater protection rule based on the
adoption of State Management Plans (SMPs). The SMP approach is based on the
notion that states are knowledgeable and equal partners in designing and
implementing risk-reduction measures for pesticides in ground water. The PESP,
a voluntary program, was launched in December 1994 and i-s reducing pesticide risk
through cooperation with partners and supporters. Another related program, IPM,
also contributes to the careful management of risk through the adoption of
available alternative pest management options, substituting mechanical, physical,
or biological pest controls for chemical controls whenever possible.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Ofoj. 01 Reduce Public and §50,789.4 $47,108.9 $50,626,1
Ecosystem Exposure to
Pesticides
Environmental Program & $37,042.1 $33,355.7 $36,647.9
Management
Science and Technology $632.7 $638.6 $863.6
State .and Tribal .Assistance $13,114.6 $13,114.6 $13,114.6
Grants
Total FTE 241.3 240.9 241.0
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1999 Annual PerformanceGoals
• Protect homes, communities and workplaces from harmful exposures to
pesticides and related pollutants through improved cultural practices and
enhanced public education resulting in a reduction of 10% (1995 reporting
base) in the incidences of pesticide poisonings reported nationwide'.
In 1999, the Agency will continue carrying out the worker protection program
that protects the health and safety of agricultural workers from occupational
exposure to pesticides .on farms, in forests, greenhouses and nurseries. By 2005,
the number of workers with adverse health effects caused by acute pesticide
poisoning will be reduced by 50% from 1995 levels. EPA will achieve this through
the training of employers, workers and handlers, and clear, concise
communications to create an environment of credibility and acceptance in the
field by those most affected by the program.
By 2005, adequate protection measures against harm from pesticides will be
in place for all endangered species. The endangered species program will enlist
the support of the agricultural community and other interested groups to protect
endangered wildlife and critical habitat from pesticide use. The endangered
species program will enlist the support of the agricultural community. A well-
directed communications and outreach effort .is imperative for the success of this
voluntary program. EPA continues to work with the U. S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) to maximize the impact and efficacy of the program.
By 2005, 50% of pesticides with high leaching and persistence potential will
be managed to protect the groundwater resource from pesticide contaminations.
The protection of our groundwater resources is a concern for both human health
and environmental reasons. To this end, the Agency is continuing to carry out
the Pesticide Groundwater Strategy. The strategy is based on cooperative efforts
with the states and the Regions to develop State Management Plans (SMPs) to
prevent pollution of this valuable resource from pesticides. EPA Regions will
continue to provide guidance and assistance to the states in safeguarding
groundwater resources.
By 2005, consumer and commercial non-agricultural use of pesticides with
significant neurotoxic effects will be reduced by 50% from 1995 levels; the use
in the U, S. of pesticides with high potential to cause significant acute
toxicity to fish or wildlife will be reduced by 50% from 1995 levels; and
alternatives will be registered for 80% of the pesticide uses of methyl bromide.
These efforts will contribute to the annual goal through the
reregistration/special review and registration of pesticides. Through these
regulatory programs, pesticides found to cause neurotoxic effects or significant
toxicity to fish and wildlife will be eliminated or restricted in their use
resulting in reduced exposure.
In 1999, reregistration activities, including issuing Reregistration
Eligibility Decisions (REDs) will continue. As pesticides continue through the
reregistration process, those meeting the criteria for special review will either
undergo this process or, through negotiations, be restricted or phased out to
ensure that the pesticide does not pose undue risk. Additionally, through
IV-9
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registration of new pesticides or the use of environmental stewardship/IPM,
alternatives for methyl bromide may result.
By 2005, all pesticide handlers and farm workers using pesticides will be
adequately trained in the safe handling, use, and disposal of pesticides. The
certification and training program provides training, certification and
recertification every five years of private and commercial applicators of
restricted use pesticides. EPA will continue to provide guidance and technical
assistance to the states through the Regions on pesticide issues such as
application techniques, toxicity and disposal.
One major concern in 1999, is the prevention of accidental or deliberate
misuse of pesticides such as Methyl Parathion in urban and rural environments,
particularly in poor communities where significant public health risks to
residents, especially children and other sensitive populations are likely to
occur. EPA proposes a new initiative to prevent misuse and reduce exposure. EPA
will work with the Regions, and other Federal, state, local agencies, the private
sector and communities to identify the critical deficiencies and to carry out
effective solutions.
Pesticide misuse prevention activities will focus on the reduction of risk
in residential settings. EPA will work with product manufacturers and
distributors to develop product stewardship programs and work with states to
improve their certification and training programs. Other activities will include
changes in pesticide product labels, packaging and distribution. EPA will also
direct enforcement activities at the sales of agricultural pesticides to urban
and rural communities. The Agency will also work to prevent pesticide misuse
through a public education campaign. Public education will include working with
low income and minority communities in showing safe and effective pest prevention
and control.
By 2005, EPA will carry out environmental stewardship strategies through
agreements with 80 pesticide user groups to reduce pesticide risk through public-
private partnership, regulatory relief, research and demonstration, and
education/outreach. The program will continue to enlist partnerships with
pesticide users and other interested parties. Additionally, EPA and USDA will
continue IPM practices, including the managed use of an array of pest control
methods such as biological, cultural, and chemical controls that achieve the best
results with the least adverse impact to the environment. PESP and IPM are
closely related programs -that seek to reduce risk by using safer alternatives to
traditional chemical methods pf pest control. These programs will continue
cooperative efforts between EPA, USDA, FDA and pesticide users to reduce
potential pesticide risk.
Antimicrobial sterilants and disinfectants are used to kill microorganisms
on surfaces and objects in hospitals, schools, restaurants and homes. EPA will
focus on emerging concerns about whether products are appropriately labeled and
whether they are effective in protecting the consumer as claimed.
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1998Annual PerformanceGoals
• Protect homes, communities and workplaces from exposure to pesticides and
related pollutants through improved cultural practices and enhanced public
education.. -
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
0.1 Ob j . Total Change •
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
Dollars
$3,517.2
$3,292.2
$225,0
FTE
0.1
0.1
0.0
(+$1,000,000 EPM) Investment in pesticide misuse reduction.
(+$100,000 EPM) Investment in working capital fund activities.
(+$225,000 S&T) Investment in Fort Meade relocation activities.
(-$100,000 EPM) 1998 Add on for DfE for Farmers-
The remaining change in resources does not represent a change in the
program. The application of 1998 carryover funds to this objective are
not included in this table.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Reduce the Number of workers
suffering from adverse effects
Train labor population
Percentage of pesticides with
high leaching and persistence
potential that will be managed to
protect groundwater resources
from contamination
Complete environmental
stewardship partnership
strategies
Reduce by 10%
(from 1995 levels)
30% (from 1995
baseline)
5%
Reduce by 15% (from
1995 levels)
40% (from 1995
baseline)
10%
21
42
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Conclusion
Safer pesticides result in lower risks, so accelerating the pace of review
is critical. Additionally, when appropriate, the approval of safer products, and
reregistration of existing products, consistent with contemporary standards, will
further enhance risk reduction. The reregistration and field programs are the
key to addressing issues of worker, community, and environmental safety for
pesticides. As we complete the reregistration review for more pesticides, we
will reduce the risk to the environment, workers, homeowners, and consumers.
Training and outreach activities through our field programs will inform and
educate those who use or are exposed to pesticides. Increased regulatory
approvals of safer alternatives and encouragement of pesticide stewardship and
IPM will also contribute to risk reduction. Finally, full implementation of the
WPS means a better educated and therefore safer workforce of pesticide handlers
and users.
Key Performance Measures Verification
EPA will measure incidents of adverse effects reported by workers and
handlers, early identification of pesticide misuse, completion and implementation
of SMPs, lower numbers of poisonings reported through National Pesticides
Telecommunications Network (NPTN) and poison control centers, number of improved
labels completed, and increased number of endangered species protected.
Statutory^ Authority
FIFRA (7 U.S.C> 136-136y)
FFDCA {21 U. S. C. 346a)
Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544)
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities/ Homes, Workplaces and
Ecosystems
Objective #2: Reduce Lead Poisoning
By 2005, the number of young children with high levels of lead in their
blood will be significantly reduced from the early 1990 's.
Overview
Childhood lead poisoning is a serious, yet preventable environmental
disease. Blood lead levels as low as 10 micrograms per deciliter (//g/dl) are
associated with children's learning and behavioral .disorders. High blood lead
levels (25/^g/dl) cause devastating health effects, such as seizures, coma, and
death. During past decades, the U.S. has made great progress in combating this
disease by addressing a wide range of sources of lead exposures . The Federal
government has phased out lead in gasoline, reduced lead in drinking water, and
banned or limited lead use in consumer products, including toys, food cans, and
residential paint. States and municipalities have set up programs to identify
and treat lead poisoned children and to rehabilitate deteriorated housing.
Parents, too, greatly helped to reduc'e lead exposures to their children. The
U.S. children's blood lead levels significantly decreased during the 1970 's and
1980 's-. Data released earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) show during 1991-1994 average blood lead levels in children
dropped to about 3
Although we have had great success, many areas still need attention. HHS
data show that almost one million children under six still have blood lead levels
above 10/^g/dl, with many of them living in inner cities. Many children also are
living in other areas that suffer from lead poisoning. Lead-based paint
continues to be the major source of childhood high-dose lead exposure in the U.S.
today. A 1991 report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) shows that lead-based paint was used in millions of older homes and housing
units in the United States . EPA studies show that leaded paint has a tendency
of chipping when used to coat friction or impact surfaces (e.g. , windows, window
sills, doors) . Specifically, children exhibiting pica behavior (a chronic
tendency of mouthing or eating non-food objects) would mouth or swallow these
chips and be lead poisoned,
EPA, under the 1992 Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act
[Title X] , contributes to solving this environmental problem primarily by
assisting in, and sometimes guiding, Federal activities aimed at reducing the
exposure to children in homes with lead-based paint. Other Federal agencies,
such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) (via the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) , also play
IV- 13
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important roles. In the past four years, EPA has made great strides in
protecting children from lead poisoning, by a combination of rulemaking,
education, research, and partnerships. EPA has promulgated regulations to set
up a federal infrastructure, including the lead assessment and abatement training
and accreditation rule, and the lead real estate notification and disclosure rule
(with HUD) . The Agency has also issued guidance on identifying hazardous levels
of lead in paint, soil, and dust plus how to remodel a home containing lead-based
paint safely. The public education programs and tools developed include a
national clearinghouse to give the public information on lead; grants to states
and tribes to establish training programs; six grants to local communities to
train residents of poor, high-risk communities in lead abatement skills to
enhance their communities' economic and environmental well-being; and six
regional university-based training centers for lead professionals.
In the applied. research area, EPA continues to search for more cost-
effective ways to reduce lead hazards (such as to investigate the effectiveness
of low cost lead repair and maintenance activity) and to set up national criteria
for the private sector.
Other uses of lead that may pose risks to the general population have
undergone review by EPA. They include: brass/bronze plumbing fittings and
fixtures, lead solder used to join water pipes, lead in non-residential paint,
lead in batteries, lead fishing sinkers, and lead in ammunition (lead shot).
Overall, EPA will continue to build the educational programs, and add a new
dimension by encouraging these efforts at the community level where the messages
can most effectively be tailored. The U.S. lead poisoning prevention program is
a good example of government and others being poised essentially to eradicate
childhood lead poisoning. EPA will also be encouraging state programs to train
and accredit lead professionals, because when lead is abated, it must be done
safely. EPA will also further investigate and implement programs to reach
children at highest risk no matter where they live and play.
In 1999, EPA plans to issue final rules on disposal of lead-based paint
debris and standards for lead-based paint hazards in paint, dust and soil. In
addition, EPA plans to issue proposed rules on training, accreditation and
certification requirements for renovation and remodeling activities and for lead-
based paint activities in buildings and superstructures. These regulations,
along with the training, accreditation, and certification rulemaking promulgated
in August 1996, will enhance the national infrastructure to ensure the safe
reduction of lead-based paint hazards. Accompanying this regulatory effort will
be assistance to states and localities in identifying the most vulnerable
communities to lead-poisoning risks.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 'Pres Bud
Obj. 02 Reduce Lead Poisoning $31,078.6 $30,453.7 $30,957,6
Environmental Program & $17,366.4 $16,741.5 $17,245.4
Management
State and Tribal Assistance $13,712.2 $13,712.2 $13,712,2
Grants
Total FTE 120.2 121.6 121.4
1999Annual Performance Goals
• Complete the building of a lead-based paint abatement certification and
training program in 50 states to ensure significant decreases in children's
blood lead levels by 2005 through reduced exposure to lead-based paint.
• Promulgate final rules on disposal of lead-based paint debris and
establishment of standards regarding hazardous levels of lead in paint,
dust, and soil.
• Issue proposed rules on training, accreditation and certification
requirements for renovation and remodeling activities and training,
accreditation and certification requirements for lead-based paint
activities in buildings and superstructures.
Lead-based paint is the primary source of lead-poisoning in children in the
U.S. today. For the past five years, the Agency has been implementing a program
to establish a national infrastructure of trained and certified professionals .and
hazard control methods and standards to ensure that homeowners and others have
access to safe, reliable and effective methods to reduce children's exposure to
lead-based paint. In 1999, two additional rules will be promulgated to enhance
the existing infrastructure. The effects of the promulgation of these rules will
not be immediate. Data collected through the fiHS's National Center for Health
Statistic's (NCHS) National Health and Nutrition and Examination Survey (NHNES),
available in 2002 will be used to measure the effectiveness of this program. In
1998, the Agency began a public education grant program aimed at identifying
unique methods to educate high risk populations about lead-based paint hazards.
In 1999, the public education grant program will continue. This program will
help identify additional high risk populations for the development of a program
to decrease exposure to these groups in 1999.
In 1999, the Agency will continue to support the implementation of State and
Tribal training and certification programs by providing ^$12.5 million in grants.
The Agency also plans to provide approximately $1.2 million to Indian Tribes to
support broader lead poisoning prevention activities at the Tribal level.
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Another important effort will be a project to assist states and local
communities in targeting resources by examining up to 50-75 metropolitan areas
to identify the most vulnerable communities where lead poisoning prevention
efforts should be targeted. This project will be a collaborative effort with the
CDC. The identification of communities will be followed with a multi-pronged
outreach program to ensure awareness of the risk to children and to ensure that
steps are taken to provide assistance to the communities at risk. Other non-
regulatory activities will continue to target areas where the HHS data very
clearly identifies the risk of lead poisoning to be the greatest - low-income,
minority, urban areas. In addition, other specific high risk populations may
exist due to other exposure factors. During 1998, the "HHS .data was examined to
identify additional populations at risk of lead poisoning. A program to target
public education and risk reduction methods for these additional populations will
be developed and implemented in 1999.
1998 AnnualPerformance Goals
• Achieve significant progress in establishing a lead-based paint national
infrastructure to ensure significant decreases in. children's blood lead
levels by 200.5 through reduced exposure to lead-based paint.
• Promulgate renovation information rule and fee rule establishing the fee
charged by EPA to accredit training providers and certify lead-based paint
professionals.
• Issue proposed rules on disposal of lead-based paint debris and
establishment of standards regarding hazardous levels of lead in paint,
dust, and soil.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
02
Obj . Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Dollars
$503.9
$503.9
FTE
(0.2)
(0.2)
{+$750,000 EPM) Reflects an Increased investment to support EPA/CDC blood
lead level screening program.
(-$400,000 EPM) 1998 Congressional Add-on received.
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Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
State programs approved
for the training,
accreditation and
certification of lead-
based paint
professionals
A Federal training,
accreditation and
certification program
will be established and
administered in states
which choose not to seek
approval from EPA. to
administer state
programs
Renovation Information
Rule
Fee Rule
Debris Disposal Rule
Lead Hazard Standards
Rule
Training, accreditation
and certification
requirements for (a)
renovation and
remodeling rule (b)
Lead-based paint
activities in buildings
and .superstructures rule
35
15
Promulgated
promulgated
Proposed
Proposed
Promulgated
Promulgated
Proposed
Conclusion
By 1999, a national infrastructure will be in place to ensure that
homeowners and housing occupants have access to a qualified workforce who is
properly trained to reduce lead hazards safely. Beginning in 1999, EPA will
start implementing a training, certification, and accreditation program for lead-
based paint professionals in States that do not administer their own programs.
Other regulations and public outreach will ensure that parents have access to
information to make an informed decision about lead-based paint in their home,
with a special emphasis on children in low-income, urban areas.
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KeyPerforittanee Measures Verification
The accomplishment of EPA's lead-based paint program will be verified by
realizing a significant reduction of children's blood lead levels in. high risk
groups compared with average levels. For the past two decades, the NCHS has
collected data on 'the general health of the Nation's population through the
NHNES.. The collection and laboratory analysis of children's blood for lead has
been part of this program since its inception and has become the standard for the
estimation of national blood lead averages. It is also the only national survey
of children's blood lead levels. NCHS is preparing to begin another survey. The
results, scheduled for release in 2002, will be used to measure the success of
EPA's lead program. The verification and validation of data from NHNES will be
conducted by NCHS through a rigorous quality assurance program to ensure that the
sample selected for examination is truly representative of the U.S. population
and that laboratory analyses of collected blood samples are of known accuracy and
precision (NCHS has more than 20 years experience in conducting this survey and
these analyses).
In addition, EPA will evaluate the effectiveness of regulations promulgated
over the next two years. Through mechanisms including focus groups and surveys,
the Agency will measure the awareness of and any changes in behavior of the
regulated community due to these regulations. For example, at the end of 1999,
EPA will have established a training, certification, and accreditation program
for lead-based paint professionals in states that do not seek approval from the
Agency to administer their own program {about fifteen states are not expected to
seek authorization). In 2000, following an outreach effort to increase awareness
of state residents on EPA's certification program, the Agency will measure the
success of this regulation in certifying professionals. The success will be
determined by the degree of awareness of the program among professionals who are
likely to become certified. Similar evaluations will be developed for other
regulations.
Statutory Authority
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) section 6 and TSCA Title IV (15 TJ.S.C. 2605
and 2681-2592)
Safe Drinking Water Act sections 1412 and 1417 (42 U.S.C. 300g-l, 300g-6).
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (42
U.S.C. 9601-9675)
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes, Workplaces and
Ecosystems
Objective #3: Safe Handling and Use of Commercial Chemicals and Microorganisms
By 2005, of the approximately 2,000 chemicals and 40 genetically engineered
microorganisms expected to enter commerce each year, we will significantly
increase the introduction by industry of safer or "greener" chemicals which will
decrease the need for regulatory management by EPA.
Overview
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) authorizes EPA to review a. chemical
or microorganism before commercialization to determine whether it can be handled
and used safely. If the review shows that an unreasonable risk may be posed to
people or the environment, control measures are in place to ensure their safety
in the marketplace. Since 1979, EPA has reviewed more than 31,000 premanufacture
notices (PMN) and taken actions to control risks for 10% of these chemicals.
While the New Chemicals Program has been extremely successful in meeting TSCA
goals, the Agency sees tremendous opportunities for increasing the introduction
and use of safer or "greener" chemicals. These safer or "greener" chemicals are
less toxic, result in lower exposure, are more energy efficient, generate less
(or less toxic) waste, or have other similar attributes. The more such chemicals
are available to replace those harmful chemicals currently in use, the greater
will be the opportunity to achieve safer workplaces and communities.
A crucial element of EPA's approach for promoting industry's introduction
of safer chemicals is to fulfill the mandate under TSCA to control the
unreasonable risks for the chemicals which are already in commerce. Increased
scrutiny on existing chemicals that pose risks in their use or management forces
industry to look for new chemical formulations or processes that do not pose
these risks. This is done through chemical information gathering and testing to
provide EPA and others, including the public, with sufficient data for screening,
assessing and managing the risks. In dealing with more than 75,000 chemicals,
EPA, in partnership with other Federal agencies, industry, and other customers,
has adopted innovative techniques and non-regulatory approaches. Today, risk
management controls are already in place or planned for many of chemicals whose
risks are well-characterized (e.g., asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
and many other chemicals through Risk Management Actions). The pace for
gathering -scientific data needed to support risk assessment is also increasing.
For those chelmicals whose significant risks are well established (such as
PCBs, asbestos, and dioxin), reductions in use and releases are important to
reducing exposure of the general population and also sensitive subpopulations.
Risk reduction efforts on these chemicals must continue to meet the mandates
IV-19
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under TSCA and fulfill the commitments made in domestic and international
agreements.
While EPA will continue to assess and take action against unsafe chemical
usage, additional effort will focus on supporting development and/or use of safer
chemicals by industry and improved risk management for all chemicals. The Agency
sees several ways to achieve this end:
1) Encourage industry to apply new or alternative ways, in designing
and developing new chemicals and manufacturing new and existing
chemicals that will either avoid pollution entirely or minimize
risks to health and the environment.
2) Switch from an inefficient method of managing chemicals individually
to concurrently dealing with all chemicals within a group (i.e.,
chemical category or use clusters), by streamlining the process for
identifying safer substitutes and for managing the collective risk
of the group.
3) Remove the regulatory barriers to innovation.
There are ripple effects of these strategies. First, the strategies will
drive and consequently bring about improved risk assessment capabilities, both
within EPA and its client communities. For example, the "use cluster approach"
gives flexibility in applying risk mitigation techniques that will result in a
cumulative risk reduction in the use sector for a particular industry. These
improved risk assessment methods can also be used for supporting pollution
prevention activities, such as Green Chemistry Programs, that will produce safer
and greener chemicals. With a higher proportion of safer chemicals being'
developed, EPA can concentrate on regulating a smaller portion of the new
chemical substances that warrant risk management.
Second, EPA will act as an agent for spreading and sharing the new
technologies among all parties. This will contribute to better new
premanufacture submissions by industry to EPA for review; and to provide the
knowledge for better understanding EPA review decisions.
Third, the category and use sector approaches will shift both new and
existing chemicals focus toward those areas of the chemical marketplace that
would benefit from a comprehensive risk management approach. Overall this shift
is expected to result in better targeting of chemicals for risk reductions.
Further, this shift in focus will minimize or eliminate regulatory burdens on new
chemicals if they replace riskier substances already in the marketplace.
To assess the 75,000 chemicals currently in commerce, the challenge is to
provide a streamlined program, while reducing administrative, record keeping, and
regulatory burdens on the chemical industry, because it is a vital economic
sector that provides important products and services to the American people. The
strategy is to move toward a planned, broad screening of the potential risks
posed by the 75,000 chemicals in commerce. This systematic approach would
identify chemicals believed to be manufactured and used safely as well as those
chemicals which may pose risks to humans and the environment and need further
IV-20
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attention. This screening will give the nation a "Toxics Agenda." Chemical
risks will be screened and identified using procedures similar to those used in
EPA's New Chemicals Program and will result in chemicals feeing classified by
hazard endpoint based on available information. Experience gained in EPA's New
Chemicals Program has given the Agency the tools and scientific capability to
accomplish the risk screening of all commercial chemicals.
This strategy will lead to both a focused national chemical risk management
program and a major increase in the amount of information on chemical exposures,
hazards and risks that EPA can provide to the public. This public information
can also incorporate innovative approaches, such as chemical classification and
labeling systems, to advise users and consumers of chemical hazards and risks.
Chemical testing would play a fundamental role in developing data for these
purposes, including chemical classification. Information on toxic chemicals will
be made available to state and local governments in conducting risk assessment
and management activities.
Underlying the success of all these strategies is a critical piece of
information -- chemical use. Without use information, we cannot screen out
unsafe use accurately, define the chemicals falling into specific "use clusters,"
assess chemical hazards to reduce exposures, or identify the "universe" of
household chemicals. EPA will develop a Chemical Use Inventory (GUI) System
(through TSCA sec. 8) as an important tool for carrying out the strategies.
EPA's PCB control efforts will shift from enforcing PCB use standards
toward encouraging phaseout of PCB electrical equipment, ensuring proper waste
disposal methods and capacity, and fostering PCB site cleanups.
EPA is committed to developing an Agency-wide dioxin strategy that would
respond to the new science of the reassessment and address dioxin risk management
in a more comprehensive cross-media approach. A draft strategy is now under
development and will be released concurrently with the final reassessment.
EPA established the Endocrine Disrupter Screening and Testing Advisory
Committee (EDSTAC), to provide advice and counsel to the Agency on a strategy to
screen and test chemicals and pesticides that may cause endocrine disruption in
humans, fish, and wildlife. EPA must implement the strategy by August 1999 and
report to Congress by August 2000. In 1999, EPA will begin testing chemicals in
commerce for endocrine disrupting potential. It is expected that by 2005 all
high volume chemicals will have been screened for endocrine disrupting potential
and the resulting priority chemicals will have been tested or testing initiated,
using the approach and test methods developed from recommendations of the EDSTAC.
EPA's research program will support reducing risks posed by toxic
substances by generating scientific information used in improving the test
methods used to generate the data used to screen and assess individual
substances, both alone and in combination. Research seeks to improve our
understanding of both the risks to human health and adverse ecological effects.
To the extent that this research supports testing guidelines that relate to both
toxic substances in general and to pesticides, research under this objective
additionally supports EPA's efforts to reduce the risks to the nation's food
supply (Goal 3) and the non-dietary pesticide risks posed to human health and the
IV-21
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environment (addressed in Objective 1 of this goal). The efforts described here
represent an applied research program that is directly responsive to current
regulatory issues.
This research will help the Agency to: 1) up-date existing methods and
develop/validate new ones to detect, characterize, and quantify adverse human
health effects resulting from exposure to toxic substances, taking into account
various combinations of exposures; 2) improve understanding of the underlying
mechanisms by which toxic substances adversely affect human health, and, 3)
strengthen the foundation for risk assessments, regulations, and test guidelines
development. In addition, research seeks to provide state-of-the-science
measurements, methods, and models for development of ecological effects,
protocols, guidelines, and strategies, providing the scientific basis for
credible ecological vulnerability assessments and evaluations of the impacts of
environmental stressors. Understanding the effects of exposures to environmental
stressors (chemical, biological, and physical) and the uncertainties surrounding
risk associated with our current definitions of stressors on our environment is
an important long-term research goal. Ecosystem risk issues are being addressed
through applied research to develop methods and models to evaluate the magnitude
and duration of environmental exposures and their consequences in terms of
effects on wildlife and plant species for both individual anthropogenic stressors
and combinations of anthropogenic and natural stressors,
In 1999, EPA will focus efforts to implement the Toxics Agenda. An
important part of the implementation effort will center on persistent,
bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals as part of a coordinated Agency
effort. To facilitate development of the Agenda, EPA will complete the GUI
amendment to the Inventory Update Rule, by that providing information to improve
EPA's .understanding of chemical uses and exposures to consumers, workers, and
children. The Agency will begin screening high production volume chemicals for
safe use and testing needs and will begin testing actions on 50 chemicals. New
chemicals review will continue its steady improvement in efficiency and
effectiveness with a greater focus on increasing the introduction by industry of
safer or greener new chemicals.
The Agency will work towards amending TSCA to eliminate the current
statutory cap on PMN fees and recovering the costs of running the program.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
IV-2 2
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Qfoj. 03 Safe Handling and Use $31,646.7 $41,024.6 $41,272.5
of Commercial Chemicals and
Microorganisms
Environmental Program & $31,646.7 $.30,492.9 $31,939.2
Management
Science and Technology $0.0 $10,531.7 $9,333.3
Total FTE: 263.2 357.2 343.6
1999Annual Performance Goals
• Ensure that of the approximately 2,500 new chemicals and microorganisms
submitted by industry each year, those that are introduced in commerce are
safe to humans and the environment for their intended uses.
• Expand EPA's ability to conduct safety reviews of chemicals already in
commerce and implement a strategy for comprehensively screening, testing,
classifying and managing the risks posed by commercial chemicals, with an
emphasis on high production volume chemicals.
• Reduce the industrial burden and cost of managing the safe disposal of PCBs
by implementing the PCB rule.
• Begin testing chemicals in commerce for endocrine distupting potential.
• Continue to stimulate development of new safe ("green") chemicals and safe
chemical processes through public recognition for outstanding achievements
in this field*
• Improve aquatic risk assessment methods with new population dynamic models
that extrapolate biassays to community effects.
• Extend SAR screening capabilities to include a systematic screening of the
reactive pesticides and industrial chemicals.
• Improve in vitro hazard identification methods for one-election mechanisms
of toxicity among industrial chemicals.
EPA's activities on new and existing chemicals focus on increasing the
introduction and use of safer and greener chemicals. Timely completion of new
chemical reviews will ensure that all new chemicals are screened before
introduction and needed actions taken. New chemical reviews will identify green
chemistry approaches and will engage customers in these programs through
incentives indicating benefits/gains that might accrue from these pollution
IV-2 3
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prevention efforts. New and existing chemical -programs will be better aligned
to remove barriers to innovation of new chemicals and to promote integrated risk
management and pollution prevention for new and existing chemicals.
EPA' s Green Chemistry Program recognizes and promotes chemical methods that
reduce or eliminate the use or generation of toxic substances during the design,
manufacture, and use of chemical products and processes and that have broad
application in industry. One component of this program is the Green Chemistry
Challenge, which supports basic research by providing recognition, through an
awards program, for outstanding accomplishments in chemistry that can lead to
substantial progress in the development of safer and greener chemicals.
Completion of testing actions on new and existing chemicals will result in
the development of test data needed to support adequate assessments of chemical
risks by government, industry, and the public. Steps to facilitate enhanced
public access to TSCA test data will be initiated, by that beginning a process
to meet the right-to-know needs of the public for basic toxicity information on
chemicals. Promulgation of the CUT rule, by identifying critically needed
industrial, commercial, and consumer products (e.g., household) chemical uses,
will facilitate risk screening, including identifying risks to children.
EPA will implement the final rules issued in 1997/1998 which will enable the
regulated community to reduce the PCB concentration of their equipment to
acceptable levels and clean up contaminated sites under more flexible, self-
implementing equipment reclassification, decontamination and remediation options.
This should result in less administrative burden and costs for both EPA and the
regulated community.
In 1999, research to improve health effects measurements, methods, and
models will focus on: 1} development of mechanistically-based predictive models
for human health risk assessment, such as structure-activity-relationship models
to help determine testing needs under Section 5 of TSCA, which addresses new
chemicals, 2} development of methods to evaluate hazard of numerous human health
endpoints (e.g., neurological, reproductive, immunological), and 3) development
of data on chemical-specific effects, such as for those toxic substances
identified as high regulatory priority. Efforts in the area of effects research
will include: 1) developing and validating predictive models {e.g., biologically-
based dose-response, structure-activity-relationship} to identify and
characterize ecological hazard and risk (e.g., improved methods for one-electron
mechanisms of toxicity), 2) developing hazard identification techniques for
numerous ecological health end points for various wildlife species (e.g.,
improved aquatic hazard identification and risk characterization methods with new
population dynamic models that extrapolate bioassays to community effects), and
3) evaluating data on the direct stressor effects of toxic substances on
experimental ecosystems, including wildlife species, and on interactions of such
exposures with other anthropogenic and/or natural stressors.
1998Annual Performance Goals
• Ensure the approximately 2,500 new chemicals and microorganisms considered
for markets are safe for their intended uses in commerce.
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Expand EPA's ability to conduct safety reviews of chemicals already in
commerce -and develop a strategy for comprehensively screening, testing,
classifying and managing the risks posed by commercial chemicals, with an
emphasis on high production volume chemicals.
Reduce the industrial burden and cost of managing the safe disposal of
PCBs.
Develop, on a consensus basis with key stakeholders, a strategy for
screening and testing chemicals in commerce for endocrine disrupting
potential.
Stimulate development of new safe ("green") chemicals and safe chemical
processes through public recognition for outstanding achievements in this
field.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
03 Ob j . Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
Dollars
$247.9
$1,446.3
$(1,198.4)
FTE
(13.6)
(0.1)
(13.5)
The change in resources does not represent a change in the program. The
application of 1998 carryover funds to this objective are not included in
this table.
S&T reductions represent a move away from research on point source
pollution effects on plants toward other higher risk areas, such as Global
Change and the need to develop ecological indicators for terrestrial
ecosystems. Little adverse effect is expected since most of the planned
research on the effects of toxic substances to plants will be completed.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Receive and complete 2,500 PMN annual reviews 2,500 PMN annual reviews
safety reviews of 2,500
•TSCA PMHs, with no more
than 100 of these
reviews concluding that
regulatory management by
EPA is required
TSCA Chemical Use Proposed Promulgated
Inventory Rule
IV-2 5
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Complete, in 1998, Toxics Agenda --
QPPT's Toxics Agenda Completed
which will define how
EPA proposes
comprehensively to
screen, test, classify
and manage the risks
posed by commercial
chemicals
Screen high production 400
volume chemicals
50
Test high production
volume chemicals
PCB Rules Promulgated Implemented
Complete, in 1998, a Endocrine Disrupter Implement
strategy and .report to . Strategy --
Congress for screening Completed
and testing commercial
chemicals for endocrine
disrupting potential and
begin testing chemicals
in commerce for
endocrine disrupting
potential
Receive/review 50 or more viable 50 or more viable
applications for Green applications evaluated applications evaluated
Chemistry Challenge
Award
Peer publication on the 1 publication
in vitro screening
methods for one-electron
reactions
Computerized SAR system 1 system
for rapid screening of
reactive chemical or
known metabolites of
pesticides and
industrial chemicals
Deliver watershed-scale 1 -model
pollutant and aquatic
habit exposure
assessment model key for
pesticides and toxics
IV-2 6
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Conclusion
EPA is committed to provide an enhanced, more efficient, and streamlined
program for screening, testing, and managing chemical risks. The chemical
industry is a vital economic sector that provides important products and services
to the American people, therefore, administrative, record keeping, and regulatory
burdens must be kept to a minimum. The New Chemicals Program reviews the
potential risks of chemicals before they are commercialized and regulates them
if there are significant risks. Experience gained in the New Chemicals Program
has given EPA the tools and scientific capability to accomplish the risk
screening of all commercial chemicals. This screening will give the nation a
"Toxics Agenda." Chemical testing would play a fundamental role in developing
data for this screening. In addition, EPA will emphasize the right-to-know
ethic by making available to the public, information about chemical hazards and
exposures developed during the risk screening and testing programs on both new
and existing chemicals.
Achievement of this objective would represent a large advance in the state
of knowledge on chemicals in commerce and substantial progress in ensuring that
chemical risks are properly managed. The ultimate outcome desired from these
efforts is a situation where risks from all chemicals can be adequately
characterized and appropriate risk management steps are taken when unacceptable
risks are identified.
In the area of health effects methods and models research, ORD will be
developing methods to evaluate hazard on noncancer human health endpoints
including new/refined test methods for neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and
reproductive toxicity and developing predictive models to improve the biological
basis for human health risk assessment including chemical-specific studies to
determine long-term health effects of exposures during development. The Agency
will incorporate these test methods into its collection of testing guidelines
under which manufacturers will be required to submit data.
The ecological effects research program will provide state-of-the-science
methods and model development by developing: (l) ecological hazard identification
techniques, and (2) predictive models to identify and characterize ecological
hazard and risk. Furthermore, data on direct stressor effects of toxic substances
on experimental ecosystems/wildlife and on interactions with
anthropogenic/natural stressors will be evaluated. The development of these
methods and models to evaluate the consequences of exposures to toxic substances,
in terms of effects on wildlife and plant species for both individual
anthropogenic stressors and combinations of anthropogenic and anthropogenic and
natural stressors will further EPA's ability to conduct a more scientifically
sound assessment of ecological risk.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Performance will be measured by counting the number of new chemicals
Pre-Manufacture Notice submissions (PMN's) that are determined by EPA to be safe
and not to require EPA management controls, PMN' s submissions and determinations
IV-2 7
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are tracked under formal EPA document management and decision-making systems to
ensure compliance with statutory deadlines for Agency action. The "greener" the
new chemical EPA receives for review, the more success achieved in protecting
human health and the environment. Performance will also be measured by how much
knowledge we gain in understanding the risks of toxic chemicals to human health
and the environment. EPA will gain this knowledge through required and voluntary
chemical testing by industry. When EPA identifies specific risks posed by toxic
chemicals, performance will be judged by its success to mitigate through actions
such as labeling, banning of the chemical or its use in certain products. These
counts will be drawn from formal regulatory action tracking systems maintained
by EPA that have thorough QA/QC procedures to ensure the integrity of the data
maintained therein. Last, success will be judged by lowering risk through
preventing pollution and achieving this through voluntary compliance over
regulated controls.
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of environmental science and research. The Agency has implemented a
risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and risk management
as principal priority-setting criteria.. EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its research and
determine planning priorities.
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator states that peer review will be expanded "to include both the major
work products provided in the past and ... all scientific and technical products
supporting Agency decisions. This expanded and strengthened focus on peer review
will help ensure that the performance measures li-sted here are verified and
validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer review throughout
the research planning and implementation process, both to ensure that planned
research addresses'Critical knowledge issues within EPA's mission and to assess
the quality of scientific research plans, products, and proposals. This is
accomplished through the use of independent entities.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
Statutory Authority
TSCA section 4 (15 U.S.C. 2603)
TSCA section 5 (15 U.S.C. 2604)
TSCA section 6 (15 U.S.C. 2605)
TSCA section 8 (15 U.S.C. 2607)
TSCA section 12(b) (15 U.S.C. 2611)
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TSCA section 13 (15 U.S.C. 2612)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) sections 3, 4, 5, 6,
11, 18, 24, and 25 (7 U.S.C. 136a, 136a-l, 136c, 136d, 13"6i, 136p, 136v,
and 136w)
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Request to Congress
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes, Workplaces and
Ecosystems
Objective #4: Healthier Indoor Air
By 2005, fifteen million more Americans will live or work in homes,
schools, or office buildings with healthier indoor air than in 1994.
Overview ,
Indoor air pollution poses high risks to human health, especially sensitive
populations, and has ranked among the top four environmental risks in relative
risk reports. In homes, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and is
responsible for an estimated 14,000 deaths per year. The Agency recommends that
all homes be tested for radon and mitigated if levels are at or above 4
picocuries per liter of air; nearly 1 out of every 15 homes is estimated to have
radon concentrations above this action level. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)
is a "class A" carcinogen and causes about 3,000 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers
annually. A recent study reported in the American Heart Association Journal
concluded that constant ETS exposure in the workplace or at home nearly doubles
the risk of having a heart attack (between 30,000 and 50,000 excess deaths
annually). It is responsible for many childhood respiratory problems including
150,000-300,000 cases of pneumonia and bronchitis each year in children under 18
months of age as well as middle ear fluid build up in children. Asthmatic
children are especially at risk since ETS exposure increases the number of
episodes and severity of symptoms for up to 1,000,000 asthmatic children.
In schools, the General Accounting Offices estimates that 9.9 million
students and 570,000 teachers and school staff suffer illnesses annually due to
poor indoor air quality. A World Health Organization Committee has suggested that
up to 30% of new and remodeled buildings, including schools, worldwide may be the
subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality.
Additionally, exposure to organic chemicals and biological contaminants in
the indoor environment has been associated with adverse effects on the human
immune, neurological and respiratory systems as well as sensory irritation.
Recently, studies have also identified a relationship between expos"""
biological contaminants and the development or exacerbation of •*•"'
"\
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is cc the)
because scientific studies demonstrate individuals spe T"i
of their time indoors where air pollutant concentratic
higher than outdoors. The private sector is concern*
because of the impacts on worker productivity and the
combination of these two factors is estimated to cost
billions of dollars per year.
\
IV-30 \
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EPA has two major strategies to meet its human health objective for indoor
air quality. First, EPA raises public awareness of actual and potential indoor
air risks so that individuals can take steps to reduce exposure. Second, EPA
uses partnerships and technology transfer to improve the way in which all types
of buildings, including schools, homes, workplaces and other large buildings are
designed, operated, and maintained to bring about healthier environments indoors.
To support these voluntary approaches, EPA incorporates the most current science
available as the basis for recommended exposure reduction actions.
To reach the objective, EPA focuses its efforts on outreach: an overarching
activity supporting efforts to increase awareness about indoor air quality and
to promote changes in indoor air quality in homes (with a focus on environmental
tobacco smoke), schools, and workplaces. Underpinning EPA's outreach efforts is
a strong commitment to environmental justice, community based risk reduction, and
customer service.
EPA's outreach activities center around a network of cooperative
partnerships with organizations such as the National Association of Counties, the
American Lung Association, the Consumer Research Council, the National Council
for Negro Women (NCNW), the American Pediatric Association, the National
Education Association, and the Real Estate Educators Association. These
partnerships position EPA to successfully reach and educate its target audience
which includes county and local environmental health officials, susceptible
minority and disadvantaged populations, schools, and real estate and building
professionals. Through this national partner network of over 25 organizations
and their 600 plus local field affiliates, EPA leverages the personnel,
expertise, and credibility of these groups and mobilizes hundreds of community-
based affiliates at the state and local levels.
EPA also provides essential information to the public and to professional
and research communities about radon and other indoor air-related risks and takes
steps to reduce them through educational literature, public service
announcements, hotlines and clearinghouse operations. These basic information
services to the public and to our risk reduction .network provide the support
necessary for continuing to achieve our bottom line results such as home radon
tests completed, home mitigations accomplished, new homes built with radon-
resistant features, implementation of the Indoor Air Quality "Tools for Schools"
kit, and office buildings managed with good Building Air Quality practices. EPA
Regions provide information and assistance to the public, other governmental
agencies, and non-governmental organizations to help meet the program's objective
and sub-objectives.
IV-31
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj , 04 Healthier Indoor Air
Environmental Program &
Management
Science and Technology
Building and Facilities
State and Tribal Assistance
Grants
Total FTE
$33,
$20,
$4,
$8,
235
849
227
158
149
.0
.3
.7
$
.0
.5
$30,
$18,
$3,
$8,
292
305
828
158
150
.2
.7
.5
$
.0
.2
$33
$20
$4
$8
,219
,874
,186
$0
,158
151
,4
.7
.7
.0
.0
.8
1999 Annual Performance Goals
In 1999, 850,000 additional people will be living in healthier residential
indoor environments, including:
• 530,000 people living in homes built with radon resistant features..
• 195,000 children age 6 and under no longer exposed to ETS in their homes.
• 130,000 people living in radon mitigated homes.
• In 1999, 1,600,000 students, faculty and staff will experience improved
indoor air quality in their schools.
• Complete development of baseline information (BASE) on building
environmental parameters and occupant health symptoms. This information
will be used to assess exposure and devise risk reduction strategies for
.office buildings.
• Improve understanding of the effects of indoor contaminants on human
health.
Each year through 2005, EPA will take incremental steps to reach the indoor
air objective with a focus on EPA priorities including: children, indoor air
quality, environmental justice, and urban areas. EPA's activities which
specifically address Agency priorities are:
• Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools,
• Asthma Open Airways Effort in cooperation with the American Lung
Association.
IV- 3 2
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• Environmental Tobacco Smoke media campaign.
\
• Environmental Tobacco Smoke Day Care Project in cooperation with the
American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Environmental Justice efforts supported through cooperative partnerships
with NCHW, AAPCHO, Self-Reliance Foundation, and COSSMHO.
• Tools for Schools pilot with the District of Columbia Public School
System.
• Sound Science.
Through achievement of the annual performance goals, in 2005, 15 million
more Americans will live or work in homes, schools, and/or office buildings with
healthier indoor air than in 1994. Our priorities in 1999 include: 1) radon
testing, radon mitigation, and radon resistant construction; implementing "Tools
for Schools"; increasing awareness of the harmful effects of children's exposure
to secondhand smoke; completing the analysis of data from the Building Assessment
Survey and Evaluation (BASE) ,- privatizing the radon proficiency program; and,
focussing on community based risk reduction.
EPA's research .supports achievement of the objective for-healthier indoor
air by producing necessary scientific information to understand indoor air
effects. Research will further identify, characterize, and compare the health
risks associated with indoor exposures to air pollutants so that risk managers
can make informed decisions to protect public health.
Effects researchers will focus on controlled clinical studies on
biocontaminants (house dust mite and other allergens) aiid their effects on
allergic, asthmatic, and normal healthy children. Researchers will use the
animal model for evaluating biologic contaminants to characterize effects and
dose-responses of various biocontaminants. (Animal models provide a cost-
effective tool for evaluating biocontaminant effects and aid in understanding the
extrapolation of immunotoxicologic data from animals to humans.) Researchers
will evaluate the health effects associated with exposures to mixtures found
indoors, particularly mixtures of biocontaminants like house dust mites and more
conventional pollutants (e.g., nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and VOCs), This will
augment research on susceptible populations (e.g., asthmatics and those reporting
multiple chemical sensitivity symptoms) and improve our ability to extrapolate
animal data to humans facilitating the evaluation of the human risks from indoor
air pollution.
This research will substantially expand EPA's ability to evaluate the
effects of pollutant exposures and their impacts on both normal and sensitive
subpopulations by validating risk assessment models developed using animal data.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• In 1998, 850,000 additional people will be living in healthier residential
indoor environments, including:
IV-3 3
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530,000 people living in homes built with radon resistant features.
195,000 children age 6 and under no longer exposed to ETS in their homes.
130,000 people living in radon mitigated homes.
In 1998, 960,000 students, faculty and staff will experience improved
indoor air quality in their schools.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
04 Obj . Total Change .
Environmental Program £ Management
Science and Technology
Dollars
$2,927.2
$2,569.0
$358.2
FTE
1.6
2.5
(0.9)
(+$1,250,000) In 1999, using investment resources of '$1,250,000, EPA will
begin a cooperative project with the New York area region to develop and
implement an asthma program designed to reduce the health risk to children
of indoor contaminants. As a starting point, in 1999, we will implement
an outreach campaign based on data from a proposed National Academy of
Science (NAS) study "An Assessment of Asthma and Indoor Air Quality."
' The NAS study will evaluate the science behind the current information on
the role and significance of indoor air asthma triggers such as dust mite,
cockroach allergens, .mold, animal dander, and environmental tobacco smoke.
(-$1,000,000) In 1999 we also expect to benefit from efficiencies from our
efforts to privatize the Radon Proficiency Program and other streamlining
efforts in the Indoor Environments Program thereby accounting for a
disinvestment of $1,000,000 total contract dollars. This disinvestment
has been redirected to higher priority work in the homes and schools
programs, specifically radon risk assessment and risk prioritization and
the Tools for Schools program.
(+$929,300) Total payroll costs for this objective will increase by
$929,300 total dollars reflecting increased workforce costs.
(+$167,600) Working Capital Fund (WCF) resources for this objective have
been increased by $167,600.
IV-3 4
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Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
People living in healthier indoor 850,000 people 850,00,0 people
air
People living in radon resistant 530,000 people 530,000 people
homes
People living in radon mitigated 130,000 people 130,000 people
homes
Children under 6 not exposed to 195,000 children 195,000 children
ETS
Students/staff experiencing 960,000 1,600,000
improved IAQ in schools ' students/staff students/staff
Conclusion
Each year through 2005, EPA will take incremental steps to reach the indoor
environments objective through its annual performance goals. Through its research
efforts, EPA will produce technical reports, methods, models, and other
scientific information to improve the 'understanding of the effects of indoor
contaminants in micro-environments, their sources, and risk management options
to reduce exposure. Health research, focused on biocontaminants, will determine
health effects of indoor air pollutants (i.e., eye, nose, and throat irritancy,
central nervous system damage, sensory effects)? develop and test hypotheses"for
definition of multiple chemical sensitivity. Research will also develop better
methods and models to quantify source emissions; and develop methods to measure
biocontaminants.
With a consistent level of resources and program and research
prioritization, EPA will be on target to reach its year .2005 environmental
outcome. In the future, EPA will also need to focus on emerging indoor
environment issues such as carbon monoxide poisoning, the impact of consumer
products use/misuse in the home, the risks of volatile organic compounds used
indoors, and biological contaminants.
The achievement of the current objective is a bold response to one of the
most serious environmental problems facing the public, but it would leave much
to be done, EPA'-s focus in the future will be to address the remaining risks,
including such challenges as the millions of Americans yet to test their homes
for radon ('and fix, if warranted) , the 15% of American households who would still
expose their children to one of the most potent sources of pollution,
environmental tobacco smoke, as well as the additional schools and buildings
which have not implemented sound building air quality practices.
Indoor air research supports achievement of the objective by producing
necessary scientific information to -understand indoor air effects. Specifically,
EPA will by 2005, produce technical reports, methods, models, and other
IV-3 5
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scientific information to improve the understanding of the effects of indoor
contaminants in micro-environments.
Health research, focused on biocontaminants, will determine health effects
of indoor air pollutants (i.e., eye., nose, and throat irritancy, central nervous
system damage, sensory effects); develop and test hypotheses for definition of
multiple chemical sensitivity.
Key Performance Measures Verification
In order to determine progress on the number of homes tested for radon,
homes fixed if levels are elevated, and the number of children aged 6 and under
exposed to ETS in their homes, the program utilizes the biennial survey conducted
by the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors. The National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB) conducts an annual survey of home builders
which includes questions concerning the extent to which they are employing radon-
resistant construction techniques. This information is made available to EPA
through an agreement with NAHB. We also determine progress by tracking the
number of kits distributed and kits analyzed, by conducting follow up inquiries
with partners, and using lab files for evaluations and tracking.
The number of schools that implement the IAQ Tools for Schools kit are
tracked through a centralized database where data are provided by program office
staff, the Government Printing Office, national cooperative partners, contractor
staff, and the EPA regional offices. In addition, we access the National
Association of Energy Service Companies database which tracks companies which
have performed ventilation work in schools as well as public school student
enrollment numbers.
The first measure for large buildings, which involves completing the
measurement and characterization of 100 randomly selected large buildings, is
performed by the program which is responsible for conducting the BASE study. The
second measure is reported on by the International Union of Operating Engineers
as a condition of its continuing cooperative agreement with EPA under which it
trains building engineers and then assesses the implementation of good IAQ
management practices. The Las Vegas laboratory also collects and tracks the
number of samples and analyses from buildings where measures are collected.
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of environmental science and research. The Agency has implemented a
.risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and risk management
as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its research and
determine planning priorities. To better draw upon the expertise of the
environmental academic community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants; the Agency is
also working with the National Research Council to identify emerging
environmental issues for which we must begin planning the necessary research.
The Agency utilizes peer review throughout the research planning and
implementation process, both to ensure that planned research addresses critical
IV-3 6
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knowledge issues within EEA's mission, and to assess the quality of scientific
research plans, products, and proposals. This is accomplished through the use
of independent entities such as the Science Advisory Board (SAB) and the Board
of Scientific Councilors (BOSC). The BOSC, established under the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, will examine the way the Agency uses peer review, as well
as the management of its research and development laboratories,
EPA' s external research program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
selected for funding through grants or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
Statutory Authority
"Radon Gas and Indoor Air Quality Research Act" of Title IV of the Superfund
Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)section 6 and TSCA Titles II and III (15
U.S.C. 2605 and 2641-2671)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
Clean Air Act (CAA)
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
IV-3 7
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes, Workplaces and
Ecosystems
Objective #5: Improve Pollution Prevention Strategies, Tools, Approaches
By 2005, reduce by 25% (from 1992 level) the quantity of toxic pollutants
released, disposed of, treated, or combusted for energy recovery. Half of this
reduction will be achieved through pollution prevention practices..
Overview
The goal of "pollution prevention" (P2) is to prevent pollutants from
entering into the environment (before the fact) as opposed to "risk management
and remediations" that deal with pollutants that already exist in the environment
(after the fact) . By reducing or eliminating toxic substances in the first place
(source reductions), the chances for them escaping into the environment and
ecosystems will be avoided. Based on this concept, this objective is aimed to
eliminate or reduce the applications of toxic substances from upstream chemical
manufacturing processes to downstream chemical use activities,- a practice that
can only be carried out by industry, businesses and consumers. EPA devises
various strategies incorporating market incentives, technological innovation, and
direct assistance to facilitate the adoption of the practices. Achievement of
this objective will lead to the reduction of toxic pollutant's entered into the
environment, resulting in a cleaner and safer environment.
Compared with the traditional environmental focus in controlling, treating,
or cleaning up pollution, P2 is most effective iri reducing health and
environmental risks because it: 1) eliminates releases to the environment, 2)
avoids the frequent shifts of pollutants from one media (air, water, land) to
another, and 3) protects natural resources for future generations by cutting
wastes and conserving use.
It is cost-efficient, especially to industry, because it reduces excess raw
materials and energy use. It also trims the need for expensive "end-of-pipe"
treatment and disposal, cuts potential liability and conforms with quality and
continuous improvement incentives already at work within facilities. To EPA, P2
moves away from many of the limitations of conventional, command-and-control
regulation; for example, pollution transfers due to single media regulation, long
lead time for promulgation, and fast changing technologies and processes.
Under the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, it is the Federal policy of
United States "that pollution should be prevented or reduced at the source
whenever feasible," as the nation's preferred approach to environmental
protection. To support this principle, current EPA strategies are to
institutionalize preventive approaches in EPA's regulatory, operating, and
compliance/enforcement programs and facilitate the adoption of P2 techniques by
IV- 3 8
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the states, tribes and private industry. Underpinning these strategies is the
recognition by EPA that P2 can be accomplished only after its concept is
understood, firmly grounded and put into practice by stakeholders, since P2
represents new ways of doing business. EPA is using various market incentives,
environmental management tools and technologies to induce and facilitate P2
actions.
EPA and stakeholders have made much progress in carrying out these
strategies, but there is still more work to be done. Internally, many offices
within EPA have increasingly become aware of P2 opportunities to play a
substantive role in solving media-specific or cross-media pollution. Where state
and local governments are the principle focus, mechanisms have been built (such
as the Environmental Commissioners of the States (EGOS) and the Forum on State
and Tribal Toxics Action (FOSTTA)) to assist in their adoption of P2 programs.
EPA sees the fastest growing P2 opportunities in private sector partnerships, by
merging EPA's knowledge of P2 principles/technicfues with industry-specific
expertise in production/process design. This will be the strategy of choice for
incorporating P2 into basic business practices.
For the coming five to six years, EPA will achieve the goals of the P2
programs through a coordinated set of initiatives:
(a) Building strong, operating P2 programs in each of the 50 states --
States are the primary sources for businesses seeking assistance in identifying
and applying prevention approaches. Building a strong P2 presence among states
is vitally important since they are the major conduits for helping educate their
communities in P2 methods. Several states have become leaders in P2 efforts and
the Agency has provided seed money to help states in promoting innovation and
developing state capacity. The National Pollution Prevention Roundtable, FOSTTA,
and state P2 and media programs have been able partners in developing training
and technical assistance. EPA will also foster technology and information
sharing among the states through the existing network of governmental and non-
governmental bodies already active in this field.
(b) Institutionalizing P2 in EPA's Core Regulatory and Programmatic
Activities -- EPA sees P2 as an important tool for developing multi-media
solutions to environmental problems. The Agency will continue to provide
information and assistance to EPA media offices (air, water, land) in devising
P2 options as they develop common sense regulatory approaches. The value and
validity of this approach will be demonstrated in the coordinated efforts among
several offices to reduce the serious risks of priority persistent,
bioaccumulative and toxic pollutants (PBTs). This initiative will serve as a
model for addressing future environmental problems with multi-media hazards. The
Agency's PBT initiative is a multi-media approach to bring the full range of
EPA's tools, especially prevention-based tools, to bear on priority PBT
pollutants, by (1) unifying EPA's priorities for a set of pollutants of greatest
concern, and (2) applying all available tools from seven EPA National Program
Manager Offices in an orchestrated fashion to 'achieve greater reductions than are
achievable by all seven offices working independently.
(c) Informing Consumers about Environmentally Preferable Products -- EPA
is moving ahead with consumer product programs to provide the kinds of
IV-3 9
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information consumers can use in making environmentally friendly choices. The
Agency expects this will improve the breadth of market information that will
subsequently influence the supply of products designed with P2 considerations.
The Consumer Labeling Initiative (CLI) is a program intended to improve the
household product labels to better present environmental, safe use, health and
other information that can be easily understood and compared by average
Americans. EPA has been working cooperatively with other Federal and state
agencies, industry groups and public interest groups to develop more effective
consumer product labels, analogous to the new food nutrition labels. Proper
labeling is especially important for products used by or around children to help
parents prevent the unnecessary dangers of using toxic chemicals.
(d) Leading by Example in the Federal government -- The Agency also has the
lead in carrying out Executive Order 12873, Section 503, which requires the
Federal government to use its purchasing power to create a demand for products
and services that have a reduced impact on the environment, environmentally
preferable products. The Agency has developed proposed guidance that includes
seven general guiding principles to help executive agencies identify and purchase
environmentally preferable products (EPP) and services. The EPP strategy is
intended to drive up the demand from public sectors and production capacity for
products with less potential threat to public health and environmental damage.
There is also a growing movement in state government to establish "take back"
legislation that would make certain producers responsible for taking back
products at the end of their useful life. This would provide an incentive for
product design that minimizes environmental impact.
(e) Reforming Business Practices -- EPA is aggressively pursuing the
integration of P2 principles into social choices by focusing on reforming
business practices. EPA will play a strong role in promoting business adoption
of voluntary Environmental Management Systems (such as ISO 14000) into
fundamental business decisions, and in encouraging businesses to modify
management accounting systems to account for environmental costs fully and
explicitly. These strategies are based on the beliefs that the current business
management framework can be enhanced to help companies more easily choose
prevention practices. These systems will foster performance and compensation
decisions that reflect environmental goals and that will result in less waste,
increased profitability, enhanced competitiveness for U.S. businesses and,
ultimately, improved protection of public health and the environment.
(f) Promoting Green Product Design -- The Design for the Environment (DfE)
approaches are aimed at helping industry make informed decisions about the use
of alternative chemicals, processes, and technologies to prevent pollution.
Specifically targeted industries will include dry cleaning, printing,
electronics, and textiles. Projects to date have shown the
potential for willing partners to demonstrate reduced risk to human health and
the environment from using DfE approaches.
Beginning in 1999 and continuing thereafter, EPA will develop innovative,
multi-media strategies and tools (through inter-office and Regional coordination)
to target priority PBTs for P2 at domestic levels. This initiative will target
pollutants of greatest concern to create strong programmatic and compliance
IV-40
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incentives for P2 at several levels -- international, domestic, and regional.
\ The targeting will be done as a collaborative effort between multiple offices and
their Regional components. The initially targeted list of PBT's will provide
needed focus to the effort, and further joint prioritization activities will
reach more deeply into integrating core regulatory and programmatic outcomes on
a multi-media basis. Multi-media analysis and P2 tools will be used in a
mutually reinforcing manner. Practical solutions may involve a combination of
P2, recycling, and, when appropriate, treatment. Operating and programmatic
components are being identified, specific industries that use or produce PBT's
will be selected for particular focus, and we will take actions to prevent or
reduce the release of PBT's into the environment.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be .supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation."
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 05 Improve Pollution $27,074.1 $25,245.9 $26,865,5
Prevention Strategies, Tools,
Approaches
\ Environmental Program & $21,074.6 $19,246.4 $20,866,0
Management
State and Tribal Assistance $5,999.5 $5,999.5 $5,999,5
Grants
Total FTE 85.1 79.6 80.2
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• Continue to assure broad-based implementation and reporting of P2 measures
by facilities required to submit Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data.
• Reduce by 2% in 1999 (for a cumulative total of 10%) the quantity of TRI
pollutants released, treated or combusted for energy recovery, with
emphasis on the use of P2 practices.
• From the 1998 baseline, expand P2 practices in the garment and textile
care industries by achieving a 25% increase in the use of safer
alternative cleaning technologies.
• Reduce risk to human health and the environment from exposure to PBTs
through the elimination or reduction of PBTs produced or through managing
PBT use.
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These goals will help achieve the objective by (for example) enabling some
facilities to drop below reporting thresholds for targeted chemicals, fostering
increases in P2 practices as reported on the TRI Form R, etc.
1998Annual Performance Goals
• Assure broad-based implementation and reporting of P2 measures
facilities required to submit Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data.
by
Reduce by 2% the quantity of TRI pollutants released, treated or combusted
for energy recovery, with emphasis on the use of P2 practices.
From the 1997 baseline, expand P2 practices in the garment and textile
care industries by achieving a 20% increase in the use of safer
alternative cleaning technologies.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
05 Ob j . Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Dollars
$1,619.6
$1,619.6
FTE
0.6
0.6
(+$1,632,000 EPM) Investment in PBT Initiative
associated human health and environmental risks.
activity to reduce
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Number of TRI Form R
submissions on which the
facility reports having
'undertaken at least one
source reduction
activity
Cumulative reduction in
the quantity of TRI
pollutants released,
treated or combusted for
energy recovery, half of
which is attributable to
Pollution Prevention
Percentage increase in
the use of alternative
cleaning -technologies by
the garment care
industry
109,000
(1996 data, which are
reported on Form R's
submitted in 1998)
129,000 (1997 data,
which are reported on
Form R's submitted in
1999)
2% additional reduction 2% additional .reduction
(8% Cumulative) (half
attributable to P2)
(Cumulative 1992-1996)
(1996 data are reported
on Form R's submitted in
1998)
20%
(from 1997 end level)
(half attributable to
P2) (1997 data are
reported on Form R's
submitted in 1999)
25%
(from 1998 end level)
IV-4 2
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PBT Chemicals Risk reduction taken on
12-14 PBT chemicals
Conclusion
Obtaining reductions in reported TRI chemical wastes in 1999 and beyond
will be the result of the cumulative efforts of EPA' s pollution prevention, clean
technologies, and green chemicals programs to encourage the use of source
reduction and integrated environmental management systems by American industry
and businesses. The focus of these programs in 1999 will be on specific sectors
(e.g., textiles), technologies [e.g., cleaning), and chemicals (e.g., PERC, PBTs)
and will broaden in future years. The waste reductions that are the focus of
this objective are indicators of improvements in institution practices and the
integration of environmental thinking into American industrial and manufacturing
systems. Though the extent to which source reduction contributes to the overall
reduction in non-recycled wastes will not be known precisely, efforts to .develop
source reduction quantification techniques in the TRI will contribute to
development of this needed information in time for its use in assessing
attainment of the long range goals of this objective. In the interim, reliance
on cumulative reported use of source reduction techniques by industry will serve
as proxy for the impact such use is having on actual waste generation and
management.
Key: Performance Measures Verification
• A measurement matrix will be established to quantify the changes in TRI
releases which are due to source reduction activities.
• The Agency will publish a guidance document providing technical advice on
using the measurement matrix.
• Verification and Validation of the Toxic Release Inventory Program.
Statutory Authority
Toxic Substances Control Act {TSCA) sections 4 and 6 and TSCA Titles II, III, and
IV (15 U.S.C. 2605 and 2641-2692)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) sections 3, 4, 5, 6,
11, 18, 24, and 25 (7 U.S.C. 136a, 13.6a-l, 136c, 136d, 13.61, 136p, 136v, and
136w)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-13109)
Clean Air Act (CAA) section 309 (42 U.S.C. 7609)
Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)] :
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Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) (42 U.S,C. 11001-
11050)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. 6901-6992k)
IV-44
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes, Workplaces and
Ecosystems
Objective #6: Decrease Quantity and Toxicity of Waste
By 2005, EPA and its partners will increase recycling and decrease the
quantity and toxicity of waste generated.
Overview
This objective defines the Agency's efforts to: reduce toxic chemicals in
industrial waste streams; reduce the generation of municipal and industrial
solid waste; and recycle hazardous and municipal solid waste. Reducing toxic
chemicals in industrial waste streams will result in more efficient use of
natural resources, and contribute to less human exposure to toxic wastes. Source
reduction and recycling of municipal solid waste will divert waste from landfills
and combustors, reduce air and water pollution, and reduce generation of global
warming gases, while also conserving energy and natural resources.
Congress specifically declared in the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments
of 1984 that the reduction or elimination of hazardous waste generation at the
source should take priority over waste management. In 1990, Congress reaffirmed
the key role of pollution prevention in the nation's environmental protection
scheme, by passing the Pollution Prevention Act. in the Act, Congress
essentially codified the hierarchy of management options that mirror those
supported by EPA's waste management programs. In addition to the statutory
mandates to prevent pollution, RCRA emphasizes a national policy that focuses on
source reduction. For example, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
calls for national leadership to reduce the amount of waste generated and improve
the recovery and conservation of materials through recycling. Revisions of the
Definition of Solid Waste which governs hazardous waste recycling, and the Common
Sense Initiatives (CSI) remain high priorities for the RCRA program in 1999.
Many of the regulatory reforms under CSI will greatly facilitate hazardous waste
recycling. The Agency requests $1,432,600 to support the Definition of Solid
Waste effort and $1,782,400 for the Common Sense Initiative.
EPA is developing a National Waste Minimization Measurement List which will
rank and list chemicals according to four factors; (1) persistence once released
into the environment; (2) tendency to accumulate in human and animal tissues
(bio-accumulate),- (3) potential for toxic effects in humans (e.g., cancer) or
other life; and (4) other factors, such as the prevalence of the chemical, or
the amount released into the environment. The Agency plans to have developed the
list by the end of 1998. This ranking system will allow the Agency to focus its
efforts on the reduction of the most hazardous chemicals in industrial waste
streams. Reducing the most hazardous chemicals will eliminate some of the risk
that occurs when industries mismanage and release waste into the environment.
Based upon the results of the Agency's efforts to identify and rank the most
hazardous chemicals, EPA will work to reduce by 50 percent the most persistent,
1-45
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bio-accumulative and toxic chemicals in hazardous waste streams by 2005.
$2,098,700 is requested for waste minimization activities.
Further, the Agency is developing a Waste Minimization Prioritization Tool
(WMPT) software program, based on the Waste Minimization Measurement List, so
that business and industry can have a user-friendly computer application that
will reduce the large amount of hazardous waste technical information into a
format that is understandable by the general public. Early test versions have
been very well received, and the WMPT is scheduled to be completed early in 1999.
The Agency will follow up by conducting 2 training sessions for state and
regional staff on PBT priority-setting software.
Annual generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) has grown steadily from
88 million to 208 million tons between 1960 and 1995. National efforts to manage
MSW have focused on the integrated solid waste management approach. Integrated
waste management requires a coordinated mix of strategies including: source
reduction (also called waste prevention); recycling; combustion; and land
filling. EPA gives priority to strategies that maximize the diversion of waste
from disposal facilities, with source reduction (including reuse) as the highest
priority, followed by recycling (including composting). The Agency and other
stakeholders will work to divert more than 35 percent of MSW from landfills and
combustors, and reduce per capita generation to the 1990 baseline of 4.3 pounds
per day each year through 2005. The Agency requests $5,253,500 for municipal
source reduction activities.
Recycling itself is of local and national economic importance and directly
impacts global commodity markets. It provides a stable source of secondary
materials for both domestic and foreign markets, reduces dependence on foreign
resources, and provides new business and job opportunities at the local level.
MSW recycling programs are well established at the local level. The Agency
directs its efforts toward national leadership activities and the development of
tools, handbooks, case studies, and Internet sites - for local decision-makers.
In addition, the RCRA program works to enhance the market for recyclables,
through federal and state purchasing guidelines as well as outreach to industry.
The Agency requests'$5,399,000 for municipal recycling activities.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 06 Decrease Quantity and $22,327.2 $21,783.3 $25,053.2
Toxicity o.f Waste
Environmental Program & $21,248.4 $20,704.5 $23,974.4
Management
State and Tribal Assistance $1,078.8 $1,078.8 $1,078.8
Grants
Total FTE 131.9 127.5 132.9
IV-4 6
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199 9 Annual Performance Goals
• In 1999, issue final guidance on RCRA persistent, bio-accumulative and
toxic (PBT) chemical identification.
• In 1999, develop RCRA hazardous waste recycling training and outreach
program.
• Divert an additional 1% (for a cumulative 29% or 64 million tons) of RCRA
municipal solid waste (MSW) from landfilling and combustion, an increase
from the 1990 baseline of 17%.
• By 1999, reduce per capita generation of RCRA municipal solid waste (MSW)
to 4.3 pounds per day.
In 1999, the Agency will emphasize helping generators prioritize and focus
their efforts to reduce the volume and toxicity of hazardous wastes. States and
regions will begin measuring and reporting reductions of persistent, bio-
accumulative, and toxic (PBTs) chemicals. EPA will develop guidance on how to
adapt the PBT identification method to the needs of particular businesses or
geographical areas. In addition, the waste minimization program will provide
tools and assistance to identify wastes containing the most persistent bio-
accumulative toxics among 900 chemicals in hazardous waste streams, including a
usable and accessible software program based on the Waste Minimization
Measurement List. This aspect of the program will also help to bring a
multimedia focus to RCRA waste management considerations and opportunities.
Efforts in 1999 support training for permit writers and operators of hazardous
waste management facilities, improving their ability to conduct site-wide
pollution prevention assessments and plans to reduce PBT constituents.
The definition of solid waste represents the regulatory framework for
hazardous waste recycling. Currently, both industry and states find these rules
complex and difficult to understand- These rules may create disincentives for
the safe recycling of hazardous waste. To clarify these rules and eliminate
perceived barriers to safe recycling of hazardous wastes, the Agency is revising
these regulations to include a focus on regulatory controls on materials that may
pose a hazard to human health and the environment; and removing unnecessary
disincentives that cause industry to choose disposal over safe recycling.
In 1999, activities will center on characterizing and estimating risks
from both regulated and exempt hazardous waste recycling facilities. Several
•narrower changes to the Definition of Solid Waste are also underway within
ongoing rulemakings, for example, recycling is encouraged under the Mineral
Processing Wastes rule to be finalized in late 1998, under the Wood-Preserving
Wastes exclusion rule, and under the Petroleum Refining Waste Listing. The
Agency, through efforts at regulatory reform such as the Common Sense Initiative
and Project XL, also is examining other opportunities to eliminate disincentives
to safe hazardous waste recycling. In fact, most of the Common Sense Initiative
regulatory work that the RCRA program has undertaken focuses on improvements to
recycling provisions, for metal finishers, electronics, iron and steel, and the
automobile sectors. Other activities support development of training and
IV-4 7
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outreach to states and regulated industries to encourage safe hazardous waste
recycling.
Careful balancing of risk, handling practices, and recycling processes can
produce significant savings. In .1999, EPA will implement the universal waste
rule to reduce the management burden for selected common wastes, known as
"universal wastes." This rule eliminates certain manifest requirements and
increases the flexibility of storage standards for these wastes. EPA estimates
the new rule will save $70 million a year while still ensuring safe collection,
recycling, handling, and treatment of low^risk items.
A major EPA objective in decreasing pollution in communities, workplaces,
and ecosystems is a reduction in the amount of waste generated annually. EPA
will work together with state, tribal, and local governments; business and
industries; and non-governmental organizations to: encourage reduced generation
of industrial (hazardous and non-hazardous) waste through material substitution
and manufacturing process changes; encourage recycling of wastes that must be
generated; and assure the safe recycling of any wastes. For example, Region 5
is a partner in the Great Printers project which is working with the printing
industry to promote pollution prevention and waste minimization in that sector.
The aim of the project is to make pollution prevention and waste minimization
standard operating procedures within the Great Lakes lithographic printing
industry by creating a dynamic partnership among business, government and
environmental groups. Four Great Lakes States are currently implementing project
recommendations through the production of compliance manuals, consolidated
reporting systems, and outreach to printers in their states.
Annual generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) will have grown steadily
from 88 million tons to an estimated 219 million tons between 1960 and 1999,
Source reduction and recycling both reduce the quantity of waste, while providing
added benefits of natural resource conservation, energy conservation, reduced
greenhouse gas emissions, and reduced environmental impact from raw materials
extraction and manufacture. These benefits will result in: (1) reduced human
exposure to disease pathways associated with MSW dumped into landfills; and (2)
reduced human exposure to environmental emissions associated with raw materials
extraction and manufacturing.
The Agency's activities will foster and ease source reduction and
composting efforts as well as recycling in business, industry, and local
government. The RCRA program's flagship source reduction project, "WasteWi$e,"
is an innovative voluntary partnership to assist and encourage businesses in
taking cost-effective actions to reduce solid waste. Companies joining the
WasteWi$e program set and achieve goals in three areas: preventing waste,
collecting reeyclables, and increasing the purchase or manufacture of'recycled
products. As of November 1997, WasteWi$e has nearly 641 participants, including
"Endorser" organizations that promote the program to their member businesses.
The Agency will support Community-Based Environmental Protection projects
and Jobs-Through-Recycling projects. Jobs-Through-Recycling projects expand
markets for reeyclables, through grants to state, tribal, and multi-state market
dependent programs. Recycling provides new business and job opportunities that
contribute to their member businesses.
IV-4 8
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State and local agencies are responsible for the management of MSW and must
decide what waste management system or mix of systems is appropriate for their
specific needs. However, the cost of obtaining, analyzing, and interpreting key
information often exceeds the resources available to many state and local
authorities. The Agency will provide the key information and tools that state
and local authorities require to decide among MSW management alternatives. In
particular, projects undertaken in support of this objective increase the
efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and success of recycling initiatives implemented
at the state and local levels.
For source reduction and recycling to be successful, all sectors of society
must play a part. The Agency will provide information and tools to all sectors
of society to encourage actions that, in the aggregate, enhance source reduction
on a national level. Initiatives will provide information to the general public
that clearly articulate the role of source reduction in both conservation of
natural resources and waste management. In addition, FY 1999 resources will be
used to interact closely with stakeholders to identify program areas that are
essential to advance source reduction and forge new partnerships to address major
issues of concern.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
1998Annual Performance Goals
• In 199'8, develop draft guidance on RCRA persistent, bioaccumulative and
toxic chemical identification.
By 1998, divert 28% (60 million tons) of RCRA municipal solid waste (MSW)
from landfilling and combustion, an increase from the 1990 baseline of
17%.
By 1998, reduce daily per capita generation of RCRA municipal solid waste
(MSW) to 4.3 pounds per day.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
OS Obj. Total Change $3,269.9 5.4
Environmental Program & Management $3,269.9 5.4
• (+$470,000 EPM) , and ($377,300, 3.0 FTE EPM) increase .and .redirection in
the RCRA program will support efforts to evaluate and track trends
IV-4 9
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analysis, implement software tool use, and refine targeting efforts of
PBTs.
($656,600, 1.0 FTE EPM) redirection to expand support for Common Sense
Initiative projects in electronics, metal finishing and auto industry
sectors.
{+$325,700 EPM) will support a survey and data analysis in support of
revisions to hazardous waste recycling, reuse, and secondary industries.
($405,800, 2.0 FTE EPM) redirection to enhance source reduction
activities.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Develop Guidance on PBT „ ~» , , ,. > ,.= .,«
_. ,_.*. ,_-. 31-Aug-98 (draft 31-Dec-98 (final)
Identification
Develop Hazardous Waste
Recycling Training and N/A 30-Sep~99
Outreach Program
increase Proportion of MSW 60 million of 21.6 million 64 million of 219
Recycled to MSW Generated tons (28%) million tons (29%)
Reduce daily per capita „ „ ,, „ ,,
' . *»,„„' 4.3 Ibs. 4.3 Ibs.
generation of MSW
Conclusion
By 2005, the Agency and its partners will reduce the most persistent
bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals in .hazardous waste streams by 50% as
compared with a baseline year of 1991. Focusing on the most persistent, bio-
accumulative and toxic chemicals in waste streams allows EPA to develop processes
that reduce not only the quantity of industrial hazardous wastes, but also their
potential to pollute. The recent "Great Lakes Toxics Strategy with Canada
Agreement" underscores the effectiveness and need for this approach as a
cornerstone of any prevention effort. Safe recycling of hazardous waste, while
applicable to a narrower range of generators, also reduces the amount of waste
entering the system. Both methods can engender significant cost .savings for
industry. Also, an emphasis on chemicals as opposed to the traditional RCRA
waste streams focus will help EPA consider multimedia implications associated
with waste minimization and waste management efforts. A growing body of evidence
indicates that the priorities established by the integrated solid-waste
management approach bring about major long-term environmental benefits. For
example, waste reduction lessens the need to extract, harvest, and process virgin
materials and further decreases energy requirements for manufacturing, thereby
avoiding the adverse environmental .impacts of these activities. Waste reduction
also decreases carbon equ.iva.lent emissions, thereby mitigating global warming and
contributing to the U.S. commitment under the President's Climate Change Action
IV-50
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Plan. Reuse and recycling also provide new business and job opportunities that
contribute to local and national economies. The Agency's WasteWi$e program
assists businesses and state and local- governments in implementing source
reduction programs that are beneficial to the environment and that also reduce
their costs of doing business.
Key Performance Measures Verification
The Biennial Reporting System (BRS) is a national database which supports
EPA's RCRA program. BRS is a biennial compilation of information supplied by
entities which provides data on types and amounts of waste handled. Data is
supplied or entered into the data bases by states and EPA regional offices.
The BRS data system has validation/verification controls in place to help
ensure that data is complete and accurate. The BRS data entry software includes
a series of basic and advanced edits which check for completeness and accuracy.
Additionally, while states and regions submit essentially complete BRS databases,
Headquarters runs BRS data quality verification reports and then coordinates with
states and regions to discuss potential data errors. Analysis also is conducted
on significant changes which have occurred since the last biennial report. Prior
to issuing the final BRS report, a second set of BRS data quality verification
reports are run and follow-on discussions are conducted for those states with
significant changes to verify/validate data.
BRS has a suite of user and system documentation which describes the
overall administration of the data collection and management activities. The
documentation identifies which information, for example, is mandatory versus
optional and describes how to enter the data into the system. All information
is provided to the appropriate state and regional user of the system. Training
on use of the systems is provided on a regular basis, usually annually depending
on the nature of system changes and user needs.
The data used for measuring the reduction of PBTs will come from existing
data sources or modifications to them., if possible. These include the Toxics
Release Inventory, the Biennial Reporting System, the 1986 RCRA Generator Survey,
the National Hazardous Waste Constituent Survey (1996) , and information submitted
through current internal Agency reports. Any additional reporting required by the
regions, states or tribes will be developed after discussion with all partners.
Data for the reduction of PBTs is available by using the Biennial Reporting
System and a "Chemical-Waste Code Crosswalk" developed by the RCRA program, which
identifies those waste codes most likely to contain persistent, bioaccumulative,
and toxic chemicals.
The Agency will rely primarily on the Biennial Reporting System to track,
monitor, and evaluate its efforts to increase safe recycling of hazardous waste
by 25% between 1993 and 2005. The Agency has identified several measures that
will enable the Agency to track, monitor, and evaluate its effectiveness in
achieving a 25% increase in the amount of hazardous waste safely recycled in
2005, relative to 1993. These measures focus on who is recycling (numbers of
facilities, by industrial sector and size of firm), what hazardous wastes are
being recycled (metals, solvents, acids, etc), how these wastes are being
IV-51
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recycled (reclamation, burning for energy recovery, etc.), how much waste is
being recycled as a percentage of waste generated, and where they are being
recycled (on-site v. off-site), Moat importantly, these measures also focus on
changes occurring over time in these areas, as well as changes in waste
management behavior; i.e., shifts from treatment and disposal to .safe recycling,
or vice-versa.
Municipal solid waste is waste from residences, commercial establishments,
institutions, and industrial cafeterias and administrative offices. It excludes
sewage sludge, construction and. demolition waste, incinerator ash, auto bodies,
and industrial waste from manufacturing. Recycling percentage is calculated as
amount (weight) recycled over amount generated. Per capita generation of
municipal solid waste is calculated as amount (weight) generated over number of
people generating the waste. The EPA report "Characterization of Municipal Solid
Waste in the United States" is the source of the recycling percentage as well as
the amount of municipal solid waste generated per capita. The report is produced
by EPA and is based on a materials flow methodology; thus, no reporting from
outside sources will be required.
.Stafeufcorv. Authority
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
IV-52
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Flan Request to Congress
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes, Workplaces and
Ecosystems
Obj ective #7: Assess Conditions in Indian Country
By 2003, 60% of Indian Country will be assessed for its environmental
condition and Tribes and EPA will be implementing plans to address priority
issues.
Overview
EPA has a trust relationship with 564 tribal governments and, under Federal
environmental statutes, the Agency is responsible for assuring human health and
environmental protection in Indian Country, Since 1984, EPA policy has been to
work with Tribes on a government-to-government basis and retain responsibility
for environmental programs in Indian Country until a Tribe demonstrates the
authority and capacity to implement its own environmental programs.
There are over 1.5 million people living in Indian Country, including
hundreds of thousands of children. Indian Country represents an area much larger
than all of New England--more than 4 percent of the Nation's land area. While
we do not have comprehensive information on pollution threats to human health and
the environment in Indian Country, we do know that many Tribes lack basic
drinking water, wastewater, and solid waste infrastructure; that environmental
risks may be much greater in some parts of Indian Country than in other parts of
the U.S.; and that our efforts to mitigate these environmental risks are
significantly behind our efforts in non-tribal communities.
The American Indian Environmental Office (AIEO) works with all Federally
recognized Indian Tribes to help them develop the capacity to protect human
health and the environment in Indian Country. AIEO directly administers a
program that provides grants to tribal governments under the Indian Environmental
General Assistance Program (GAP) Act for developing the capacity to administer
multi-media environmental programs. AIEO also strives to ensure that all offices
in EPA are working with Indian Tribes on a government-to-government basis to
build a strong partnership for environmental protection in Indian country. AIEO
facilitates communication between EPA and Indian Tribes and coordinates
activities of the EPA Tribal Operations Committee (TOG), composed of 19 tribal
representatives and EPA's Senior Leadership Council.
The Agency supports this objective through legal counseling and advocacy.
This may include advice, participation in the development of Agency actions,
document review, and the conduct of defensive litigation.
IV-5 3
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 07 Assess Conditions in $43,842.1 $44,557.4 $50,850.7
Indian Country
Environmental Program & $5,255.7 $5,972.0 $8,255.3
Management
State and Tribal Assistance $38,585.4 :$38,585.4 $42,585.4
Grants
Total FTE 54.5 66.6 54.6
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• 25 (cumulative total of 162) Tribes will have delegated/approved
environmental programs.
• 38 (cumulative total of 259) Tribal environmental media/multi-media
programs will be delegated/approved.
* The first ,15% of tribal environmental .baseline information will be
collected, and 30 additional Tribes (cumulative total of 90) will have
tribal/EPA environmental agreements or identified environmental
priorities.
EPA has made a concerted effort in the last several years to build its
partnership with Tribes to improve environmental protection in Indian country.
Although much work remains to be done to ensure Tribes and EPA have a strong
program for protecting human health and the environment in Indian country, the
resources allocated in 1999 and in the last several years will continue to
produce substantial progress towards developing tribal capacity to implement
environmental programs and in developing Tribal/EPA Environmental Agreements
(TEAs) or similar tribal plans for environmental protection 'which serve to
outline commitments by tribal governments, EPA, and other Federal Agencies to
resolve environmental and human health problems in Indian Country. Delegation
efforts in 1999 will emphasize water and air programs.
AIEO will focus almost all of its 1999 investment on ensuring that Tribes
and EPA develop and implement a sound approach 'for documenting multi-media
environmental conditions in Indian country. This assessment of environmental
conditions will serve as a baseline for strategic planning through TEAs and
similar plans and for tracking progress made to address environmental concerns.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• 8 (cumulative total of .137) Tribes will have delegated/approved
environmental programs.
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17 (cumulative total of 221) Tribal environmental media/multi-media
programs will be delegated/approved.
Complete the framework for tribal environmental baseline information
collection.
32 (cumulative total of 60) TEAs or Tribes will have identified
environmental priorities.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
07 Obj. Total Change $6,293.3 (12.0)
Environmental Program & Management $2,293.3 (12.0)
State and Tribal Assistance Grants $4,000.0
(+$4,000,000 STAG) Indian General Assistance Program (GAP) grants will
allow Tribes to develop baseline data by which future environmental
progress can be measured. The additional resources will increase the
number of Tribes with TEAs or similar plans for environmental protection
in Indian country; increase the number of Tribes with delegated/approved
authority to administer environmental programs; and assist Tribes that
already have authority to administer at least one environmental program
begin implementing additional programs.
(+$1,600,000, EPM) The increase will allow EPA to initiate a baseline
assessment of environmental conditions on tribal lands. In order to
assure that Tribes have adequate information with which to make
environmental decisions, basic monitoring and assessment capacity for
.measuring the environmental conditions of water and air resources and
potential waste problems should be established for each Tribe. Specific
plans, clean up actions and monitoring strategies will be developed based
on the analysis of data collected and potential human health risk posed by
•pollution and pollution sources. These plans, actions and strategies will
be incorporated in formal TEAs.
(+$250,000 EPM) for multi-media and technical assistance. EPA will
develop and modify training materials and conduct workshops for Tribes on
multi-media programs. Resources will also fund circuit riders who will
provide multi-media program and technical assistance to Tribes.
(+$1,000,000 EPM) for assistance to .Alaska Native villages. Resources
will be targeted to water quality sampling and monitoring, air quality
assessments, development of tribal environmental actions plans, operation
and maintenance for drinking water and wastewater facilities, and
environmental education.
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(-$960,000 and -12 workyears EPM) from Indian GAP grants management. In
the development of the 1999 Operating Plan, EPA will evaluate the
restoration of these workyears to ensure the effective use and management
of these grants.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Number of Tribes with 8 Tribes 25 Tribes
delegated/approved environmental
programs
Number of tribal environmental 17 Tribes 38 Tribes
multi^media programs
delegated/approved ,
Percent of tribal environmental 1 Baseline 15% Baseline
baseline information collected Framework
Number of TEAs or Tribes with 32 TEAs/Tribes 30 TEAs/Tribes
identified priorities
Conclusion
EPA will continue to build a sound program for environmental protection in
Indian country in a manner consistent with a government-to-government
relationship and the Federal trust responsibility to Indian Tribes. A concerted
effort to document baseline environmental conditions in Indian country will
provide a basis for measuring the environmental outcomes of the tribal/EPA
partnership for environmental protection. Continued progress in developing
Tribal/EPA Agreements or similar tribal environmental plans will provide a
blueprint for future activities to address priority environmental concerns,
Key PerformanceMeasures Verification
Twice each year, EPA updates an internal database on the number of Tribes
with delegated/approved environmental programs, the number of tribal
environmental programs that EPA has delegated/approved, and the number of
Tribal/EPA Environmental Agreements and the number of Tribes that have developed
similar plans for environmental protection.
As part of- the Agency effort to develop a strategy for conducting a
comprehensive environmental assessment of Indian Country, EPA will develop
mechanisms for measuring the amount of baseline environmental information
collected.
Statutory Authority
Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP) Act as amended (42 U.S.C.
4368b)
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Goal 5: Waste Management
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Goal 5: Better Waste Management and Restoration of Contaminated
Waste Sites V-l
Reduce or Control Risks to Human Health . V-7
Prevent Releases by Proper Facility Management . V-27
Respond to All Known Emergencies V-48
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Better Waste Management, Restoration of Contaminated Waste Sites,
and Emergency Response
Strategic Goal: America's wastes will 'be stored, treated, and disposed in ways
that prevent harm to people and to the natural environment. EPA will work to
clean up previously polluted .sites, restoring them to uses appropriate for
surrounding communities, and respond to and prevent waste-related or industrial
accidents.
Goal Summary
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Better Waste Management, $2,254,977.3 $1,636,785.3 $2,251,327.7
Restoration of Contaminated
Waste Sites, and Emergency
.Response
Obj . 01 Reduce or Control Risks $2,096,061.5 $1,491,429.1 $2, 091.,457.3
to Human Health
Obj. 02 Prevent Releases by
Proper Facility Management
Obj. 03 Respond to All Known
Emergencies
Goal Total FTE
$138,141.5 $126,471.5 $139,531.0
$20,774.3 $18,884.7 $20,339,4
4,348.1 4,373.6 4,304.1
Improper management of wastes can lead to fires, explosions, and
contamination of air, soil, and water. A frequent result of improper hazardous
waste disposal is the contamination of groundwater -- the source of drinking
water for nearly half of all Americans. At some waste sites, toxic vapors from
evaporating liquid wastes or chemical reactions contaminate the air. Pollutants,
such as metals, organic solvents, and oil, can damage vegetation, endanger
wildlife, and harm the health of people who live in nearby communities. In some
cases, toxic and hazardous .substances (including radioactive waste) are carried
far from their source by air, ground water, and surface water runoff into
streams, lakes, and rivers.
EPA* s efforts to control and restore releases of waste center on protecting
human health and the environment by applying the fastest, most effective waste
•management and cleanup methods available, while involving affected communities,
states, tribal governments, and municipalities in the decision-making process.
Different types of -waste require different means of treatment and disposal--what
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is suitable for one contaminant may be inappropriate for another. Cleaning up
abandoned or under-used industrial land demonstrates that economic, environmental
and social goals can be integrated so that -economic growth can improve, rather
than diminish, environmental quality.
EPA will use its statutory authority under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) ,
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 'Liability Act (CERCLA),
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean
Air Act (CAA) , and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) to
promptly monitor and respond to releases, accidents, or spills. EPA will help
ensure that places in America currently contaminated by hazardous waste no longer
endanger public health or the environment and are restored to uses desired by
surrounding communities. State, local, and other Federal agency efforts will be
integrated with EPA activities to reduce cleanup costs and revitalize
contaminated and abandoned private property for economic reuse.
In addition, EPA will focus on controlling human exposures and groundwater
releases at RCRA facilities designated as high priority for corrective actions.
Support for radioactively contaminated Superfund sites will be continued. EPA
research provides a technical foundation for decisions made in the environmental
cleanup programs. The full spectrum of EPA's cleanup programs will respond to
priority sites and releases in a, fast and effective manner, while maximizing the
participation of potentially responsible parties (PRPs) and other stakeholders
in the cleanup efforts.
The 1999 President's Budget provides $2,251,327,700 and 4,304 workyears for
this strategic goal, an increase of $614,542,400 and decrease of 70 workyears
from 1998. To meet this goal, EPA will continue to regulate existing waste
management practices at facilities defined under CERCLA, RCRA, OPA, CAA, CWA, and
EPCRA.
The resources requested in this budget will enable the Agency to meet a
number of important goals, the most significant of which include:
• Accelerate the pace of Superfund cleanups by completing 136 cleanups in
1999 and achieving 900 construction completions by the end of calendar year
2001.
• Address cost recovery at all NPL and non-NPL sites with a statute of
limitations on total past costs equal to or greater than $200,000.
• Obtain PRP commitments for 70% of the work conducted at new construction
starts at non-Federal facility sites on the NPL and emphasize fairness in
the settlement process.
• Fund brownfield site assessments in 100 additional communities, implement
10 brownfield showcase communities and sign agreements with 100 communities
to capitalize revolving loan funds.
• Complete 22,000 Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) cleanups.
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Approve 2,080 hazardous waste management facilities' (62 percent of
existing in the nation) controls in place to prevent dangerous releases to
air, soil, and groundwater.
Approve 1.53 hazardous waste management facilities (to approve a cumulative
62 percent of such existing facilities in the nation) to prevent dangerous
releases to air, soil, and groundwater.
Control human exposure to toxins at 127 RCRA sites (to address a cumulative
of 277 RCRA sites), and control groundwater releases at 69 high priority
RCRA sites (to address a cumulative of 144 such sites) .
Bring 400 new facilities into compliance with the Spill Prevention, Control
and Countermeasure (SPCC) provisions of the oil pollution regulations.
Demonstrate and verify the performance of 18 innovative technologies by
2001, emphasizing remediation and characterization of groundwater and
soils.
Complete prototype model for assessing cumulative exposure-risk assessment
integrating the environmental impact of multiple chemicals through multiple
media and pathways.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Reduceor Control Risks to Human Health
The 1999 President's Budget requests $ 2,091,457,300 and 3,494 workyears to
reach the Agency's objective of waste management, cleanup, and control of
releases. This objective includes the following resources: Superfund,
$1,926,599,800; Environmental Program & Management, $56,139,200; Leaking
Underground Storage Tanks, $69,122,200; State and Tribal Assistance Grants,
$32,700,600; Science and Technology, $5,935,600; and Oil Spills, $959,900.
In 1996, President Clinton announced a national commitment to protect
communities from toxic pollution by accelerating toxic waste cleanup. In 1999,
the Superfund program will support this initiative by doubling the pace of
Superfund cleanups. This effort will achieve 900 construction completions,
approximately two-thirds of the National Priorities List (NPL), by the end of
calendar year 2001. This initiative not only puts contaminated sites back into
productive use but protects our children and our communities from exposure to
uncontrolled toxic waste releases. EPA seeks to partner with other Federal
agencies, state, local, tribal governments, and the communities to more
effectively address and leverage on-going cleanup efforts. Through this
investment, the Agency restates its emphasis on risk reduction by addressing the
growing backlog of site cleanups and accelerating the pace of Superfund
construction completions. The Agency requests a total of $1,630,679,800 for
Superfund .response.
EPA will pursue violators and responsible parties to maximize PRP
participation in site cleanup* Maintaining a PRP participation rate of 70%
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preserves fund dollars for sites where there is no viable PRP. At the same time,
EPA will promote enforcement fairness, especially for small contributors to
sites, will reduce third party transaction costs, and will recover the
government's cost for site cleanup. A total of $164,725,500 is requested for
Superfund enforcement.
The brownf ield pilot program has demonstrated that cleaning up abandoned or
under-used contaminated land and supporting new business growth can have
significant payoffs. Building on the pilot program, EPA will continue to combine
Federal, state, local and private sector efforts to restore contaminated property
to economic reuse and reduce cleanup costs. In 1999, EPA will fund brownfield
site assessments in 100 additional communities in order to reach the Agency's
commitment of 300 communities by the year 2000, support 10 brownfield showcase
communities, and sign agreements with 100 communities to capitalize revolving
loan funds. In some cases, parties interested in developing such properties are
concerned about the presence of contamination and the attendant potential
liabilities (including Federal Superfund liability). EPA will address liability
barriers in the brownfield program by issuing comfort/status letters or
prospective purchaser agreements in appropriate instances which will facilitate
sustainable redevelopment of these properties. The Agency is requesting
$91,366,200 to fund brownfield activities.
The Agency will assist in the cleanup of 22,000 Leaking Underground Storage
Tanks (LUST) in 1999. States have reported that leaking underground storage
tanks are the leading source of groundwater pollution, and petroleum is the most
prevalent contaminant. Resources provided by EPA support oversight and cleanup
of petroleum releases from underground storage tanks when the owner/operator is
unknown, unwilling, or unable to perform the cleanup. EPA's goal is to ensure
rapid and effective responses to releases from underground storage tanks
containing petroleum and to restore contaminated sites to beneficial use. The
Agency requests a total of $69,122,200 for the LUST program.
The RCRA Corrective Action Program will take remedial action at operating
hazardous 'waste facilities in the event of an uncontrolled release. The most
serious contamination problems occur when releases migrate off-site,
contaminating public and private drinking water supplies, wetlands, and other
sensitive ecosystems. These sites are the program's highest priority. Efforts
to help tribal governments develop hazardous waste management and municipal solid
waste programs will expand in 1999. The Agency requests $6,433,600 for RCRA
tribal activities. Intergovernmental information and resource sharing will be
facilitated through a range of mechanisms including forums, university-level
courses, professional training, Internet sites, and circuit riders in partnership
with other Federal agencies, states, local communities and of course the tribes
themselves.
Preventing Releases by Proper Facility Management
The 1999 President's Budget requests $139,531,000 and 686 workyears to
reach its objective for preventing releases by proper facility management.
Dangerous releases to the environment are responsible for causing illnesses
to the public, especially to sensitive populations such as children, the elderly
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and individuals with chronic diseases. Dangerous releases to the environment are
also responsible for polluting soil, air, and groundwater which may lead to
costly cleanups and environmental mitigation. In 1999, the RCRA program will
focus on reducing risks of exposures to hazardous wastes using a combination of
regulations, permits and voluntary standards and programs. EPA will continue to
concentrate on minimizing the quantity and toxicity of waste, reducing
administrative burdens on states and industry, and preventing accidental releases
of hazardous substances.
The Underground Storage Tanks program will continue to focus on promoting
and enforcing compliance with regulatory requirements aimed at preventing and
detecting US'T releases. EPA will also approve additional states to operate
their own programs in lieu of the Federal program. Currently 24 states and the
District of Columbia have state program approval.
As the Oil Prevention Program implements a comprehensive approach to
integrate prevention, preparedness, and response, efforts will be made to reduce
the risk of oil spills from facilities which pose human health, ecological, and
economic risks. In 1999, the number of facilities brought into compliance with
the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC) provisions of the oil
prevention regulation will be doubled. Also in 1999, the Agency will increase
assistance to Indian Tribes by identifying problems and developing and improving
response plans in the event of oil spills.
The Agency will also, using information from facility Risk Management Plans
(RMPs), develop a chemical risk information system in coordination with industry
to prevent chemical releases into the environment. EPA will also concentrate on
implementing the RMP program -at the state level. The Agency assists Local
Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) by facilitating access and use of the RMP
information database and provide technical assistance grants to develop accident
preparedness and prevention programs.
RespondingtoEmergencies
The 1999 President's Budget requests $20,339,400 and 124 workyears for
promoting effective response to chemical and radiological accidents, terrorist
events and oil spills.
Hazardous chemical releases have caused billions of dollars in property
damage, serious damage to the environment and hundreds of deaths and injuries
during the past 30 years. In 1999, EPA will support efforts to prevent, prepare
for and respond to chemical accidents and terrorist events involving chemical
releases by providing guidance and assistance to state and local governments and
industry; assisting in removing immediate health threats; and providing
information on chemical hazards and risks to state and communities. The Agency
is currently performing many of its investigative functions concerning chemical
accidents. The continuation of these activities is -uncertain with the recent
establishment of a Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.
Each year over 12,000 oil spills occur, with well over half of them being
in inland waters (EPA's area of responsibility). Working with state and local
governments and industry, EPA is ensuring the effective and immediate removal of
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discharges (or substantial threat of a .discharge) of oil.. The Agency will also
continue to work with state and local governments on oil spill prevention,
preparedness, and enforcement activities. Of particular concern in 1999 is
improving the area contingency plans, especially those for environmentally and
economically important areas. These plans .integrate prevention, preparedness,
and response by' coordinating regional resources with logistics. The Agency
requests $3,820,900 for contingency planning and improving the quantity • and
quality of data used, resulting in a more effective and efficient response to oil
spills.
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Better Waste Management, Restoration of Contaminated Waste
Sites, and Emergency Response
Objective #1: Reduce or Control Risks to Human Health
By 2005, EPA and its partners will reduce or control the risks to human
health and the environment at over 375,000 contaminated Superfund, RCRA, DST, and
brownfield sites. (Total comprises 1,200 NPL and 480 non-NPL sites; 2,475 RCRA
facilities; 370,000 LUST cleanups initiated or completed; and 1,500 brownfield
properties.)
Overview
'This objective ensures that all Americans are safe from exposure to
hazardous waste, through emergency removal response actions, and fast and
effective cleanup of priority sites and releases. The number of sites cleaned
up by Superfund response, RCRA corrective action, LUST corrective action, and the
brownfield program are added together in the site total for this objective. The
Agency requests a total of $2,091,457,300 and 3,494 workyears.
The Super fund Program
Contamination from uncontrolled releases at hazardous waste sites threatens
human health, the environment, and the economic: vitality of local communities.
Sites with contaminated soils and groundwater occur nationally in large numbers,
many of them urban areas, where they are often accessible to children or present
exposure to disadvantaged populations. Nationwide there are more than 200,000
sites with groundwater releases; some plumes extend thousands of feet in length.
There are an estimated 300,000 sites with releases into soils. Once
contaminated, groundwater and soils are extremely difficult and costly to clean
up, and some sites will require decades to clean up.
To reduce and control these hazards, the Superfund program: (1) assesses
sites to determine whether they meet the criteria for Federal Superfund response
actions; (2) prevents, minimizes or mitigates significant threats at Superfund
sites through removal actions; (3) completes construction at sites (including
Federal facilities) listed on the National Priorities List (NPL); (4) maximizes
potentially responsible parties (PRP) participation in conducting/funding
response actions while promoting fairness in the enforcement process; (5)
recovers costs from PRPs when EPA expends funds from the Superfund Trust Fund;
(6) generates accurate risk assessment and cost-performance data critical to
providing the technical foundation for decisions made in environmental cleanup
programs; (7) develops technologies for cost-effective characterization and
remediation; (8) works with the surrounding communities to improve their direct
involvement in every phase of the cleanup process and their- understanding of
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potential site risk; and, (9) enhances the role of states and tribes in
implementation of the Superfund program.
Priorities for this objective include implementing the President's
initiative to accelerate the pace of Superfund construction completions and to
identify and reduce barriers to the beneficial reuse of brownfield sites. The
Agency's efforts to control Superfund releases begin when states, tribes,
citizens, other Federal agencies, or other sources notify EPA of a potential or
confirmed hazardous waste site or incident. EPA confirms this information,
places sites requiring Federal attention in the Agency's Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability .Information System (CERCLIS)
database, and evaluates site data to determine whether sites need immediate
removal action and/or placement on the .NPL for long-term cleanup. If no further
Federal action is appropriate, the Agency removes the site from the inventory and
may refer the site to state or tribal environmental authorities for further
attention if warranted. In the case of Federal facilities, sites are placed on
the Federal Facility Hazardous Waste Docket for assessment. Within this
objective, the Agency is requesting a total of $118,038,100 for CERCLA Site
Assessment.
Removal authority under CERCLA is used by the Agency to prevent, reduce
or mitigate threats posed by releases or potential releases of hazardous
pollutants in emergency and non-emergency situations. EPA continues to use
removal response actions at: (l) emergency incidents where response is necessary
within a matter of hours (e.g., threats of fire or explosion) ; (2) time-critical
removals at NPL sites to make these sites safe from immediate threats while they
await remedial action; (3) time-critical removals at non-NPL sites posing major
public health and environmental threats; and (4) non-time critical removals at
both NPL and non-NPL sites to promote quicker and less costly cleanup. Sites
known to pose the greatest potential risk to public health and the environment
receive priority. The Agency is requesting a total of .$307,694,300 for removal
action activities.
Where Federal long-term cleanup response is warranted under CERCLA, EPA
ensures that the nature of the problem is understood, that the sites are being-
addressed, that appropriate cleanup alternatives are considered, and that
affected communities and other stakeholders are provided meaningful opportunities
for involvement. To aid in understanding the risks posed by groundwater and soil
contaminants and the processes that govern contaminant transport and fate, EPA
conducts: (1) exposure assessment research to reduce uncertainties associated
with sampling and analysis and reduce time and cost associated with site
characterization; (2) .risk assessment research that will evaluate the magnitude
of the risks posed, multiply pathway exposures, the bioavailability of adsorbed
contaminants and treatment residual, and toxicological properties of contaminant
mixtures; and (3) risk management research to develop and demonstrate more
effective and less costly remediation technologies. To help understand air
contamination issues, EPA continues to focus on: (1) development of Federal
guidance on assessments of human exposure to radiation; (2) unique field and
laboratory expertise designed to measure, assess and test models, methodologies,
and sources of data; and (3) assessment of existing and proposed technologies
which can be used to cleanup sites which contain radioactive waste or mixed
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waste. The Agency requests $5,935,600 for science and technology activities
within this objective.
Site restoration work begins with site characterization and a feasibility
study to review site conditions and proposals for future land use. This forms
the foundation for the Record of Decision (ROD) and remedy selection. Public
involvement is a key component in selecting the proper remedy at a site. A
remedial action is performed upon approval of the remedial design and represents
the actual construction or other work necessary to implement the remedy selected.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation assist
EPA in implementing most high-cost, Trust Fund-financed remedial actions and
provide on-site technical expertise. EPA is committed to increasing the number
of performance based service contracting pilot programs in the Superfund program.
Many sites have more than one operable unit and each unit goes through the
process from study to cleanup. Once the cleanup construction is completed at an
operable unit, operation and maintenance activities are maintained to ensure
cleanup methods work properly and the site remedy continues to be effective.
After construction completion, the final phase in long-term restoration is
five-year performance reviews to ensure the continued protectiveness of the
remedy. A total of $1,023,163,200 is requested within this objective for long-
term remediation work. The various cleanup stages and activities allow the
Agency to quickly mitigate immediate threats to public health and the
environment, develop and implement effective cleanup decisions, and eventually
remove sites from the NPL.
The Agency maximizes potentially responsible party (PRP) participation in
conducting/funding clean up actions while promoting fairness in the enforcement
process. In addition, EPA addresses cost recovery at 100% of all NPL and non-NPL
sites with total past costs equal to or greater than $200,000. Those sites need
to be addressed prior to expiration of the statute of limitations, and PRP
compliance with orders and consent decrees at Federal and non-Federal facilities
must be ensured. Liability concerns are also addressed by the Agency to
facilitate the reuse of contaminated properties. Within this objective, the
Agency is requesting a total of $79,701,700 for Enforcement Fairness activities.
The Agency is committed to involving citizens in the site cleanup process.
Superfund community relation's effort is based on two-way communication designed
not only to keep citizens informed about site progress, but also to give them
opportunity to input into site decisions. Through outreach efforts, such as
holding public meetings, providing communities with financial assistance to hire
technical consultants to assist them in understanding the problems and potential
solutions to the contamination problems, and distributing site-specific fact
sheets, the Agency strives to create a decision-making process to cleanup sites
that the communities feel is open and legitimate, and improves the communities'
understanding of potential risk at the hazardous waste sites. The Agency is
requesting a total of $27,798,000 for community involvement outreach efforts.
States and tribes are key partners in the cleanup of Superfund hazardous
waste sites. Under Superfund, EPA can authorize the state or tribe to carry out
a Fund-financed response. Or, in some cases, the state or tribe may also operate
as a support agency. In this role, they hold some key responsibilities and
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perform specific parts of the cleanup, but they do not take on a major portion
of the task for the response. To support their involvement, the Agency provides
financial support through cooperative agreements to conduct removal, site
assessment, remedial, and enforcement projects and core infrastructure activities
that are important in administering state and tribal programs. A total of
$31,716,500 is requested for assistance activities to states and tribes.
Other Federal agencies (OFAs) contribute to this objective by providing
essential .services in areas where EPA doe.s not possess the needed Superfund
specialized expertise. Contributors include the Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry (ATSDR) , the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the
Department of Interior, the United States Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency
Management Agency. Some of the essential services performed by these Federal
agencies include the following: (1) ATSDR conducts public health assessments
at NPL and non-NPL sites,- maintains toxicology databases for chemicals found at
sites,- and provides health education to health care providers, local and national
health organizations, and state and local health departments; (2) NIEHS manages
a worker training grants program which trains workers who are, or may be, working
with hazardous waste and funds a basic research program which focuses on
assessing the impacts of complex chemical mixtures on humans; and (3) DOJ plays
a critical role in Superfund's "Enforcement First" strategy and continues to
litigate and settle cleanup agreements and cost recovery cases as well as seek
civil and criminal penalties if necessary. A total of $150,683,200 is requested
for OFA activities.
Implementing the President's brownfields initiative is a top priority under
this objective. The Agency encourages assessment, cleanup and reuse of
under-used and abandoned properties where expansion or .reuse is complicated by
real or perceived environmental contamination. Economic changes over several
decades have left communities with contaminated properties and abandoned sites.
Concerns about environmental cleanup, infrastructure declines and changing
development priorities have worsened the situation. The result is the brownfield
challenge -- how to reverse these trends and bring properties back into use for
the benefit of their communities.
The Agency provides grants of up to $200,000 per community for site
assessment, site inventory, site characterization, and planning. The Agency also
performs targeted site assessments in communities that are not successful in
competing for an assessment pilot. Communities completing their Brownfields
pilot assessment activities can seek EPA grants of up to $350,000 each to
capitalize revolving loan funds for cleanup activities. These pilots are being
used to develop and disseminate information on cleanup strategies and
redevelopment. EPA also supports expansion of job training and workforce
development activities as well as working with a number of other Federal agencies
to form a consolidated approach to brownfields problems and highlight integrated
Federal brownfield efforts at showcase communities.
Funding to support the expansion, enhancement and development of State
voluntary cleanup programs (VCPs) is an important part of the Superfund program.
EPA provides both monetary and technical assistance to states and tribes
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developing and enhancing VCPs, which are vital to address the contaminated sites
which do not require Federal action but need cleanup. EPA believes that building
strong and effective state/tribal programs/ such as VCPs, will also complement
efforts to address the cleanup of brownfields properties because their properties
will generally be cleaned up under state authority. To assist this effort, the
brownf ields initiative is also providing additional funding for VCPs. The Agency
is requesting a total of $91,366,200 for Agency brownfield activities.
The Superfund Federal Facilities Base Realignment and Base Closure (BRAG)
program focuses on EPA's ability to facilitate the reuse and redevelopment of
property where the Federal government has decided that the property is no'longer
of use. The end of the cold war reduced the need for military bases and nuclear
production facilities; consequently, the Federal government is disposing of
property to reduce operation and maintenance expenses while protecting the
livelihood of the local communities. The Federal facility program plays a key
role in these efforts through its review and concurrence finding that properties
are environmentally suitable for transfer, either by deed or lease.
The RCRAProgram
Under RCRA, EPA and authorized states are required to clean up
environmental contamination at approximately 4,000 sites across the country where
hazardous wastes are being stored, treated, or disposed. The scope of
contamination varies at these sites, but many are comparable in complexity and
environmental threats to Superfund sites on the NPL, and most require extensive
remediation activities, Ensuring that releases are assessed and controlled at
these sites is critical in protecting human health and the environment.
Discretionary cleanup authority under RCRA is being increasingly used to address
hazardous waste releases at sites other than traditional RCRA facilities. In
addition, EPA strives to ensure public participation in all aspects of waste
programs and fosters state implementation of both the solid waste and hazardous
waste programs by facilitating review and approval/authorization of state
programs.
Basic RCRA cleanup standards, established by EPA, define waste management
practices not only at RCRA corrective action sites but also at Superfund
cleanups. Controlling contaminant releases and human exposures is central to the
ongoing work of the RCRA corrective action program. Efforts to streamline the
corrective action program continue through regulatory, policy, and implementation
actions. In 1999, the Agency will begin implementing a major program
improvement, a contaminated media rule finalized in 1998 which establishes a new
regulatory framework for managing remediation wastes generated during hazardous
waste cleanups. While actual cost savings will depend on the particular approach
taken in the final rule, EPA estimates that the total savings will range from
$1.2 billion to $1.5 billion a year. In addition, in 1999, the Agency will
finalize the Subpart S rule, streamlining procedures using a performance standard
approach. EPA is also identifying impediments within the RCRA program to
brownfield cleanups. The Agency is requesting $41,300,000 for controlling risks
at high priority facilities.
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The liPST Program
By the end of 1999, the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) program and
its partners will have cleaned up a cumulative total of 220,000 contaminated
sites. Through the end of September 1997, approximately 178,000 cleanups have
been completed. EPA expects approximately 20,000 additional LUST cleanups to be
completed in 1998 and approximately 22,000 LUST cleanups will be completed in
1999. Within this objective, the Agency is requesting a total of $69,122,200
for cleaning up UST contamination.
In 1994, states reported (under Section 305 (b) of the Clean Water Act) that
Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) are the most common source of groundwater
contamination and that petroleum is the most common contaminant. Nearly all UST
releases involve gasoline, which contains, among other things, a known human
carcinogen (benzene) and sometimes contains a possible human carcinogen (MTBE).
MTBE is highly soluble and mobile and, based on existing knowledge, apparently
does not readily biodegrade. Also, because relatively low levels of MTBE make
water unpalatable, MTBE contamination damages drinking water supplies even when
it does not pose health risks. Resources provided by the Agency to the states
support oversight and cleanup of petroleum releases from USTs when the owner or
operator Is unknown, unwilling, or unable to perform the cleanup. UST releases
sometimes have resulted in fires and explosions and entry of harmful fumes into
schools, homes, and other buildings.
Most of the Agency's LUST resources are provided directly to states and
Indian tribes primarily to support oversight of cleanups by responsible parties.
The Agency uses most of its remaining resources to support state LUST programs
with targeted training and technical assistance. The Agency's goal is to ensure
rapid and effective responses to releases from underground storage tanks
containing petroleum and to restore contaminated sites to beneficial use- The
Agency' s highest priority in the underground storage tank program over the next
several years will be to reduce the backlog of confirmed releases waiting to be
cleaned up. To expedite reduction of the backlog and help states make more
efficient use of their resources (including state funds that reimburse some UST
owners and operators for a portion of their cleanup costs), the Agency will
continue efforts to design and implement risk-based corrective adtion (RBCA)
programs. The Agency will, in collaboration with other Agency programs, evaluate
the risks and identify techniques for cleanup of MTBE, a gasoline component found
with increasing frequency at LUST sites. EPA will continue to promote and
investigate alternative site investigation and remediation technologies (e.g.,
natural attenuation). The Agency will provide guidance on cleaning up releases
in difficult remediation scenarios (fractured bedrock, karst) and on determining
the maximum extent practicable for removing free product. Responsibility for
implementation of the corrective action program on Indian lands remains primarily
with the Agency.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy by the Office of General Counsel. This may include
advice, participation in the development of Agency actions, document review, and
the conduct of defensive litigation.
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 01 Reduce or Control Risks $2,096,061.5 $1,491,429.1 $2,091,457.3
to Human Health
Environmental Program & . $52,257.3 $49,107.3 $56,139.2
Management
Science and Technology $5,227.1 . $5,218.7 $5,935.6
State and Tribal Assistance $32,700.6 $32,700.6 $32,700.6
Grants
Leaking Underground Storage $59,156.5 $63,151.3 $69,122.2
Tanks
Oil Spill Response $1,015.1 $1,048.0 $959.9
Hazardous Substance Superfund $1,935,704.9 $1,340,203.2 $1,926,599.8
Total FTE 3,545.3 3,562.0 3,494.2
1999 Annual Performance Goals
* In 1999, 22,000 LUST Cleanups will be completed under the supervision of
EPA and its State, Local and Tribal partners.
• In 1999, 127 High Priority RCRA sites will have human exposure to toxins
controlled for a cumulative total of 277 (18%) .
• In 1999, EPA and its partners will conduct 335 Superfund removal response
actions.
• In 1999, EPA and its partners will make final Superfund site assessment
decisions on .530 sites.
• In 1999, EPA will complete construction at 136 Superfund NPL sites.
* In 1999, EPA will sign 100 brownfields Site Assessment Co-op agreements.
• In 1999, EPA will sign 100 Cooperative Agreements to Capitalize Revolving
Loan funds.
• In 1999, 69 High Priority RCRA sites will have toixc releases to
groundwater controlled for a cumulative of 144 (10%).
• In 1999, EPA will survey 25 additional state and tribal communities (for a
total of 50 surveys in 1999) to measure the effectiveness of EPA's
Superfund community outreach program.
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• In 1999, EPA will support 10 brownfields Showcase Communities.
• In 1999, EPA will continue to enhance the role of states and tribes in
Superfund. .States and tribes will conduct 210 site assessments, select' 5
Fund-led remedies, and lead cleanup at 7 NPL sites.
• Obtain PRP commitments for 70% of the work conducted at new construction
starts of non-Federal facility sites on the NPL and emphasize fairness in
the settlement process.
• Continue to make formerly contaminated parcels of land available for
residential, commercial, & industrial reuse by addressing liability
concerns through the issuance of comfort letters and prospective purchaser
agreements.
• Ensure trust fund stewardship by recovering costs from PRPs when EPA
expends trust fund monies.
• By 2001, demonstrate/verify performance of 18 innovative technologies
emphasizing those applicable to the remediation and characterization of
groundwater, soils, and Brownfields sites.
• By 2005, develop and evaluate risk management options for remediation of
sites, including Brownfields contaminated by metals, PAHs, NAPLs and
chlorinated solvents.
• By 2002, evaluate applicability of natural attenuation and risk-based
management goals to the clean up of contaminated sites.
• By 1999, develop risk assessment methods, models, factors and databases
that describe key exposure parameters, human activity patterns, and dose
response toxicity relationships.
The overarching goal of EPA's cleanup programs is to protect human health
and the environment through fast and effective cleanup of priority sites and
releases. EPA tracks a number of measures of progress in providing long-term
protection at contaminated Superfund sites including the number of sites cleaned
up each year by EPA, state and tribal partners, and PRP participation. These
measures will bring early risk reduction to contaminated sites throughout the
nation. Because site cleanup activities can take months or years to complete,
some 1999 accomplishments were funded, in part or in full, in prior years. In
addition some of the activities funded in 1999 will count as accomplishments in
future years.
In 1996, President Clinton announced a national commitment to protect
communities from toxic pollution through accelerating toxic waste cleanup. In
1999, the Superfund program will meet these aggressive goals by doubling the pace
of site cleanup construction. This effort will result in 900 construction
completions by the end of calendar year 2001, approximately two-thirds of the
sites on the NPL. To accomplish this goal, the Superfund program plans to: (1)
assess 530 sites to determine whether they require Superfund cleanup action; (2)
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conduct 335 Superfund emergency, time critical, and non-time critical removal
response actions at both NPL and non-NPL sites; (3) complete construction at 136
NPL sites in a cost effective and timely manner; (4) continue to measure
citizens' perception of whether the cleanup decision-making" process is open and
legitimate and citizens' understanding of the potential risk associated with the
site by administering 50 survey instruments; and (5) continue to enhance the role
of states and tribes in the implementation of the Superfund program by
encouraging their participation in assessing 210 sites to determine if the sites
require Federal Superfund cleanup actions, selecting 5 remedies and assuming lead
at 7 operable units at NPL sites.
Community outreach and participation address the need for citizens to be
educated and involved in decisions concerning their environment. The Superfund
program will continue to hold public meetings; provide communities financial
assistance to hire technical consultants who assist them in understanding the
problems at the sites and the proposed solutions to the contamination problems;
and distribute fact sheets on the sites. The Federal Facilities program will
encourage citizen involvement by working with other Federal agencies to establish
100 Restoration Advisory Boards(RABs) and Site Specific Advisory
Boards(SSABs)within the Superfund program. Within the RCRA program, public
opinion can impact the permitting process of new, renewal and/or modifications
to facilities in local communities. Similarly, public involvement and
opportunities to comment on potential remediation measures are integral to the
corrective action process. Activities include public participation during
regional and state RCRA permitting and corrective action activities -public
notices, meetings, outreach, handbooks and websites -as well as public
participation training and guidance development by EPA.
The Agency will pursue violators and responsible parties to maximize PRP
participation in site restoration. Superfund. reforms will continue to be
implemented to increase fairness, reduce transaction costs (especially to small
contributors) and promote economic redevelopment. Cost recovery wi'll be pursued
to recoup monies expended from the Trust Fund from viable responsible parties.
in addition, EPA will encourage economic redevelopment by bringing contaminated
sites into productive use, enhancing the roles of states and Indian tribes, and
ensuring environmental justice.
The brownfields pilot program has demonstrated that cleaning up abandoned
or under-used contaminated land can have significant'payoffs. Building on the
pilot program, EPA will continue to partner with other Federal, state, local, .and
private sector efforts to restore contaminated property to economic reuse. In
1999, EPA will sign 100 site assessment cooperative agreements, provide 30 cities
with targeted site assessment, implement 10 showcase communities, and sign 100
cooperative agreements to capitalize revolving loan funds. The Ageney will also
provide information and tools and develop model practices and policies to be used
by local governments, developers and transportation officials in their pursuit
to redevelop brownfiel.d properties,
The current base research program focuses on exposure assessment,
characterization, risk assessment, .and risk management. Under the exposure area,
research is needed: to reduce uncertainties associated with ground water/soil
sampling and analysis; to develop methods and models of contaminant transport;
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and, to reduce the time and cost associated with site characterization and the
site remediation activities that it guides. Subsurface characterization of
ground water research will focus on the development and evaluation of surface-
based, non-invasive, geophysical technologies. In the area of field sampling and
screening, analytical methods research will .continue to focus on: 1) more
effective technologies and approaches that can eventually be used to perform
analysis in the field; 2) those that can .determine pollutants that are
intractable by conventional EPA methods; as well as, 3} those that improve risk
assessments by providing specific information on the most hazardous forms of
pollutants.
In the risk assessment area, research works toward producing credible and
scientifically defensible assessments of risks from contaminated ground water at
waste sites. To estimate human exposure and delivered dose for contaminated
soils, the Agency will develop methodologies and factors that will enable risk
assessors to develop an accurate quantitative estimate of the amount of
contaminant found in the soil matrix that is eventually toxicologically available
at the site of action to a human receptor.
Risk management research works to develop new methods to extract and/or
treat the contaminants in ground water and soil, particularly for hard-to-treat
contaminants and contaminated matrices. Increasing effort is focused on low-
cost, in situ technologies to reduce exposure to humans and ecosystems. Ground
water research is focussed on natural .attenuation, active bioremediation
technologies, abiotic treatment, and containment. Soils research covers the same
range of technologies as ground water, including active and passive biological
treatment processes, abiotic treatment, and containment. Additionally, ORD also
provides technical support to EPA program offices in many of the aforementioned
areas.of research.
EPA is required by RCRA and the Indian Environmental General Assistance
Program ACT (IEGAPA) to promote the protection of health and the environment by
providing technical and financial assistance to states, Federally recognized
tribes, and local governments to assure that solid and hazardous waste is
properly managed. EPA will enhance the roles of states through authorization of
their Subtitle C hazardous waste management programs and approval of their
Subtitle D municipal solid waste permit programs. To do so, EPA will: implement
recently streamlined procedures for state authorization and continue to explore
improvement options as well as present authorization training programs; issue
final .regulations and -updated guidance for approval of state solid waste permit
programs; and continue to work with states to develop guidance for the voluntary
enhancement of industrial solid waste management programs. Within the STAG
appropriation, the Agency is requesting authorization to enter into assistance
grants with Federally recognized Indian Tribes for the same purposees as set
forth in RCRA Section 3011.
Efforts to help tribal governments develop hazardous waste management and
municipal solid waste programs will expand in 1999. Intergovernmental
information and resource sharing will be facilitated through a range of
mechanisms including forums, university-level courses, professional training,
Internet sites, and circuit riders in partnership with other Federal agencies,
states, local communities and of course the tribes themselves. Technical and
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financial assistance will be provided, including assistance agreements with
tribes for the same purposes as set forth in RCRA Section 9003(h)(7). EPA will
develop and implement an alternative method of providing flexibility to owners
and operators of municipal solid waste landfills in Indian lands similar to the
flexibility afforded in states with approved permit programs. The full range of
environmental problems is present on tribal lands, from prior use issues such as
contaminated soil and water, to current use issues and planning, most prominently
solid waste management concerns. Working with tribes offers real tests of the
Agency's new community-based, multi-media approach as the program consolidates
efforts and works to use limited resources efficiently.
The most serious pollution problems at RCRA facilities occur when releases
migrate off-site, contaminating public and private drinking water supplies and,
in a number of cases, endangering wetlands and other sensitive ecosystems.
Controlled human exposures and groundwater releases are results that can be
achieved through interim measures, such as stabilization activities, or through
a final remedy. Although these results are important milestones for cleanup
programs, achieving these results does not imply that the long-term risks
associated with contamination at the facility are controlled or that a facility
is cleaned up. Even after achieving these milestones, facilities are required
to continue with stabilization and/or remedy implementation until the final
cleanup standards have been met. To increase flexibility and assist states in
corrective actions, EPA is working with states to promote the use of alternate
state authorities (e.g., state Superfund programs) at RCRA facilities, where
appropriate.
The .Agency's corrective action activities encompass regulation reform,
streamlining and reinvention projects that will improve the implementation of the
program. The hazardous waste identification rule (HWIR), to be promulgated in
1998, will establish common sense processes for handling the wastes to be removed
or treated as part of a cleanup. The Subpart S initiative seeks to streamline
the corrective action process to conduct faster, more appropriate cleanups,
saving resources for industry, the states, and the Agency. Activities will also
include a wide range of Community Based Environmental Projects (CBEP) and
technical assistance to the states. Also in 1999, the Corrective Action program
will move into the next phase of participation in the Agency's Environmental
Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) initiative as a way
to demonstrate the environmental progress facilities have made in a
user-friendly, but still scientifically valid, manner. In partnership with the
State of New Jersey, the program is creating a system of computer-accessible maps
displaying corrective action sites, the location of contamination and the extent
of cleanup to date..
The Agency's LUST program, through the end of 1997, has reported more than
341,000 releases. Of that number,.292,000 cleanups had been initiated, of which
178,000 had been completed. The Agency expects a cumulative total of 370,000 to
be initiated or completed by 2005. Approximately 1,000 releases on Indian lands
have been reported and the Agency expects more than 1,000 additional releases
will be reported as owners and operators come into compliance with the 1998
requirements. The Agency anticipates, however, that many owners and operators
on Indian lands will not have the .financial resources to pay for cleanups and
additional funding will be needed to pay for cleanups on these lands. Within the
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LUST appropriation, the Agency is requesting authorization to enter into
assistance agreements with Federally recognized Indian Tribes for the same
purposes as set forth in RCRA Section 9003(h)(7),
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• In 1998, 20,000 LUST cleanups will be completed under the supervision of
EPA and its State, Local and Tribal partners.
• In 1998, 150 (10%) High Priority RCRA sites will have human exposures to
toxins controlled.
• In 1998, EPA and its partners will conduct 300 Superfund removal response
actions. >
• In 1998, EPA and its partners will make final Superfund site assessment
decisions on 630 sites.
• In 1998, EPA will complete construction at 87 Superfund NPL sites*
• In 1998, EPA will sign 100 brownfields Site Assessment Co-op agreements.
• In 1998, EPA will sign 100 Cooperative Agreements to Capitalize Revolving
Loan funds.
• In 1998, EPA will support 10 brownfields Showcase Communities.
• .In 1998, 75 (5%) High Priority RCRA sites will have toxin releases to
groundwater controlled.
* In 1998, EPA will survey 25 state and tribal communities to measure the
effectiveness of EPA's Superfund community outreach program,
• Ensure trust fund stewardship by recovering costs from PRPs when EPA
expends trust fund monies.
* Obtain PRP commitments for 70% of the work conducted at new construction
starts of non-Federal facility sites on the NPL and emphasize fairness in
the settlement process.
• Continue to make formerly contaminated parcels of land available .for
residential, commercial, and industrial reuse by addressing liability
concerns through Prospective Purchaser Agreements.
• Establish a baseline for evaluating perspective purchaser agreements and
comfort letters.
• By 1998, develop and evaluate innovative characterization, and risk
management options for contaminated groundwater and soils under the SITE
program.
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By 1998, develop risk assessment methods, factors, and databases as
described, and dose response toxicity relationships.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
01 Obj . Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
Science and Tech. - Reim
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Oil Spill Response
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Dollars
$600,028.2
$7,031.9
$716.9
$5,970,9
$(88.1)
$586,396.6
FTE
(67.8)
(5.6)
0.1
(30.0)
0.0
0.0
(32.3)
(+$5:94,051,400 Superfund) Supports the President's commitment to
accelerate Superfund cleanups and achieve 900 construction completions by
the end of calendar year 2001. This initiative will protect our children
and our communities from exposure to uncontrolled toxic waste releases and
restore contaminated sites to productive use. The additional resources
requested support long-term media restoration, early action to remediate
'risk, engineering/technical 'analysis and response management .activities.
All of these activities are integral and essential to the cleanup of NPL
sites.
(-$10,000,000 Superfund) The Agency's request reflects the 1998
President's budget level for ATSDR and does not sustain the $10,000,000
Congressional add-on in the 1998 enacted budget. This request provides an
appropriate level of funding for 1999 given large number of NPL sites that
have been completed or are entering the final stages of cleanup
construction.
(-$9,473,300 Superfund) The Agency's request reflects the 1998
President's budget level for NIEHS and does not sustain the $9,473,300
Congressional add-on in the 1998 enacted budget. Given the maturity of
the Superfund program, with cleanup decisions and actual cleanup being
completed more and more sites, there are fewer sites that can benefit from
NIEHS's .ongoing .basic research activities. This request reflects the
Administration's emphasis on completing cleanup construction and provides
an appropriate level of funding for NIEHS research activities in 1999.
The Agency is redirecting $1,100,000 in Superfund. programmatic resources
from OSWER to OAR to fund lab analysis which OAR performs in support of
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the Super-fund program. This support is typically provided at mixed waste
site and other complex sites where radioactive contaminants are present.
• The Agency is redirecting Superfund resources into two important areas
which support our Federal facility activities: (1) implementation of EPA's
Munitions Rule and DOD's Range Rule (5 FTE, $1,400,000); and (2) increased
efforts to involve Tribes in the environmental restoration process at
Federal facilities (5 FTE, $1,400,000). Resources are being redirected
from the early stages of the Response pipeline and RI/FS oversight at
Federal facilities.
• The Agency is redirecting Superfund resources to OSWER's Technology
Innovation Office for two initiatives: (1) $750,000 to establish
Technical Support Centers for local community outreach; and (.2) $500,000
for the Advanced Monitoring Initiative.
• (-$2,767,800 Superfund) Contracts reduced to support other Agency
priorities.
• (+$2,400,600 LUST) To assist tribes implement Leaking Underground Storage
Tank (LUST) requirements. The Agency anticipates being able to conduct
approximately 50 site assessments, 10 remediations,.and provide 10 grants
to assist Tribes develop the capability to address leaking underground
storage tanks.
• (+$2,400,000 LUST) For direct support to states primarily to oversee
cleanups of responsible parties. The Agency anticipates that states will
be able to complete approximately 22,000 cleanups and initiate
approximately 27,000 cleanups.
• (-$373,000 EPM) RCRA regional decrease in Working Capital Fund support
reflects cost savings in this area.
• (+$2,991,600 EPM) Requested for RCRA tribal support. $556,800 and 6.0
FTE will be redirected to augment the RCRA program's efforts to expand
RCRA's technical assistance program providing tribal solid waste managers
with training and hands-on assistance.
• (-$133,800 EPM) contracts will be reduced from the RCRA Correction action
program to support other enforcement priorities.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Human Exposures Controlled at 150 Facilities 127 Facilities
high-priority RCRA sites
Groundwater Releases Controlled 75 Facilities 69 Facilities
LUST Cleanup Completions 20000 USTs 22000 USTs
Number of Final Site 630 Decisions - 530 Decisions
Assessment Decisions
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Removal Response Actions
Construction Completions
Citizen Involvement in Superfund
State/Tribal Site Assessment
State/Tribal Remedy Selections
State/Tribal Lead at NPL sites
Coop. Agreements for Site Assessment
Showcase Communities
Coop. Agrmnts-Capitalize Rev. Loans
Section 106 Civil Actions
Orphan Share Offers
De Minimis Settlements
Address Cost Recovery ,at all
NPL and NON-NPL sites w/tot.
past costs =or> $200K
Eval Liability concerns -
Prospective Purchaser Agreement
Requests Assessed
Remedial Admin Orders
SITE report to Congress
Protocol for implementing monitored
natural attenuation of ground water
contaminated by chlorinated solvents.
Report on landfilled containment
system performance.
Exposure factors handbook available in
three formats (including the Internet)..
Report on side-by-side pilot-scale
comparison of nine LNAPL extraction
technologies.
Environmental research brief on
permeable reactive barrier of
300 Responses
87 Completions
2.5 Surveys
200 Assessments
4 Remedies
6 RODs
100 Agreements
10 Communities
100 Agreements
40 Agreements
30 Settlements
23 Settlements
100% Cases
100% Requests
20 Orders
9/30/98
9/30/98
1 report
9/30/98
1 report
335 Responses
136 Completions
2 5 Surveys
210 Assessments
5 Remedies
7 RODs
100 Agreements
10 Communities
100 Coop. agrs.
38 Agreements
36 Settlements
23 Settlements
100% Cases
100% Requests
19 Orders
9/30/99
9/30/99
V-21
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groundwater contaminated with chromium
and chlorinated solvents.
Journal article on effectiveness of - 1 report
a range"of bioremediation processes.
Publish compendium to the exposure 9/30/99
factors handbook containing additional
peer-reviewed statistical distributions,
Conclusion
Under this objective, EPA ensures that hazardous waste sites are not
endangering human health or the natural environment and are being restored to
uses desired by surrounding communities. EPA's cleanup programs respond to
priority sites and releases in a fast and effective manner, while maximizing the
participation of PRPs and other stakeholders in cleanup efforts. In addition,
EPA is undertaking major efforts to develop measures of progress using risk
reduction as the primary indicator.
The Agency is committed to implementing the President's initiative to
protecting communities from toxic pollution. To do so, EPA will accelerate the
pace of completing construction cleanup at 900 Superfund NPL sites by the end of
calendar year 2001. Meeting this goal coupled with the Agency's progress to date
will reduce risks to communities, especially children. The quality of life for
more than 27 million Americans, including over 4 million children who live within
four miles of a Superfund site will be improved.
The Agency has made significant progress cleaning up Superfund sites and
protecting human health and the environment. By the end of 1997, all remedial
construction activities were completed at 498 non-Federal and Federal NPL sites.
Construction is currently underway at 470 sites. Ninety-five percent of the
Superfund sites on the NPL have started a phase of cleanup. From program
inception through the end of 1996, site security measures have been implemented
at 330 sites on the NPL and 247 removal sites. To protect human health,
alternate drinking water supplies have been provided to over 350,000 people at
121 NPL and 43 removal sites and more than 14,000 people have been relocated from
34 NPL and 37 removal sites to ensure their safety,
Approximately 70% of long-term cleanup actions are now financed and
conducted by PRPs.. The Agency's goal is to encourage a high level of PRP
participation by promoting fairness in Superfund cleanup settlements, and by
recovering costs from PRPs where EPA has conducted the work.
EPA supports this objective by developing innovative methods and techniques
to characterize, monitor, remediate and assess risks related to waste sites. EPA
also has implemented a risk-based research planning process to use risk
assessment and risk management as principal priority-setting criteria. This
research provides decision-makers with the tools and information required to make
scientifically sound remedial decisions.
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The Agency's Brownfields initiative continues to expand outreach to
states, tribes, and public, private and nonprofit entities. Developing strong
partnerships that encourage assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of abandoned
and under-used properties will be continued by the Brownfield's program. EPA
will also develop and provide the tools and technical assistance to a variety of
stakeholders such as the National Governors' Association (NGA) , the U.S.
Conference of Mayors and the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council to
facilitate brownfields cleanup and redevelopment, while strongly considering
environmental justice issues.
The Agency has had many successes in the Superfund Federal facility
response program - the issuance of the final Federal Facilities Environmental
Restoration Dialogue Committee report, the signing of a record number of RODs,
and the shifting of the program from the study into the cleanup phase. EPA's
provision of technical assistance and oversight of response activities at
Federally owned or managed hazardous waste sites, as well as review of property
transfer documents, is vital to the protection of human health and the
environment, and the productive reuse of property no longer needed by the Federal
government. To facilitate the reuse process, EPA expects to review and comment
or concur on 200 Environmental Baseline Surveys (BBSs), Finding of Suitability
to Transfer (FOSTs) or Finding of Suitability to Lease (FOSLs) each year. The
Federal facilities enforcement program supports the cleanup of Federal Superfund
sites by negotiating, litigating, and overseeing this environmental work.
Like Superfund, the RCRA corrective action program has made significant
progress cleaning up sites and protecting human health and the environment. Of
the approximately 4,000 sites in the RCRA corrective action workload universe,
over 3,200 have been assessed and prioritized for cleanup and over 1,500 are at
various stages in the cleanup process. Because there are so many sites, EPA's
main emphasis is on stabilizing sites to control potential human and
environmental exposure and to prevent further releases.
Facilitating state authorization and .implementation of the RCRA hazardous
waste (including corrective action) and non-hazardous waste programs will remain
a priority. To date, 32 states are authorized to implement RCRA corrective
action, including the most heavily populated .states. EPA expects that this
number will continue to increase in 1999. The municipal program is fully
implemented by the states and EPA will work to approve state municipal solid
waste landfill permit programs to control existing and new facilities. Extensive
public participation is another ongoing goal of the program, and the Agency
strives to provide greater opportunities for public participation during
corrective action and permit issuance.
Environmental indicators, such as human exposures controlled and
groundwater releases controlled, represent new ways of measuring success in the
RCRA program. There may be additional indicators such as ecological exposures,
non-groundwater releases, and final cleanup standards that need to be achieved.
Performance goals concentrate on controlling human exposure at 95% of high
priority RCRA sites and controlling groundwater releases at 70% of high priority
RCRA sites by 2005. In 1999, the Agency expects to control human exposure at
18%, or 277 of the high priority sites and to control groundwater releases at
10%, or 144 of the high priority sites.
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Success of the LUST program is based on two external factors. One is the
extent to which states implement risk-based corrective action programs; EPA is
actively encouraging States to do so and is working with States and industry to
provide the necessary training and implementation support. The other factor--
which EPA cannot control--is the relative number of simple cleanups (where only
soil is contaminated) vs. complex cleanups (involving groundwater contamination) .
To the extent that States have been deferring the more complicated cleanups,
progress in the LUST program will be affected in the years to come.
Key Performance Measure Verification
EPA is taking steps to ensure that all accountability data are rigorously
validated. CERCLIS is the official database used by Superfund to help track and
store national site information. CERCLIS was developed in accordance with Agency
Life Cycle Guidance which establishes criteria for software development, and it
adheres to Agency platform, software and hardware standards.
The Superfund program has defined the various roles and responsibilities
of key individuals who are responsible for development, operation and maintenance
of CERCLIS. The headquarters sponsor of the data is responsible for (1)
identifying the data elements needed, (2) defining the data elements, and (3)
informing the appropriate people that the information needs to be collected and
loaded into CERCLIS. The regional person who owns the data (e.g., Superfund
remedial project manager) is responsible for reviewing, verifying, and validating
site data in CERCLIS. The Information Management/Program Measurement Center,
under the Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR, responsibility is to
ensure: (1) there is a data element with an accurate definition for all data; (2)
the data element is accessible to searches and can be retrieved for reports; (3)
the source for the data is referenced in the system; (4) the data is accurately
entered or converted into the system,- (5) data from other sources is considered
draft until it has been checked against its source data, and is found acceptable;
and (6) data integrity is maintained in all system applications and reports.
To assure data accuracy and control, the following administrative controls
are in place: (1) Superfund/Oil implementation Manual (SPIM) -- This is the
program management manual which details what data must be reported; (2) Report
Specifications --Report specifications are published for each report detailing
how reported data are calculated; (3) Coding Guide --It contains technical
instructions to data users such as regional IMCs, program personnel, report
owners and data input personnel; (4) Quality Assurance (QA) Unit Testing --Unit
testing is an extensive QA check made by the report programmer to assure that its
product is producing accurate data that conforms to the current specification;
(5) QA Third Party Testing --Third party testing is an extensive test made by an
independent QA tester to assure that the report produces data in conformance with
the report specifications; (6) Regional CERCLIS Data Entry Internal Control Plan
-- The data entry internal control plan includes: (a) regional policies and
procedures for entering data into CERCLIS; (b) a review process to ensure that
all Superfund accomplishments are supported by source documentation; (c)
delegation of authorities for approval of data input into CERCLIS; and (d)
procedures to ensure that reported accomplishments meet accomplishment
definitions.
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For enforcement measures, EPA will use the end-of-year frozen CERCLIS
database to obtain the data to support these measures, and will conduct a quality
assurance audit on a representative sample of the data against actual settlement
documents to ensure the accuracy of the data. In addition, EPA will track
certain information manually until incorporation into CERCLIS. This data will
also be subject to the same quality assurance requirements as the information
tracked through the CERCLIS database.
The brownfields pilot program is intended to provide EPA, states, local
governments, and Federally Recognized Indian tribes with useful information and
new strategies for promoting a unified approach to environmental assessment,
cleanup and redevelopment. Funding will provide incentives and seed money for
assessments, planning, and inventorying of brownfields properties.
Superfund research supports the GPRA objective of reducing and/or
controlling risks to human health and the environment at abandoned sites by
developing innovative methods and techniques to characterize, monitor, remediate
and assess risks related to waste sites. The research will also provide
decision-makers with the tools and information required to make scientifically
sound remedial decisions. The research program is consistent with EPA's mission
to conduct research and provide technical support, and is consistent with all
six goals enumerated in the Strategic Plan: (1) Develop Scientifically Sound Risk
Assessment Approaches; (2) Integrate Human and Ecological Assessment Methods; (3)
Provide Cost-Effective Risk Prevention/Management Approaches; (4) Provide
Credible Methods, Models and Guidance,- (5) Exchange reliable technical
information; and (6) Provide Environmental Leadership & Develop Partnerships.
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of environmental science and research. The Agency has implemented a
risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and risk management
as principal priority-setting criteria* EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its research and
determine planning priorities. To better draw upon the expertise of the
environmental academic community, .EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants; the Agency is
also working with 'various professional societies to identify research issues.
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator states that peer review will be expanded "to include both the major
work products provided in the past and...all scientific and technical products
supporting Agency decisions..." This expanded and strengthened focus on peer
review will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are verified
and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer review
throughout the research planning and implementation process, both to ensure that
planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EPA's mission, and
to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products, and proposals.
This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as the Science
Advisory Board (SAB)and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC). The BOSC,
established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine the way
the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of its research and
development laboratories.
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BPA's external research program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
selected for funding through .grants or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the guality and relevance
of its research program.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
RCRA data verification procedures ensure that the valid data collected at
the field or facility level are not corrupted or confused before they are
presented, aggregated, and analyzed at the Federal level. Environmental
monitoring data (such as measures of combustion facility emissions) will meet
standard Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) procedures for the RCRA
program, as documented in the Office of Solid Waste Quality Assurance Management
Plan and the Guidebook for QA/QC Procedure for Submission of Data for the LDR
Program. These procedures, in part, define requirements for sampling and
analysis to assure data quality. Another common method of verification involves
examination of data collected and evaluating the relationship of those data to
other data collected under similar circumstances.
The Resource Conservation Recovery Information System (RCRIS) is the
national database which supports EPA's RCRA program, RCRIS contains information
on entities (generically referred to as "handlers.") engaged in hazardous waste
generation and management activities regulated under the portion of RCRA that
provides for regulation of hazardous waste. RCRIS has several different modules,
including a Corrective Action Module which tracks the status of facilities for
which potential needs for corrective actions have been identified.
For validation and verification within RCRIS, controls include maintaining
a high degree of consistency in data elements over time as well as data screen
edits to help ensure that key data is entered for all facilities. States and
Regions, who create the databases, manage data quality control. RCRIS has a
suite of user and system documentation which describes the overall administration
of the data collection and management activities. Training on use of the systems
is provided on a regular basis, usually annually depending on the nature of
system changes and user needs.
Statutory Authority
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
(42 U.S.C. 9601-9675)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-13109)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. S901-G992k)
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Better Waste Management, Restoration of Contaminated Waste Sites,
and Emergency Response
Objective #2: Prevent Releases by Proper Facility Management
By 2005, over 282,000 facilities defined by RCRA Subtitles C, D, and I, the
Oil Pollution Act (OPA), and the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know
Act (EPCRA) , and the Clean Air Act, section 112(r) , will be managed according to
practices that prevent dangerous releases to the environment.
Overview
The prevention of dangerous releases to the environment forms the heart of
the waste management programs which address RCRA hazardous and non-hazardous
wastes, underground storage tanks, chemical and emergency preparedness, oil
spills and radioactive wastes. Avoiding the need for costly cleanups and
environmental mitigation, and preventing the health problems that can occur from
exposure - ranging from short-term illnesses to permanent nerve, developmental
or respiratory damage, especially among children - are fundamental to the
Agency's work to protect human health and the environment. Strong partnerships
with states, tribes and local governments as well as stakeholder involvement
ensure effective and efficient program implementation. The Agency is requesting
$139,531,000 and a total of 686 workyears for this objective.
The Agency's Resource, Conservation, and Recovery Act (RCRA) program
accounts for about 13,900 of the facilities addressed by this objective. The
RCRA program reduces the risk of human exposures to hazardous, industrial non-
hazardous, and municipal solid wastes. The amount of hazardous and solid waste
is significant: every year, municipalities and industries generate approximately
208 million tons of municipal solid waste, 270 million tons of hazardous waste
(including wastewaters), and more than 7.6 billion tons of industrial
nonhazardous waste. A combination of regulations, permits, and voluntary
standards and programs ensure safe management of the various wastes. Without the
RCRA program, new Superfund sites could result from mismanagement of these
wastes, threatening communities near waste management facilities. In addition,
greater environmental exposures to persistent and bio-accumulative toxic
chemicals would occur, endangering the nation's food and water supplies.
In 1999, the focus of the RCRA program will be on risk and efficiency:
reducing risk and calibrating risk to regulatory standards, and streamlining .and
easing implementation. The RCRA program reduces the risk of exposures to
dangerous hazardous wastes by establishing a "cradle-to-grave" waste management
framework. This framework regulates the handling, transport, treatment, storage,
and disposal of hazardous waste, ensuring communities are not exposed to
dangerous chemicals through improper management. The main vehicle for hazardous
waste program implementation is issuance of RCRA hazardous waste permits. In
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1999, the Agency requests $24,013,700 for permitting activities. Today, 47 of
50 states, Guam, and the District of Columbia are authorized to issue permits.
In the next several years, EPA and the states will emphasize reducing risks to
communities exposed to hazardous waste combustion emissions by updating the
permits issued to commercial hazardous waste incinerators, boilers, and
industrial furnaces, (e.g., cement kilns) and on-site incinerators. In 1999,
efforts to ease implementation will make a notable gain when the Agency issues
a final rule standardizing lower-risk storage facility permits. This change will
offer efficiencies to industry, and to state and federal implementors alike. In
addition, it is expected to speed the pace of permitting. The Agency and the
states have now permitted almost all operating landfills and land disposal sites,
as well as most commercial incinerators. Storage.and treatment facilities
comprise the largest remaining workload. Integrating the Community-Based
Environmental Protection approach will be a continuing priority in 1999, as will
coordination and policy review for RCRA permitting issues in the Common Sense and
Project XL initiatives.
The centerpiece of the Agency's efforts to better calibrate risk and
regulatory standards is the Hazardous Waste Identification Rule (HWIR). The
proposal, will identify lower-risk waste currently regulated under Federal
hazardous waste requirements (Subtitle C) that could be regulated under
alternative, but protective, state regulatory programs. As part of HWIR, the
Agency is developing a new, multi-pathway risk analysis tool that will greatly
enhance the ability to evaluate risk and will be useful in other media contexts
as well.
For this new HWIR regulatory approach, new research is needed to provide
the scientific underpinnings in effects, exposure, risk assessment and risk
management. The exposure research area encompasses such efforts as multimedia,
multi-pathway exposure modeling, and environmental fate and transport - physical
estimation. Risk assessment research will develop provisional toxicity values
(reference doses, reference concentrations, cancer slope factors) for waste
contaminants which do not currently have values so their risks may be
quantitatively assessed for delisting decisions and risk assessment. Risk
management research will be conducted to improve ways to manage wastes, focusing
on treatment for hazardous waste streams which are either difficult or expensive
to treat.
Other recent program improvements will enter the implementation stage In
1999, providing regulatory relief to industry and local governments as well as
state and federal programs. For example, the Agency will implement the Mineral
Processing rule, finalized in 1998, which establishes protective standards for
mineral processing wastes disposed on the land, but also revises the definition
of solid waste (which governs hazardous waste recycling) to encourage recycling
and recovery of these materials at a cost savings to industry. In addition in
1999, ,.a final rule will remove some of the requirements to use specific sampling
methods, removing barriers to adopting new and innovative technologies and
providing greater flexibility to industry. The Agency will proceed with
streamlining and improving the RCRA manifest system, with the intention of
reducing aggregate reporting and record-keeping. The Waste Information Needs
(WIN) initiative, conducted jointly with the states, -will continue the
comprehensive analysis of the data, process, and technology needed to make the
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data, .supporting the RCRA .hazardous waste management program, of higher quality,
more usable, and more accessible.
Current regulations for hazardous waste combustors do not fully address
potentially significant risks of exposure through the food chain, because the
regulations do not reflect important and emerging scientific information on
health risks. In addition to developing the science to support regulatory
reform, concerns have also been raised about emissions from waste combustion
facilities for a number of reasons, including: (1) the large number of waste
combustion facilities, (2) the facilities can emit significant amounts of toxic
contaminants such as dioxin, furans, mercury, lead, cadmium, and products of
incomplete combustion, (3) the emissions become dispersed over large geographic
areas that often have large populations or produce important food products
(crops, animal, and dairy products), (4) exposure occurs over several pathways
and routes, and (5) high levels of contaminants emitted from waste combustion
facilities (e.g., mercury) have been measured in environmental media surrounding
waste combustion facilities. The combustion research is important for meeting
Clean Air Act as well as RCRA mandates, but also is vital to protect children's
health because so many of the contaminants - mercury, cadmium, lead - in the
emissions are especially harmful to children. To reduce emissions of hazardous
air pollutants, EPA is developing two rules. The Phase I Waste Combustion rule
or Maximum Achievable Control Technology Standard (MACT) addresses revised
standards for hazardous waste incinerators and cement -and lightweight aggregate
kilns that burn hazardous waste. The Phase II rule will deal with revised
standards for industrial boilers and other types of industrial furnaces that burn
hazardous waste. The Phase I rule will be finalized early in 1999. Resources
in 1999 will support the Phase II rule making that will be finalized and in
effect before 2005. In 1999, the Agency requests $12,902,500 for waste
combustion activities.
In the nonhazardous waste program, the Agency will continue to develop
strong partnerships with states by: (1) jointly developing guidance for safe
management of industrial nonhazardous wastes; and (2) helping states attain
approval of their municipal landfill permit programs. For municipal solid
wastes, states have the lead in permitting landfills under approved state
programs.
Industrial nonhazardous wastes, including special wastes created from
mining and mineral processing, and oil, gas and fossil-fuel combustion,
frequently are generated in large volumes, and include a wide range of chemical
constituents. Industrial nonhazardous wastes fall outside the hazardous waste
universe yet often cannot be appropriately managed in common municipal solid
waste facilities. However, as with both hazardous and municipal wastes,
mismanagement poses risks to public health and to local ecologies. EPA and the
states are working with industry and environmental groups to establish voluntary
guidelines that will be used nationwide. These voluntary guidelines will be
implemented starting in 1999. Resources in 1999 will support: (1) outreach, and
training efforts to ensure that industry and environmental groups are aware of
the guidance and have sufficient understanding to properly implement the
guidance; and (2) an assessment of how the guidance integrates into other RCRA
activities, such as the 5-year surface impoundment study, future listings and the
proposed HWIR.
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Although municipal solid waste (MSW) management programs are implemented
by the states, EPA must determine minimum national standards which all states
must meet. EPA also reviews and approves state permit programs. Improper
disposal has resulted in fire damage, uncontrolled proliferation of sources of
disease transmission, contaminated surface and ground water, and human
fatalities. Application of the Agency's standards throughout the states provides
the waste management industry with fair competition based on operational
efficiencies, not on differential waste-management standards. The Agency will
continue to work with the states to complete the approval of all state municipal
solid waste permit programs, including those with partial approval. Each year,
beginning in 1998, EPA will ask the approved states to identify the total number
of facilities in their jurisdictions and the number in compliance with the
state's requirements implementing the EPA minimum standards. Also, in the
municipal program outreach, technical assistance and capacity building for tribes
remain a priorities and the Agency will enhance its efforts in 1999. The Agency
will continue to seek innovative and effective ways to support tribal efforts to
implement and integrate waste management programs.
Chemical accidents endanger human lives, and harm the environment. EPA
recognizes that preventing an accident, as opposed to mitigating its effects, is
a more cost-effective approach to saving lives and protecting the environment.
EPA strives to work in partnership with industry, states and local communities
to prevent chemical accidents. An important part of the Agency's chemical
accident preparedness and prevention program is development and implementation
of a Risk Management Program. The Risk Management Program is designed to reduce
the potential for catastrophic accidental releases and mitigate those accidents
that do occur. The Agency is requesting additional resources for this program
in 1999 to allow more audits, reviews and sharing of information about industry
safety practices, along with more involvement of state and local entities in
making use of this information at the local level for risk management, risk
reduction, and emergency preparedness.
Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires industry to prepare a
Risk Management Plan (RMP) for their prevention and response programs. The
deadline for facilities to submit an RMP is June 1999. EPA is obligated under
the CAA to review .and audit the plans in lieu of the states if states have not
established a review-and-audit program of their own. EPA's current strategy is
for states to implement the RMP program, however in 1999, only a handful of
states will be able to implement the entire RMP program. Because it is vital
that the RMP program be implemented effectively, the Agency's 1999 budget request
includes $5,647,900 additional resources for this program to develop state
•capabilities and to ensure that states can meet this statutory mandate.
By 1999, the Agency will develop a chemical risk information system in
coordination with industry, using information from facilities' Risk Management
Plans (RMPs). EPA also will help states, Local Emergency Planning Committees
(LEPCs), and Tribal Emergency Planning Committees (TEPCs) by: (1) facilitating
access and use of the RMP information database; and (2) providing technical
assistance and technical assistance grants to develop accident-prevention and
accident-preparedness programs. The Agency estimates that in 1999, five
additional states will start a prevention program, and 190 LEPCs will integrate
prevention into their preparedness programs. Reducing risk and preventing
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chemical accidents are the ultimate goals of .EPA's chemical emergency prevention,
preparedness, and response program. The Agency requests $950,500 to assist
tribes in implementing their Emergency Planning activities.
EPA also supports releases associated with radiation in several ways: 1)
the Agency has certification and oversight responsibilities for Department of
Energy (DOE) waste disposal activities at the Waste isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) .
When the certification is complete, transuranic waste from weapons' production
will be disposed of permanently. The Agency will set standards for disposal of
spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste in the proposed repository
at Yucca Mountain; will coordinate with other Federal agencies and states to
develop rules for recycling of other industrial materials that have a radioactive
component; will develop rules to protect public health from the disposal of low
levels of radioactivity,- will develop guidance to protect public health from
naturally occurring .radioactive materials; and, will provide technical
assistance and guidance on all Super-fund matters relating to radiation.
The Underground Storage Tank program accounts for 264,000 of the facilities
addressed by this objective. About 1,000,000 underground storage tanks (USTs),
regulated under Subtitle I of RCRA, are in use in the United States. There are
USTs in virtually every city and town and many rural areas. Nearly every UST
that is not equipped to meet the Agency's technical standards eventually will
contaminate soil and/or groundwater, including public and private drinking water
supplies. As of September 1997, more than 342,000 UST releases had been
confirmed, and by 2005 the Agency expects another 70,000 will be discovered
as UST owners and operators comply with EPA's requirements to upgrade, replace
or close their tanks by December 1998. The Agency anticipates that approximately
639,000 tanks (about 236,700 UST facilities) will be in compliance by December
1998, and that approximately 655,200 tanks (about 242,700 UST facilities) will
be in compliance by December -1999. In 1994, states reported (under Section
305 (b) of the Clean Water Act) that USTs are the most common source of
groundwater contamination and that petroleum is the most common contaminant.
Nearly all UST releases involve gasoline, which contains, among other things, a
known human carcinogen (benzene) and a possible human carcinogen (MTBE). MTBE
is highly soluble and mobile and, based on existing knowledge, apparently does
not readily biodegrade. Also, because relatively low levels of MTBE make water
unpalatable, MTBE contamination damages drinking water supplies even when it does
not pose health risks.. UST releases sometimes result in fires and explosions
and, entry of harmful fumes into schools, homes, and other buildings. To prevent
or mitigate such occurrences, states have undertaken more than 9,000 emergency
actions during the past eight years. The actual impacts of UST releases -- at
least in terms of deaths, injuries, and ecological damage -- have been modest in
recent years, primarily because of state/EPA regulatory requirements.
States have the primary responsibility for ensuring that UST facilities
(except those on Indian lands) are brought into compliance. The Agency's
primary role is to provide technical and financial support to state UST programs.
Over the next several years, the Agency's highest priorities are to promote and
enforce compliance with regulatory requirements aimed at preventing and detecting
UST releases and to approve additional states to operate their own UST/LUST
programs in lieu of the Federal program. Currently, 24 states and the District
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of Columbia have state program approval. In 1999, the Agency requests
$17,246,000 for the UST program.
The Agency will provide technical and financial support to state UST/LUST
programs to help them promote regulatory compliance and achieve state program
approval, Financial support will be provided through UST state grants. EPA and
states will work together to promote and enforce compliance with the 1998
deadline, which will fall within the first quarter of 1999. EPA funding will
support state UST inspections and enforcement by providing technical materials
and training programs to help state inspectors assess compliance with
requirements for leak detection, corrosion protection, spill containment, and
overfill prevention. EPA funding also will support state-EPA assessments of the
validity of third-party evaluations of leak detection methods and state
development and start-up of third-party service provider programs to supplement
state staff. The Agency will also assist states in overcoming barriers to EPA
approval of state programs and in developing formal applications for EPA
approval.
The Agency has the primary responsibility for implementation of the UST
program on Indian lands. This responsibility requires the Agency's regional
offices to educate owners and operators about the UST requirements, conduct
inspection and enforcement activities, and maintain a database of information on
USTs located on Indian lands. Demonstration grants under RCRA Section 8001, as
well as non-demonstration grants (State and Tribal Assistance Grants) under RCRA
Section 2007, will continue to help tribes develop the capability to administer
UST programs. Within the State and Tribal Assistance Grants appropriation, the
Agency is requesting authorization to enter into assistance agreements with
Federally recognized Indian tribes to develop and implement the Underground
Storage Tank program as set forth in RCRA Section 2007 (f).
The Oil Prevention Program accounts for 4,200 of the facilities addressed
by this objective. Each year more than 12,000 oil spills occur, well over half
of them within EPA's prevention or response zone. On average, one spill of
greater than 100,000 gallons occurs every month, from a total of 440,000
regulated facilities and the entire transportation network. Oil spills
contaminate drinking water supplies, cause fires and explosions, and pollute
ecosystems and also jeopardize the commercial and recreational uses of water
resources. Under the Clean Water Act, the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) , and oil
pollution prevention regulations, the Agency is responsible for assuring that
•regulated facilities implement Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure
(SPCC) plans. A 1995 SPCC Facilities Survey found a statistically significant
difference between the amount of oil spilled by facilities that implement SPCC
provisions and those that do not: when facilities comply with SPCC provisions,
there are fewer oil spills. Bringing facilities into compliance with SPCC
requirements involves a variety of activities, including: (1) site visits; (2)
SPCC plan review, (3) working with facilities to demonstrate how SPCC
requirements apply specifically to facility design and operations, (4) follow-up
checks to maintain compliance; and, (5) enforcing cleanups of spills by
responsible parties, when necessary. Facilities must take responsibility to
ensure quicker and more effective spill responses to reduce potential impacts to
the environment. Each year, starting in 1999 through 2005, the EPA's Oil
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Pollution Response and Prevention Center will continue to .bring at least 400
additional facilities into compliance with SPCC provisions. The Agency will
implement the revisions to the SPCC regulation with a risk-based approach to
minimize regulatory burdens while maintaining acceptable environmental
protection.
The Agency is required through an OPA mandate to conduct periodic reviews
and approvals of facility response plans. Each year through 2005, 200 additional
facilities will be adequately prepared to respond to oil spills as measured by
the number of approved response plans prepared in compliance with statutory and
regulatory requirements, and to the maximum extent practicable.
The Oil Prevention and Response program uses its resources to implement a
comprehensive approach to integrate prevention, preparedness, and response as
mandated and authorized in Section 311 of the Clean Water Act, and the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990. The Agency is requesting $6,062,600 in 1999 for oil
preparedness and prevention activities under this objective. These additional
resources will double the number of facilities brought into compliance with the
SPCC provisions of the oil pollution prevention regulations. Ail expanded SPCC
program will enhance ongoing efforts to reduce the risk of oil spills from
facilities which pose a human health risk, ecological risk, and economic risk.
EPA brings administrative actions and referrals against facilities for
failure to comply with oil pollution regulations and response plan regulations,
and enforces cleanups of spills by responsible parties. EPA's actions promote
compliance with Federal requirements designed to protect the environment from the
devastating consequences of oil spills. The Agency requests $1,365,000 for
enforcement activities within the Oil Program.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 02 Prevent Releases by $138,141.5 $126,471.5 $139,531,0
Proper Facility Management:
Environmental Program & $93,840.1 $81,977.1 $93,416.9
Management
Science and Technology $5,943.4 $6,256.7 $6,589.8
State and Tribal Assistance $31,826.6 $31,826.6 $31,826.6
Grants
Oil Spill Response $6.,531.4 $6,411.1 $7,697.7
Total FTE 679.0 687.7 686.0
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1999Annual Perfonaance Goals
• By 1999, 2,080 (62%) of existing RCRA hazardous waste facilities will have
approved controls in place to prevent dangerous releases to air, soil,
groundwater, and surface water.
• In 1999, OSW will promulgate the Phase I rule for reducing hazardous waste
combustion facility emissions of dioxins, furans and particulate matter
under RCRA.
* in 1999, the Agency will conduct outreach/training on guidance, issued in
1998, for management of RCRA-regulated nonhazardous industrial waste.
• By 1999, 2,475 (70%) of existing RCRA municipal solid waste facilities in
states will have approved controls in place to prevent dangerous releases
to air, soil, groundwater, and surface water.
• In 1999, 33,000 facilities will submit RMPs under the Clean Air Act
Section 112(r) program.
• In 1999, 5 additional states will implement the Clean Air Act Section
112(r) chemical RMP-prevention program.
* In 1999, 190 LEPCs will integrate chemical accident prevention into their
chemical emergency preparedness programs.
• In 1999, 400 additional facilities will comply with the SPCC provisions of
the oil pollution regulations.
• By 1999, 647,800 Underground Storage Tanks (USTs), equivalent to about
240,000 facilities, will meet EPA/state requirements for leak detection
and upgrading.
• In 1999, 200 additional facilities will be adequately prepared to respond
to oil spills.
• By 1999, refine multiple exposure methodology so uncertainty analyses can
be conducted using probabilistic techniques such as Monte Carlo
simulations.
• By 2000, produce improved version of HW.IR site exposure-risk assessment
model, with emphasis on source-sink transformation processes and general,
integrated modeling framework formatting and insertion.
• By 2003, complete prototype integrated, multimedia, multichemical,
multipathway ecosystem and human health cumulative exposure risk
assessment model in framework context, suitable for regional assessments
involving waste site and all other contaminant sources.
• By 1999, develop risk assessment methods, models, factors and databases
that describe key exposure parameters, human activity patterns and dose
response toxicity relationships.
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• Facilities will be managed so as to prevent releases into the environment.
The Agency's hazardous waste management goals will be accomplished in part
through permitting activities conducted in regions and headquarters, and through
grants to states. Significant progress has been made in permitting, with an
expected outcome of 95% of controls in place by 2005. The Agency will also work
with tribes that have hazardous waste concerns to build capacity and ensure safe
management. Ensuring that permits or other approved controls incorporating
protective provisions are issued is the main mechanism for controlling releases
to the .environment. The rulemakings discussed in this objective will provide
additional controls for releases.
The Agency is seeking to streamline permitting processes for implementors
and for the regulated community. The Agency' s RCRA program, in consultation with
the states, is targeting the development of Standardized Permits, methods of
streamlining Permit Renewals, and an examination of the possibility of Electronic
Permitting. A scheduled 1999 rulemaking for Standardized Permits will be
applicable to storage and non-thermal treatment facilities that manage waste on-
site, and is intended to significantly reduce the burden of a facility applying
for a RCRA permit. An improved process for renewals will provide real relief to
the states which face a large workload over the next several years in this area.
Finally, options analysis for electronic permitting methods will proceed
following a compilation of existing efforts at the state or regional level.
About 60% of the current Project XL applications involve RCRA requirements. The
program will continue to work to ensure the success of these potential
improvements to RCRA management standards. Another approach, Community Based
Environmental Protection will be used in expanding projects in geographically
targeted areas with particular attention to children's issues.
In 1999, the RCRA waste identification program will seek to improve
scientific modeling to more accurately assess risk through multiple-pathways,
pursue the results of a scoping study to identify gaps in the tpxicity
characteristics definitions, follow up on an analysis of the need for
modifications to the toxicity characteristic for silver, issue several listings,
and develop the proposal for the hazardous waste identification rule (HWIR) for
process waste which will reduce the management burden for lower risk wastes.
Other efforts to improve the Agency's understanding of risk include RCRA's
portion of the larger effort to improve the Integrated Risk Information System
(IRIS) database, and the development of methods and procedures to evaluate
leaching models that may improve testing protocols and reduce barriers to the use
of innovative waste treatment processes. The Land Disposal Restrictions program
will pursue an exploration of mercury treatment practices and alternatives with
an emphasis on identifying possible streamlining revisions, while maintaining
protective standards, especially toward children's health which can be heavily
impacted by exposure to mercury.
The work accomplished under this objective will lower levels of risk to
human health, especially to sensitive populations and fragile ecosystems and
improve the quality of life, as well as limit the number of people and areas
exposed to releases from hazardous waste combustion facilities. Two rulemakings
designed to reduce the emissions of hazardous air pollutants, are being developed
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under joint authority of the Clean Air Act, as amended, and the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended. The Phase I combustion rule will be
finalized in 1999, and addresses revised standards for hazardous waste
incinerators and cement and lightweight aggregate kilns that burn hazardous
waste. The Phase II rule will deal with revised standards for industrial boilers
and other types of industrial furnaces that burn hazardous waste and initial work
will begin in 1999.. It is anticipated that the Phase II rule will be finalized
and in effect before 2005. The two rulemakings will include specific controls
to reduce dioxins, furans, particulate matter, and acid gases. Since the rules
need to be promulgated prior to achieving the target reductions, there are no
annualized targets for this objective.
An additional major streamlining effort that will continue in 1999 is the
WIN/INFORMED initiative. Working jointly with the states, the Agency will
screen and streamline existing and new data elements and identify opportunities
to make the data supporting effective implementation of the RCRA hazardous waste
management program higher quality, more usable, and more accessible. In
addition, the Agency will continue to improve and expand public access as well
as internal communication by creating new Internet sites for permit policy,
sampling methods, and environmental justice information along with ongoing
enhancements to the existing comprehensive RCRA materials available through the
Internet,
The universe of industrial non-hazardous waste and special wastes (wastes
associated with mining, oil, and gas operations) constitutes a huge mass of
materials, managed in an assortment of methods with risks ranging from those
similar to hazardous wastes to those from wastes that are mostly inert. A recent
scoping study of known and possible non-hazardous industrial waste constituents
found that nearly half the total suspect carcinogens identified by the Agency
were included in these wastes. In addition, a number of mining sites are on
tribal lands, increasing the need for capacity building and technical assistance
in this area.
In 1999, the RCRA program will proceed with surveys and sampling to provide
data for the statutorily mandated five-year surface impoundment study, which will
improve our understanding of risk, exposure and potential ecosystem stressors
associated with wastewaters and surface impoundments. An estimated 97% of
industrial non-hazardous, or industrial D wastes are managed in surface
impoundments, and the five-year study currently underway will provide information
on the risks of this large category of waste.
Guidance for the safe management of industrial non-hazardous wastes will
be developed and finalized in 1998. The voluntary guidance will address
groundwater contamination, run-on/run-off, and air emissions from landfills,
waste piles, surface impoundments, and land application units, as well as such
topics as corrective .action, public participation, and alternatives to waste
disposal. Outreach and training efforts scheduled for 1999 will be necessary to
ensure effective implementation of the guidance, which will also include
simplified, workbook-style information on ways to estimate risk of leachate or
emissions without expensive site-specific modeling. Attaining this objective
will depend on this joint state/Agency guidance for industries and states to
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identify appropriate controls to prevent dangerous releases to air, soil, .and
groundwater.
Although municipal solid waste (MSW) regulatory programs are implemented
by the states, it is the Agency's responsibility to establish minimum national
standards with which all facilities must comply. The Agency must review and
approve state permit programs. Without proper siting, design, operation,
closure, and post-closure care, MSW disposal facilities can endanger public
health and the environment and in fact a number of Superfund sites are former
municipal landfills. Incorporation of proper controls increases the costs of MSW
disposal facilities. In 1999, states will begin to implement a .1998 regulation
increasing flexibility for certain types of municipal landfills, lowering
management costs for lower risk situations. Recent years have seen the removal
of legal, economic, and administrative barriers to long-distance waste hauling,
making it more feasible for transport of MSW to distant facilities that charge
lower fees. Without the uniform application of minimum safe management
standards, waste would flow readily from generators to the least costly
facilities (i.e., facilities with fewer or no controls to protect public health
and the environment), even if these facilities were distant.
Because states have implementation authority for MSW programs, they know
best the extent of compliance within their jurisdictions. To measure progress,
the Agency must rely on the ability and willingness of state regulatory programs
to share this knowledge. Measuring the number of facilities that have permits
or other forms of approval issued to them will provide the results of the annual
targets, directly relates to the number of facilities with approved controls in
place.
For active waste management facilities, research needs have been identified
for each of the four areas of the risk assessment paradigm. Under the exposure
area, multimedia, multi pathway exposure modeling is intended to facilitate
consistent and scientifically credible assessment of multimedia-based human and
ecological exposure to chemical stressors at geographic scales. Environmental
fate and transport (physical estimation) will focus on reducing the uncertainty
associated with exposure assessment model predictions by providing improved
process level models for quantifying pollutant interactions in a variety of
natural systems. Waste characterization/sampling provides the new generation of
analytical technology/methods needed to characterize wastes, waste streams, and
waste contaminated media. It also provides research on sampling/sample design
related to compliance with proposed waste exit levels (levels below which a waste
or waste stream is excluded from regulation under RCRA Subtitle C) in support of
the proposed HWIR. In the risk assessment research area, EPA will focus on
developing provisional toxicity values for contaminants. This research will
develop provisional toxicity values (reference doses, reference concentrations,
cancer slope factors) for waste contaminants which do not currently have values
so their risks may be quantitatively assessed for delisting decisions and risk
assessments. The primary use will be in support of the proposed HWIR. Under risk
management, waste management research will be conducted to improve ways to manage
wastes, focusing on treatment for hazardous waste streams which are either hard
to treat or expensive to treat.
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At the 1999 flanding levels, EPA anticipates that the cumulative number of
USTs equipped to meet the requirements for leak detection, corrosion protection,
spill containment, and overfill prevention will reach 647,800 (240,000
facilities) by the end of 1999 as a direct result of state and EPA efforts to
promote and enforce compliance. Government and industry are paying a high price
to clean up environmental contamination caused by releases from USTs installed
before December 1988. Ensuring that new USTs comply with EPA's technical
standards and that pre-1988 USTs are upgraded, replaced, or closed prevents the
creation of another generation of leaking USTs. With cleanup costs ranging from
$100,000 to more than $1 million where groundwater is contaminated, preventing
releases clearly is a cost-effective means of reducing and, ultimately, nearly
eliminating the health and environmental risks associated with UST releases. In
short, resources invested in attaining this objective are solving a serious
environmental problem, not just treating the symptoms.
By 1999, the Agency will have designed and put in place an information
system for collecting chemical risk information through facilities' RMPs (which
are required to be submitted by June 1999) . EPA will analyze the data submitted
to determine facilities and/or industrial sectors with significant chemical risks
resulting from chemical inventories, industrial processes, and chemical
accidents. Through focused outreach efforts to industry (including conferences,
workshops, guidance, etc.), EPA will work with industry to reduce those chemical
risks. Also by the end of 1999, an information system for analyzing risk
information from facilities will be in place and baseline information will be
established on the number of RMP facilities and the chemical risks throughout the
country. This will make it possible for EPA to take steps to reduce that' risk
by 2005. Additional resources for this program in 1999 will develop state
capabilities to take on this mandate and allow greater audit, review, and sharing
of information about industry safety practices. EPA's current strategy is for
states to implement the RMP program.
By the end of FY 1999, 400 additional facilities will be brought into
compliance with the SPCC provisions of the oil pollution prevention regulation.
The Oil Prevention program currently regulates approximately 435,000 facilities
'nationwide, and significantly enhances ongoing efforts to reduce the risk of oil
spills from facilities that pose human health, ecological, and economic risks.
This objective documents progress in bringing facilities into compliance with
SPCC provisions of the oil pollution prevention regulation. The Clean Water Act
(CWA) states that U.S. policy is that no oil shall contaminate U.S. waters, and
authorizes the Agency to implement regulations toward that goal; the oil
pollution prevention regulation was implemented in 1973. The Oil Pollution Act
of 1990 (OPA) was enacted, in part, to expand prevention and preparedness
capabilities and to provide an economic incentive to prevent spills through
increased penalties and enhanced enforcement. Under CWA, OPA, and the oil
pollution prevention regulation, EPA is responsible for assuring that regulated
facilities have implemented spill prevention, control and countermeasures (SPCC)
plans, which outline procedures for preventing and controlling oil spills. The
major SPCC provisions include: (a) a written SPCC Plan, (b) certification of that
plan by a registered Professional Engineer, secondary containment structures or
drainage; and (c) periodic facility and equipment inspections. A 1995 SPCC
Facilities Survey showed statistically that facilities that implement the SPCC
provisions of the oil pollution prevention regulation spill less oil than those
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that do not. Thus, when facilities comply with those regulatory provisions,
there are fewer oil spills,
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• By 1998, a cumulative total of 1,927 facilities (57%) of existing
hazardous waste management facilities, using a 1996 baseline, will have
.approved controls in place to prevent dangerous releases to air, soil,
groundwater, and surface water.
• In 1998, issue industrial nonhazardous waste management guidance under
RCRA.
• In 1998, conduct 20 outreach and technical assistance workshops to .inform
and educate industry on the Clean Air Act Section 112(r) RMP program
requirements.
• In 1998, 4 states will implement the Clean Air Act Section 112 (r) RMP
prevention program.
• In 1998, EPA will provide 7 grants to states to assist LEPCs in
implementing a prevention program.
• In 1998, EPA will complete draft and analysis for the final RCRA Phase I
Waste Combustion Rule.
* In 1998, 200 additional facilities will be adequately prepared to respond
to oil spills.
• By 1998, 616,000 underground storage tanks (USTs), equivalent to about
228,000 facilities, will meet EPA/state requirements for leak detection
and upgrading.
• In 1998, 200 additional facilities will comply with the Spill Prevention,
Control and Counter-measure (SPCC) provisions of the oil pollution
prevention regulations.
• Facilities will be managed so as to prevent releases into the environment.
• By 1998, 2,298 (65%) of existing RCRA municipal solid waste disposal
facilities in states will have approved controls in place to prevent
dangerous releases to air, soil, groundwater and surface water.
• By 1998, complete development of prototype, site (generic) multimedia,
multi chemical, mulitpathway cumulative exposure and risk assessment model
for human health and ecosystem screening, and apply to HWIR chemicals.
• By 1998, develop a methodology to evaluate multiple exposure pathways for
emissions from combustion facilities.
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
02 Ob j . Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
Oil Spill Response
Dollars
$13,059.5
$11,439.8
$333.1
$1,286.6
FTE
(1.7)
(1.1)
(0.6)
0.0
(+$528,300 and 1.4 workyears EPM) will be redirected in Headquarters to
expand R.CRA program's efforts to improve children's health issues through
a combination of-scoping mercury treatment options and. expanding outreach
materials.
(+$1,354,700 and 12 workyears EPM) to regional activities that will
provide increased support for Geographically Focused Urban and Children's
Health projects.
(+$1,221,552 and 3.2 workyears EPM) will be redirected in Headquarters to
improve alignment with risk, and scientific basis for RCRA rules,
including an examination of leaching procedures, the surface impoundments
study, and analysis of issues" raised in regulatory petitions from the
regulated community.
(-$702,440 and -4.0 workyears EPM)from development of new standards and
related studies in Land Disposal Restrictions Program, and from other
projects that will be completed.
(-$1,117,400 and -12.1 workyears EPM) from regional permitting activities
to other agency priorities within the regions, from regional resources
freed up as projects or portions of projects are completed, and from
regional RCRA Permitting due to planned joint RCRA/CAA waste combustor
permitting.
(+$250,000 EPM) for program-related enhancements to the Agency's
Integrated Risk Information System database.
(+$131,700 EPM) for Regional scientific and technical equipment needed to
support RCRA permitting and corrective action activities.
+$444,200 redirection from the Private Sector Initiative within the
Underground Storage Tank program to promote compliance with the December
199.8 deadline for upgrading, replacing, or closing underground storage
tanks ($294,700 within STAG, and $149,500 within EPM).
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(+$5,647,900 EPM) for the RMP program. These resources will be used to
provide direct financial assistance to the states to develop and implement
their own RMP program.
(+$850,500 STAG) to .assist Tribes implement their Emergency Planning and
Community Right-to-Know activities,
(+$562,300 Oil Spill) for doubling the number of facilities brought into
compliance with 'the prevention provisions of the Clean Water Act and the
Oil Pollution Act.
(+$500,000 Oil Spill) to support tribes' preparedness, prevention, and
response activities related to oil spills. The Agency will increase its
interaction with tribes by assisting in identifying and evaluating oil
pollution problems; developing oil pollution prevention schemes;
investigating possible remediation, options for existing oil contamination;
and improving the planning and preparedness for responding to future oil
spills.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Number of Final Permit
Determinations or Other
Approved Controls in 57% or 1,927 of 3,380 ° '
Place for Universe of '
RCRA Facilities
Promulgation of Phase I ^n „ *. nn ,* f*.\ -^ ^
..*,'._'„, • , 30-Sept-98 (draft) 31-Dec-98
Waste Combustion rule
Industrial Nonhazardous
Waste Management Guidance 30-Sep-98 30-Sep-99
Issued; training and
outreach on guidance
Number of Municipal Solid
Waste Facilities with 2298 247.5
Approved Controls
Industry Specific Model „ , n _„„ .
4 Model RMPs N/A
Outreach/Technical
Assistance Workshops to 20 Workshops N/A
industry on RMPs
States Implementing RMP
^ 4 -states 5 states
Programs
Grants Issued to States
for LEPC Prevention 7 Grants N/A
Programs
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LEPCs Implementing
Prevention Programs
Facilities Submitting
RMPs
SPCC - Compliant
Facilities
FRP Plans Approved
USTs Meeting EPA
Requirements
OPA Case 'referrals and
Admin. Enforcement
actions
HWTR screening model
(human&eco)
Beta version model
framework for HWIR
Multiple exposure pathway
assessment document
Support to risk
assessors/permit writers
Analysis of input for
multiple exposure
methodology
Media-specific assessment
of exposure pathway
Uncertainty analysis
using Monte Carlo
Technical support to OSW
on HWIR
Beta conversion for
comprehensive modeling
system
KT/A
N/A
2-00 Facilities •
200 Facility Response
Plans
616,000 USTs
30
9/30/98
9/30/98
9/30/98
190 LEPCs
33,000 facilities
400 Facilities
200 Facility Response
Plans
647,800 USTs
30
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
9/30/99
Conclusion
The Agency must continue to maintain the appropriate level of human health
protection from hazardous and solid wastes, chemical accidents, oil spills, and
leaking underground storage tanks. Yet, avoiding over-regulation and
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unnecessarily burdensome requirements is also important. Therefore, the Agency
is taking several steps to streamline regulations. EPA is working to allow low-
risk wastes to be managed as municipal solid waste or as industrial nonhazardous
waste, to reduce administrative burdens on states and industry. All RCRA
programs advance the Agency's goals for better waste management. These programs:
(1) minimize the quantity and toxicity of waste,- (2) ensure environmentally sound
management of solid and hazardous wastes; and (3) prevent accidental releases of
hazardous substances, to protect the air, soil, and water from contamination.
The Agency has set longer-term targets for the management -of the three waste
streams (hazardous, industrial D, and municipal). By 2005, 90% of hazardous
waste facilities, and 100% of municipal waste landfills, will have approved
controls in place. For newly created industrial D facilities, the level is set
at 90%. For waste combustion a performance-based target to reduce facility
emissions of dioxins and furans by 90%, and particulate matter and acid gases by
50%, from levels emitted in 1994, has been established.
The Agency brings administrative actions and referrals against facilities
for failure to comply with oil pollution Spill Prevention Control and
Countenneasures (SPCC) regulations and response plan regulations, and enforces
cleanups of spills by responsible parties. The Agency's actions promote
compliance with Federal requirements designed to protect the environment from the
devastating consequences of oil spills.
The research described supports the objective of managing facilities to
prevent releases into the environment, contained within the Agency's Better Waste
Management Goal. This objective calls for, by 2008: (1) providing multimedia,
multi pathway exposure and risk models for estimating the risks from wastes,
waste streams and waste facilities; (2) developing methods and models for
predicting human exposures via indirect or non-inhalation pathways associated
with combustion facilities,- and (3) providing improved techniques to monitor and
to control and prevent emissions from incinerators and industrial systems burning
wastes. In the current program, information is lacking regarding the exposures
and risks associated with wastes managed under RCRA Subtitle C -- both across
media and for multiple pathways of exposure. EPA will continue its effort to
develop better cost effective data, ensuring more efficient regulatory decision-
making .
The Agency is also requesting additional resources in 1999 to meet the
responsibilities under the Clean Air Act to review and audit facilities' Risk
Management Plans (RMPs). A successful RMP program, primarily at the .state level,
will reduce the risks associated with chemical accidents.
Performance Measures Verification
CERCLIS is the official database used by Superfund and Oil programs to help
track and store national site information. CERCLIS was developed in accordance
with Agency Life Cycle Guidance which establishes criteria for software
development, and it adheres to Agency platform, software and hardware standards.
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The Agency has defined the various roles and responsibilities of key
individuals who are responsible for development, operation and maintenance of
CERCLIS. The Headquarters sponsor of the data is responsible for (a) identifying
the data elements needed, (b) defining the data elements, and (c) informing the
appropriate people that the information needs to be collected and loaded into
CERCLIS. The regional person who owns the data (e.g., Superfund remedial project
manager) is responsible for reviewing,' verifying, and validating his/her data in
CERCLIS. The Information Management/Program Measurement Center under the Office
of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR) responsibility is to ensure: (a) there
is a data element with an accurate definition for all data; (b) the data element
is accessible to searches and can be retrieved for reports; (c) the source for
the data is referenced in the system; (d) the data is accurately entered or
converted into the system,- (e) data from other sources is considered draft until
it has been checked against its source data, and is found acceptable; and (f)
data integrity is maintained in all system applications and reports.
To assure data accuracy and control, the following administrative controls
are in place: (1) Superfund/Oil Implementation Manual (SPIM) --This is the
program management manual which details what data must be reported; (2) Report
Specifications --Report specifications are published for each report detailing
how reported data are calculated; (3) Coding Guide --It contains technical
instructions to data users such as regional IMCs, program personnel, report
owners and data input personnel; (4) Quality Assurance (QA) Unit Testing --Unit
testing is an extensive QA check made by the report programmer to assure that its
product is producing accurate data that conforms to the current specification;
(5) QA Third Party Testing --Third party testing is an extensive test made by an
independent QA tester to assure that the report produces data in conformance with
the report specifications; (6) Regional CERCLIS Data Entry Internal Control Plan
--The data entry internal control plan includes: (a) regional policies and
procedures for entering data into CERCLIS; (b) a review process to ensure that
all Superfund accomplishments are supported by source documentation; (c)
delegation of authorities for approval of data input into CERCLIS; and (d)
procedures to ensure that reported accomplishments meet accomplishment
definitions.
EPA will measure the validity of our measures by determining the extent to
which achievement of those measures is a true indicator of successful
accomplishment of our objectives. This involves assessment of the objectivity,
consistency, simplicity, accuracy, representativeness, and timeliness of the
measures, in comparison with the objectives in our annual plan. Validation steps
are therefore more evident in the planning stages than during data collection and
aggregation.
Data verification procedures must ensure that the valid data collected at
the field or facility level are not corrupted or confused before they are
presented, aggregated, and analyzed at the Federal level. To the extent
possible, the Agency conducts data verification through comparing results of data
collection with similar collections or repetition. Correlation of results is a
strong mechanism for data verification.
Environmental monitoring data (such as measures of - combustion facility
emissions) will meet standard quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC)
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procedures for the RCRA program, as documented in the Office of Solid Waste
Quality Assurance Management Plan and the Guidebook for QA/QC Procedures for
Submission of Data for the Land Disposal Restrictions Program.
Because the RCRA statute provides 'for delegation of program implementation
to the states, the majority of data for the RCRA information system (RCRIS) and
the Biennial Reporting System (BRS), originates with and is received from the
states. In addition the system architectures provide states with the ability to
use software other than the national software managed by EPA for their data
management activities provided that they supply the mandatory data to EPA in the
required quality and format. The Agency consolidate data from the states which
is then used to construct the national databases used for program oversight and
public information,
The national RCRA software provides a range of functions to ensure data
quality. Both systems employ on-line data validation cheeks (e.g. , range limits,
mandatory data entry for required elements before saving of a record) to assure
data type integrity as well as batch edits (performed when data is extracted and
consolidated) to enforce program rules requiring associated consistency across
data components for which on-line edits are impracticable or inappropriate.
Beyond the system enforced data quality controls, states and regions who
implement the program perform data validation reviews to ensure that the data
properly inventories the essential program activities and is programmatically
correct. During periodic program reviews, EPA headquarters also confirms the
timeliness and accuracy of key data elements which support national program
status reporting. Training on use of the systems is provided on a regular basis,
usually annually, depending on the .nature of system changes and user needs.
Non-hazardous waste management is delegated to the states. Federal
guidance is provided, but no actual federal program implementation exists. For
this reason, individual states collect and verify data on waste management
practices for Industrial D and municipal wastes in accordance with local needs.
The Agency receives aggregate data more indirectly than in the case of hazardous
waste, through reports, studies, or statistical sampling rather than a national
data system.
Facilities will be required to submit information on the chemical risks in
their facilities and how they manage those risks (Risk Management Plans) in 1999.
This information will be placed into a database accessible to Federal, state, and
local officials as well as the public. The information will be verified through
regional and state facility audits and reports. LEPCs will be contacted
periodically to verify risk reduced in their community. ERNS database will be
used to confirm releases reported in RMPs.
States and LEPCs will be surveyed to determine the extension and current
status of their chemical emergency preparedness and prevention program. A
database will be kept on the status of States which have taken the RMP program.
Regions and headquarters will routinely enter information on the status of each
states effort to manage the RMP program. Regions will ensure quality of the data
through quarterly reviews of the states and random checks of LEPCs.
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This research program is consistent with QRD's mission and the enumerated
goals to (1) Develop Scientifically Sound Risk Assessment Approaches; (2)
Integrate Human and Ecological Assessment Methods; (3) Provide Cost-Effective
Risk Prevention/Management Approaches; (4) Provide Credible Methods, Models and
Guidance; .and (6) Provide Environmental Leadership & Develop Partnerships. The
science conducted in this area and will support all programs conducting
multimedia, multi pathway exposure and risk assessments and will provide data to
assist state and local regulatory officials to make informed decisions on the
most effective way to reduce releases from waste generating facilities.
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of environmental science and research. The Agency has implemented a
risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and xisk management
as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its research and
determine planning priorities. To better draw upon the expertise of the
environmental academic community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants; the Agency is
also working with various professional societies to identify research issues.
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms for
research is a rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's
Deputy Administrator states that peer review will be expanded Ato include both
the major work products provided in the past and...all scientific and technical
products supporting Agency decisions...® This expanded and strengthened focus
on peer review will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are
verified and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer
review throughout the research planning and implementation process, both to
ensure that planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EPA's
mission, and to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products, and
proposals. This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as
the Science Advisory Board (SAB)and the Board of Scientific Councillors (BOSC).
The BOSC, established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine
the way the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of its research
and development laboratories -
EPA's external research program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
selected for funding through grants or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
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Statutory Authority
Clean Water Act (CWA) .(33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)
Oil Pollution Act (OPA) (33 U-S-C. 2701-2761)
Clean Air Act
Energy Policy Act of 1992
Waste Isolation Pilot Project
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Better Waste Management, Restoration of Contaminated Waste
Sites, and Emergency Response
Objective #3: Respond to All Known Emergencies
By 2005, EPA and its partners will have the capability to successfully
respond to 100 percent of known emergency actions at facilities defined under the
Oil Pollution Act (OPA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act (EPCRA), to reduce the risk to human health and the environment.
Overview
The President's Budget requests a total of $20,339,400 and 124 workyears
for the activities under this objective. In this objective, the Agency improves
Federal and local governments' ability to respond to chemical releases, terrorist
acts, radiological emergencies and oil spills. The Agency's Chemical Emergency
Preparedness and Prevention program and Oil Spill program are integral components
in preventing and responding to environmental and public health emergencies.
Hazardous chemical releases have caused billions of dollars in property
damage, serious damage to the environment and hundreds of deaths and injuries
during the past 30 years. Thousands of chemical releases are reported to the
National Response Center each year, and the Agency estimates nearly 1,000
severely toxic accidents occur annually. The Agency supports nationwide efforts
to prevent, prepare for and respond to chemical accidents by: (1) providing
leadership and assistance to state and local governments and industry;
(2)reducing risks by removing immediate health threats; (3) providing states and
communities with information on chemical hazards and risks and information
management tools,- and (4) developing regulations and guidance to promote public
safety and health and environmental protection.
Included among the Agency' s priorities has been development of the Chemical
Accident Investigation program. Created in 1995 as a National Performance Review
initiative, EPA and OSHA have jointly investigated and determined root causes of
major chemical accidents and releases. Under an interagency Memorandum of
Understanding, our agencies have collaborated on a number of investigations,
issued reports and disseminated critical information on accident findings through
special alerts to stakeholders to inform them of potential hazards and preventive
actions. EPA and OSHA are also considering changing regulations based on
information gathered from accident investigations. However, the future of the
joint program is uncertain. Language in the 1998 Appropriations Act establishing
the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board will change EPA/OSHA's role
and responsibilities. The Agency is currently studying its relationship with the
Board and evaluating a. range of legal, policy, administrative and technical
issues.
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EPA's anti-terrorism program is designed to protect public health and the
environment from the threats posed by nuclear, biological and chemical materials
released during terrorist incidents. The Agency participates with other Federal
agencies in crisis and consequence management phases of terrorist incident
response exercises; prevents and prepares for deliberate release situations; and
coordinates its efforts with those of other Federal agencies to ensure that anti-
terrorism programs are integrated with other state and local emergency
preparedness and response structures, programs and systems (such as State
Emergency Response Commission, Local Emergency Planning Committees, and the
National Response System).
The Agency works to improve and enhance national emergency planning and
response capabilities .at the Federal, state, and local levels. The Agency
participates in the government-wide initiative to assist the nation's largest and
most vulnerable communities.in preparing to respond to terrorist attacks, A
total of $7,388,000 is requested for federal response planning and coordination
activities.
Under the National Contingency Plan and the Federal Radiological Emergency
Response Plan, the Agency assists the regions, states, and other Federal agencies
in responding to radiological emergencies; offers field monitoring expertise,
mobile radio analysis, and dose assessment; and, develops Protective Action
Guidance for use by state/local authorities. EPA also has one of the nation's
top radiological labs with the ability to not only do lab analyses, but also
provide data analysis in terms of dose and risk to the public. The Agency
request within this objective a total of $3,178,400 for radiation-related
activities.
Each year more than 12,000 oil spills occur, well over half of them iri
EPA's prevention or response zone. On average there is one spill of greater than
100,000 gallons per month from a universe of 440,000 regulated facilities and the
entire transportation network. Oil spills contaminate drinking water supplies;
cause fires and explosions; kill fish, birds, and other wildlife; destroy
habitats and ecosystems; and impact the food chain. There are also serious
economic consequences of oil spills because of their impact on commercial and
recreational uses of water resources.
The Oil Spill program takes a comprehensive approach to integrate
prevention, preparedness, and response as mandated and authorized in the Clean
Water Act, section 311, and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The Agency responds
to and monitors oil spills, and improves the quality and quantity of the data
provided in Area Contingency Plans, especially concerning environmentally and
economically important sensitive areas. This leads directly to improvements in
response preparedness. The Agency also develops Geographical Information Systems
(GIS) and GIS-generated maps which are vital in the event of an accident.
The area contingency planning process prepares industry and government for
oil spill responses, focusing primarily on large-scale spill responses. Area
contingency planning also assists facilities in identifying key concerns as the
plans are being developed. Area planning includes, among other efforts:
gathering data on environmentally sensitive areas and other pertinent locational
data (such as locations of oil storage facilities and spill responders) ,-
V-49
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coordination between Federal, state, and local officials on priorities for
planning, considering issues such as highest risk locations and response
resources available; and coordination among the same officials on logistics .and
control issues during response actions. Within this objective, the Agency
requests a total of $8,120,500 for the Oil Spill program.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Qbj . 03 Respond to All Known
Emergencies
Environmental Program &
Management
Science and Technology
Oil Spill Response
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Total FTE
$20,
$4,
$1,
$6,
$7,
774.
575.
470.
908.
820.
123.
3
3
5
5
0
8
$18,
$2,
$1,
$6,
$7,
884
498
610
987
788
123
.7
.1
.3
.6
.7
.9
$20,
$2,
$1,
$8,
$7,
339.
655.
613.
120.
949,
123.
4
7
9
5
3
9
1999 Annual PerformanceGoalg
• In 1999, EPA will provide anti-terrorism training to 30 communities.
• In 1999, EPA will update l Area Contingency Plan, lead 1 area-wide
preparedness drill, and participate in 10 Coast Guard-led or industry-led
preparedness drills.
• In 1999, EPA will respond to or monitor all significant oil spills in the
inland zone. EPA typically responds to 85 oil spills and monitor 139 oil
spill cleanups per year.
• In 1999, EPA will complete initial assessments and a plan for anti-
terrorism training in 70 more communities.
In 1999, the Agency's annual performance goals focus on activities that
increase protection of public health and the environment. These include
promoting effective response to chemical and radiological accidents, oil spills
and terrorist events. Because the activities under this objective can take
months or years to complete, some 1999 accomplishments were funded in prior
years. In addition, some of the activities funded in 1999 will count as
accomplishments in future years.
The Agency's Chemical Investigations program protects the public from being
exposed to dangerous chemicals by helping facilities improve chemical safety.
While establishment of the Chemical Safety and Hazard investigation Board will
V-50
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affect the responsibilities of EPA's joint investigation program with OSHA, the
Agency will take steps to ensure essential work is completed. In 1999, the
Agency requests will complete investigations that are currently under development
and take actions in response to the findings. We are also in the process of
determining how the Agency can assist with the newly established board as
necessary during its start-up phase.
In 1999, the Agency's anti-terrorism program will focus on educating our
stakeholders on the aspects of preparing for and responding to acts of
radiological, biological and chemical acts of terrorism. The Agency will provide
appropriate training to response personnel for response to terrorist events. The
Agency, in coordination with other Federal partners, will provide Federal, state
and local planners and responders training to understand the connections between
the National Response System and the National Domestic Preparedness Program for
terrorist events, as well as the unique planning and response features associated
with nuclear, biological and chemical terrorist events. Agency activities will
be conducted as part of the .Federal Government's initiative to ensure that state
and local emergency officials are adequately trained to effectively respond to
a terrorist incident- These activities include: conducting anti-terrorism
training, participating in exercises, and assisting communities in upgrading
their emergency plans to address anti/counter-terrorism hazards,
The Oil Spill Response Program will in 1999 monitor and respond to oil
spills and provide specialized site support through the Environmental Response
Team (ERT) . The Agency will improve the quantity and quality of the data
provided in Area Contingency Plans, especially concerning environmentally and
economically sensitive areas. Improved data will lead directly to improvements
in response preparedness. Although all inland areas have developed Area
Contingency Plans, they are at different levels of completeness and none' satisfy
all statutory requirements.
A major thrust, in 1999, will be the development of Geographical Information
Systems (GIS) generated electronic systems and maps. Data that is collected can
be used during the planning process to evaluate and prioritize potential response
activities throughout the entire area. Much of this desired data is not
available to the Agency in one location or in a usable format. The GIS
electronic mapping will provide the vital information needed in the event of an
incident and the necessary analysis of that data to support an emergency response
and quickly identify sensitive areas impacted. This investment provides
significant returns, including reducing risk to human health and the environment;
supporting response efforts; and aiding planning and land use development
decisions through collection and storage of environmental data and other
response-related elements (response contractors, hospitals, emergency lodging,
etc.) Also, this system, although mandated by and developed under the authority
of the Oil Pollution Act, could be used to support planning and response and for
other Agency programs, such as Superfund.
199 8 Annual Performance Goals
• In 1998, EPA will provide 27 communities with counter-terrorism training,
assessment, and exercises.
V-51
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In 1998, EPA will update 1 Area Contingency Plan, lead 1 area-wide
preparedness drill, and participate in 10 Coast Guard-led or industry-led
preparedness drills.
in 1998, EPA will respond to or monitor all significant oil spills in the
inland zone. EPA typically responds to 85 oil spills and monitors 139 oil
spill cleanups per year.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
03 Obj . Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
Oil Spill Response
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Dollars
$1,454.7
$157.6
$3.6
$1,132.9
$160.6
FTE
0.0
0.0
o.o
0.0
0.0
(+$972,000 Oil Spills) For improving the quantity and Duality of data used
in Area Contingency Planning to meet the detailed and extensive
requirements of the program. This increase in planning and coordination
will result in faster and more effective responses, thereby reducing the
damage caused by oil spills. Resources for this effort are redirected
from the Superfund program.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Oil Spills Responded to
Oil Spills Monitored by EPA
Area Contingency Plans Updated/yr.
EPA-led Area-wide Prep. Drills/yr
USGC or Industry-led Prep
Dfills/yr.
Comm. Recvng. Anti-terrorism
Training
Comm. Recvng. Initial
Assessment and Plans for
Anti-terrorism Training
85 Spills 85 Spills
139 Spills 139 Spills
1 ACP 1 ACP
1 Drill '1 Drill
10 Drills 10 Drills
27 communities 30 Communities
0 70 Communities
V-52
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Conclusion
Under this objective, the Agency will work with Federal and local partners
to protect the public and the environment from chemical accidents, oil spills and
terrorist events, including events and accidents involving radiological
substances;.
Increasing threats and incidents of domestic and international terrorism
(such as the Oklahoma City bombing and the Tokyo sarin release), have prompted
the Federal Government to strengthen and expand its anti/counter-terrorism
programs. As a result, a number of measures have been established to ensure that
the United States is prepared to combat terrorism. They include: reducing
vulnerabilities to terrorism, deterring and responding to terrorist acts and
having capabilities to prevent and manage the consequences of terrorist uses of
nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons. As an Agency with significant
responsibility for carrying out crisis and consequence management (threat
analysis, monitoring, sampling, hazard reduction, cleanup and restoration) during
responses, EPA has an important role to play in implementing this new policy.
To meet our obligations, it is essential that we concentrate on revising and
upgrading our emergency capabilities to enable us to effectively support a
terrorist incident should one occur.
The Oil Pollution Act was enacted in part, to expand prevention and
preparedness capabilities and to provide an economic incentive to prevent spills
through increased penalties and enhanced enforcement. Under the oil pollution
prevention regulations and the National Contingency Plan (NCP), EPA is
responsible for: (1) developing Area Contingency Plans to address the removal of
a worst case discharge of oil and to mitigate or prevent a substantial threat of
such a discharge for facilities in the inland zone, and (2) responding to or
monitoring oil spills in the inland zone, as necessary.
Under this objective the Oil program will continue to: (l) publish updates
to area contingency plans in each of the 13 originally-designated areas, (2)
coordinate with other Agencies participating in the Area Planning Committee for
area planning, (3) lead one area wide preparedness drill, (4) participate in ten
preparedness drills led by the U.S. Coast Guard or by industry and (5) respond
as appropriate to all significant oil spills.
KeyPerformanceMeasure Verification
CERCLIS is the official database used by Superfund and the Oil Spill
programs to help track and store national site information, CERCLIS was
developed in accordance with Agency Life Cycle Guidance which establishes
criteria for software development. It adheres to the Agency platform, software
and hardware standards.
The Agency has defined the various roles and responsibilities of key
individuals who are responsible for development, operation and maintenance of
CERCLIS. The Headquarters sponsor of the data is responsible for: (1) identifying
the data elements needed, (2) defining the data elements, and (3) informing the
V-53
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appropriate people that the information needs to be collected and loaded into
CERCLIS. The regional person who owns the data (e.g., Superfund remedial project
manager) is responsible for reviewing, verifying, and validating his/her .data in
CERCLIS. The Information Management/Program Measurement Center under the Office
of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR) responsibility is to ensure; (1) there
is a data element with an accurate definition for all data; (2) the data element
is accessible to searches and can be retrieved for reports; (3) the source for
the data is referenced in the system,- (4) the data is accurately entered or
converted into the system,- (5) data from other sources is considered draft until
it has been checked against its source data, and is found acceptable; and (6)
data integrity is maintained in all system applications and reports. '
To assure data accuracy and control, the following administrative controls
are in place: (1) Superfund/Oil Implementation Manual (SPIM) --This is the
program management manual which details what data must be reported; (2) Report
Specifications --Report specifications are published for each report detailing
how reported data are calculated; (3) Coding Guide --It contains technical
instructions to data users such as regional IMCs, program personnel, report
owners and data input personnel; (4) Quality Assurance (QA) Unit Testing --Unit
testing is an extensive QA check made by the report programmer to assure that its
product is producing accurate data that conforms to the current specification;
(5) QA Third Party Testing --Third party testing is an extensive test made by an
independent QA tester to assure that the report produces .data in conformance with
the report specifications; (6) Regional CERCLIS Data Entry Internal Control Plan
--The data entry internal control plan includes: (a) regional policies and
procedures for entering data into CERCLIS; (b) a review process to ensure that
all Superfund accomplishments are "supported by source documentation; (c)
delegation of authorities for approval of data input into CERCLIS; and (d)
procedures to ensure that reported accomplishments meet accomplishment
definitions.
'Information on .incorporation of counter-terrorism planning will be obtained
through the survey to LEPCs. In addition, the ORCA database will be reviewed to
determine if all hazard plans include a counter-terrorism appendix. Regions will
conduct random checks with their LEPCs to verify information. To secure accident
investigation information, EPA will conduct follow-up interviews with facilities
where accidents have occurred.
Statutory Authority
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
(42 U.S.C. 9601-9675)
Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 7601-7671q)
Clean Water Act (CWA), Section 311
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) (42 U.S.C. 11001-
11050)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. 6901-6992k)
Oil Pollution Act of 1990
V-54
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Goal 6: Global and Cross-Border
-------
Goal 6: Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks . . VI-1
Reduce Transboundary Threats, Shared North American
Ecosystems VI-6
Climate Change , VI-16
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion » VI-31
Protect Public Health and Ecosystems From Persistent Toxics ., VI-38
Prevent Degradation of the Marine and Polar Environments . . . VI-45
Achieve Cleaner and More Cost-Effective Practices VI-49
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks
Strategic Goal: The United States will lead, other nations in successful,
multilateral efforts to reduce significant risks to human health and ecosystems
from climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, and other hazards of
international concern.
Goal Summary
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Reduction of Global and
Cross-border Environmental
Risks
Obj. 01 Reduce Transboundary
Threats; Shared North
American Ecosystems
Obj. 02 Climate Change
Obj, 03 Stratospheric Ozone
Depletion
Obj. 04 Protect Public Health
and Ecosystems From
Persistent Toxics
Obj. 05 Prevent Degradation of
the Marine and Polar
Environments
Obj. 06 Achieve Cleaner and
More Cost-Effective "Practices
Goal Total FTE
$335,952.1 $236,144.4 $395,960.5
$122,113.7 $99,730.2 $122,172.8
$175,299.7 $109,218.1 $230,644.0
$27,381.4 $17,321.8 $26,914.3
$4,155.0
$1,318.2
$5,684.1
443.3
$4,250.8
$1,307.7
$4,315.8
448.7
$6,873.7
$1,397.5
$7,958.2
527.4
Ecosystems and transboundary pollutants do not respect international
boundaries. As a result, unilateral domestic actions of the U.S. are inadequate
to achieve some of EPA's most important environmental goals. Reduction of global
and cross-border environmental risk is important because of the significant
problems that originate in other countries and may significantly impact U.S.
investments in environmental protection. Achieving our environmental goals
requires us to work with other countries to address external sources of pollution
impacting human health and the environment of our nation. Conversely, the U.S.
also holds itself responsible for preventing or minimizing the impacts of
transboundary pollution originating here.
VI-1
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Efforts under this goal demonstrate EPA's continued leadership to build
international cooperation and technical capacity that are essential to prevent
harm to the global environment and ecosystems that we share with other nations.
A coordinated international response is needed to confront the climate change
threat, depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, transboundary circulation of
toxics, and other environmental issues significant to the interests of the United
states. Continued leadership by the U.S. and EPA is necessary to successfully
address these issues in a manner that provides efficient and sustainable long-
term solutions.
The President's Budget requests $ 395,960,500 and 527.4 total workyears for
the Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks goal> an increase
of $ 159,816,100 and 78.7 workyears over 1998. In order to maintain U.S.
leadership role in this area, EPA will increase its activities to address Climate
Change by focusing on efforts to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas
concentrations in the atmosphere, :as well -as focusing on minimizing the global
impacts of greenhouse gas emissions originating in the U.S. In addition, EPA's
activities will include programs that -reduce persistent organic pollutants and
selected metals that circulate in the environment at global and regional scales.
The resources requested in this budget will enable the Agency to meet a
number of important performance goals in 1999, The most significant of these
include:
• Sixteen additional water/wastewater projects along the Mexican border will
be certified for design-construction.
• As part of the President's Climate Change Technology Initiative, reduce
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in total by 4.0 million metric ton carbon
equivalent through partnerships with businesses, schools, state and local
governments and other organizations.
• Reduce U.S. energy consumption by 45 billion kilowatts.
• Conduct preliminary assessment of consequences of climate change at three
geographic locations (mid^Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and Upper Great Lakes).
• Ensure that domestic consumption of class II hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs) will be restricted to below 208,400 metric tons and domestic
exempted production and import of newly produced class I CFCs and halons
will be restricted to below 130,000 metric tons.
• Obtain international agreement on criteria for selecting Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs) to be covered in a new global POPs treaty, and on
capacity building activities to support the convention's implementation.
• Deliver 30 international training modules; implement 6 technical assistance
or technology dissemination projects; implement 5 cooperative policy
development projects; and disseminate information products on U.S.
environmental technologies and techniques to 2,500 foreign customers.
VI-2
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HIGHLIGHTS:
S
5
"' Reduce Transboundag^ Threats; g.s. -Mexico Border
The 1999 President's Budget requests $108,010,400 and 23.1 total workyears,
of which $100 million will be direct" federal grants, to reduce transboundary
threats to human health and shared ecosystems along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Along the 2,000 mile U.S.-Mexico border, communities live side-by-side,
sharing the benefits of rapid economic growth and the subsequent environmental
problems. Today, there are over 11 million border residents, a population that
has doubled in the last 15 years. The effects of urban and industrial growth
have contributed to the problems of inadequate environmental infrastructure. In
the Mexico border area, programs are designed to 1) improve air quality, 2)
provide wastewater and drinking water services to underserved communities, 3}
manage chemical accidents, 4) support pollution prevention programs that will
over the long term reduce the adverse health and environmental effects of toxic
pollution, and 5) reduce and effectively manage hazardous and solid wastes.
The Agency will also continue to cooperate with its Mexican counterpart
agencies to implement the provisions of the LaPaz agreement and the Border XXI
Framework Document which provides a long term strategy to improve public health
and the environmental and essential natural resources in the border.
Climate Chang®
The 1999 President's Budget requests $230,644,000 and 331.1 total workyears
j for Climate Change, of'which $205,407,600 and 251.6 total workyears are for the
Climate Change Technology Initiative.
There is scientific consensus that global change threatens human health and
the environment; EPA must address this problem to reduce adverse environmental
impacts. In 1997, the framework developed under the Kyoto Protocol established
significant targets for greenhouse gas reductions. The agreements reached in
Kyoto provide an important opportunity to achieve meaningful reductions in
" greenhouse gases with an environmentally sound and economically strong strategy.
EPA will play an integral role in the President's Plan under the Climate Change
Technology Initiative (CCTI). For several years, EPA has been building
successful partnerships to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with businesses and
other organizations in all -sectors of the economy. Many of these programs focus
on the deployment of existing, proven technologies that reduce emissions but are
underutilized. These partnerships will continue to be the foundation for
achieving greenhouse gas reductions beyond 2000.
Under CCTI, EPA will expand its effort in each sector of the economy in
order to meet the targeted emissions reductions that protect the environment
while promoting economic growth. In 1999, there are key areas where EPA is
expanding its effort. These include: 1) Industry Initiatives *• EPA will consult
with key industries to develop greenhouse gas reduction strategies, promote -the
deployment of clean technologies, and build a program that credits industry for
early action; 2} Transportation Initiatives - EPA will accelerate its efforts
under the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV). PNGV will develop
\
VI-3
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technology for delivery and long-haul trucks that achieve significant increases
in fuel economy, as well as, meeting stringent emission targets; 3) Buildings
Initiatives - promote GHG reduction and improve energy performance of facilities
by increasing awareness of energy efficient technology that is applicable for
both residential and commercial buildings; and 4) Domestic and International
Outreach to State and local entities to integrate Climate Change into programs
and policies and engage developing countries in the implementation of Climate
Change protocols.
Stratospheric OzoneDepletion
The 1999 President's Budget requests $26,914,300 and 34.4 total workyears
to work towards recovery of ozone concentrations in the stratosphere.
The United States has signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that
Deplete the Ozone Layer. Through this international treaty, EPA will implement
and enforce rules controlling the production and emission of ozone depleting
compounds, and identify safer alternatives and promote their use to curtail ozone
depletion. In addition, EPA will continue to provide financial support to the
Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund.
EPA will focus on domestic and international production phaseout of five
ozone-depleting chemicals and chemical classes, promote more intensive recycling
programs in the U.S. and abroad, enhance environmental data development and
public outreach aimed at informing the public of risks of overexppsure to UV
radiation, and encourage earlier voluntary phaseout of CFCs and HCFCs in
developing countries.
grofcec.jb JB.ub.lig. Health and Bgosystems from Persistent Toxics
The 1999 President's Budget requests $6,873,700 and 39.3 total workyears
to reduce the risks to U.S. human health and ecosystems from selected toxics that
circulate in the environment at global and regional scales, consistent with
international obligations.
Selected toxics which can persist, bioaccumulate and move long distances
pose serious risks to human health and the ecosystem in the U.S., not to mention
in remote regions where the substances may not be produced or used. The actions
of individual nations to control the adverse effects of these persistent
bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs) often are insufficient because of the long-range
transport of such substances. Thus, it takes coordinated international action
to reduce the risks posed by PBTs globally, let alone in the U.S.
As part of the Agency-wide, multi-media collaborative effort to reduce
risks associated with priority PBTs, the Agency will work to reduce the risks
associated with priority PBTs through the Binational Strategy, the Commission for
Environmental Cooperation, the Persistent Organic Pollutants international
negotiations, and further national prioritization of chemicals for coordinated
reduction strategies.
VI-4
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Achieve Cleaner and More Cost-Effective Practices
The 1999 President's Budget requests $ 7,958,200 and 37.6 total workyears
to increase the application of cleaner and more cost-effective environmental
practices and technologies in the U.S. and abroad through international
cooperation.
As part of the Agency's international technology and technical assistance
programs, EPA will provide access to microbiologically safe drinking water and
the protection of drinking water sources in developing nations. This priority
is consistent with the Administrator's interest in improving the environmental
health of children, who are most vulnerable to water-borne diseases. In 1999,
EPA proposes the "Ensuring Children's Health through Microbiologically Safe
Drinking Water and Adequate Sanitation" initiative. The specific focus area in
this initiative will be the improvement of children's health in less developed
countries through provision of safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. The
initiative will include environmental technology transfer and environmental
management capacity building components.
VI-5
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks
Objective #1: Reduce Transboundary Threats, Shared North American Ecosystems
By 2005, reduce transbouneiary threats to human health and shared ecosystems
in .North America consistent with our bilateral and multilateral treaty
obligations in these areas, as well as our trust responsibility to tribes.
Overview
EPA's activities under this objective address transboundary environmental
threats in the Great Lakes as well as U.S. border areas and in shared North
American ecosystems. Activities focus on the Great Lakes Program, the
U.S.-Mexico Border, the U.S.-Canada Border and the North American Commission for
Environmental Cooperation (NACEC) created under the North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA).
Within this objective, the Agency is requesting $100,000,000 for
activities along the U.S./Mexico Border. Along the 2,000 mile U.S.-Mexico
border, communities live side-by-side, sharing the benefits of rapid economic
growth and the subsequent environmental problems. Today, there are more than
11 million border residents, a population that has doubled in the last 15 years.
The effects of urban and industrial growth has contributed to the problems of
inadequate environmental infrastructure. In the Mexico border area programs are
designed to (1) improve air quality, (2) provide wastewater and drinking water
services to under served communities, (3) manage chemical accidents, (4) support
pollution prevention programs that will over the long term reduce the adverse
health and environmental effects of toxic pollution, and (5) reduce and
effectively manage hazardous and solid wastes. A significant portion of
residents along the U.S.-Mexico border area are without adequate basic services
such as potable water and wastewater treatment and the problem has become
progressively worse in the last few decades due to expanding urbanization.
Identified wastewater infrastructure needs along the U. S./Mexico border are
estimated to be $2.8 billion. The Agency has established a'goal of 32 total high
priority projects to have been certified for design-construction by the end of
FY 1999, 16 of which will be certified in 1999. The National Water Program has
established a. Year 2000 goal to increase by 7 percent the population in the
Mexico border area served by adequate drinking water -and wastewater treatment and
collection systems. This goal will be achieved through the design and
construction of water infrastructure. Direct grants are also provided to the
Indian Health Service or appropriate tribal organizations to support the
construction of drinking water and wastewater treatment infrastructure on Indian
reservations and other tribal lands on the U.S. side of the border region. The
Agency will cooperate with its Mexican counterpart agencies to implement the
provisions of the LaPaz Agreement and the Border XXI Framework Document which
provide a long term strategy to improve public health and the environmental and
VI-6
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essential natural resources in the border. Nine binatipnal working groups will
address key issues working closely with, state and local agencies on both sides
of the border. EPA will also work closely with the Border Environment
Cooperation Commission (BECC) and the North American Development Bank (NADBank)
to support the financing and construction of wastewater treatment and solid waste
facilities. EPA is committed in 1999 to supporting in the amount of $1,000,000
the U.S.-Mexico Foundation for Science in cooperation with the programs,
activities and projects of the BECC, NADBank, International Boundary and Water
Commission and the Mexican Comision Nacional de Agua.
EPA will work with Canadian counterparts and the International Joint
Commission to carry out obligations under the GLWQA, the U.S.-Canada Air Quality
Agreement and numerous other binational agreements supporting cooperation on
transboundary and global issues of concern to the two countries. EPA will also
work with Environment Canada and the Mexican Ministry of Environment, Natural
Resources and Fisheries within NACEC on important trilateral issues including
enforcement, chemical management and protection of critical natural resources.
Oil the U.S.-Canada border, both nations are directing major attention to the
long-term restoration of the Great Lakes ecosystem. During next few years
particular attention will focus on eliminating toxic pollutant discharges (such
as PCBs and mercury) into the lakes. Smaller scale activities will address
transboundary watershed issues in areas ranging from the Georgia Bay-Puget Sound
to the Gulf of Maine.
At the trilateral level, EPA is working through the North American
Commission for Environmental Cooperation to address common environmental
problems, especially those relating to NAFTA, among the United States, Canada,
and Mexico. in this context, EPA is working with counterparts in Canada and
Mexico to develop comparable approaches to air quality and emissions monitoring
in North America as well as procedures for transboundary environmental impact
assessment. We are also engaged in joint efforts to examine the impact on the
environment of trade and the development of trilateral plans for the sound
management of chemicals
The significant benefit of the programs supporting this objective is a
reduction in environmental risks to the Great Lakes as well as the U.S.,
Canadian, and Mexican population in our shared border areas. These programs will
result in an improved water quality over the long term, expanded system of
drinking and wastewater infrastructure, improved air quality, a reduction in
improperly managed waste aiid reduced levels of toxics.
EPA's Great Lakes Program brings together Federal, state, tribal, local,
and industry partners in an integrated, ecosystem approach to protect, maintain,
and restore the chemical, biological, and physical integrity of the Great Lakes.
The Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 and the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement (GLWQA) with Canada provide the basis for our international efforts to
manage this shared resource. Additional responsibilities are defined in Section
118 of the Clean Water Act, Section 112 of the Clean Mr Act Amendments, and the
Great Lakes Critical Programs Act of 1990. The Great Lakes 5-Year Strategy,
developed jointly by EPA and its multi-state, multi-Agency partners and built on
the foundation of the GLWQA, provides the agenda for Great Lakes ecosystem
management: reducing toxic substances; protecting and restoring important
VI-7
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habitats; and protecting human/ecosystem species health. EPA's Great Lakes
National Program Office (QLNPO) is the principal U.S. organization for this
effort, coordinating not only with U.S. partners, but also with Canadian
counterparts. The program monitors Lake ecosystem indicators; manages and
provides public access to Great Lakes data, helps communities address
contaminated sediments in their harbors; supports local protection and
restoration of important habitats, promotes pollution prevention through
activities and projects such as the 1997 Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Binational
Toxics Strategy (BNS), and provides assistance to implement community-based
Remedial Action Plans for Areas of Concern and for development of Lake-wide
Management Plans and the reduction of critical pollutants pursuant to those
Plans. The Agency's .1999 Persistent Bioaccutnulative Toxics initiative will
augment GLNPO's BNS resources, allowing new projects addressing toxaphene,
mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs.)
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 01 Reduce Transboundary
Threats: Shared North
American Ecosystems
Environmental Program &
Management
State and Tribal Assistance
Grants
Total FTE
$122,113.7 $99,730.2 $122,172.8
$22,113.7 $24,730.2 $22,172.8
$100,000.0 $75,000.0 $100,000.0
74,8
74.8
74.8
3.999 Annual.
.. Goals
Complete emissions inventories for 5 of the 7 non- attainment areas along
the US /Mexican border
Three of the 14 sister cities will have completed joint chemical accident
contingency plans,
Assess the state of Great Lakes ecosystem components and make . current
status and trend information available to Great Lakes environmental
managers. In addition we will finalize environmental indicators applicable
to the entire Great Lakes Basin.
Initiate projects to demonstrate reduction of persistent, bioaccumulative
toxic chemicals and complete BNS reports.
State/community clean-up of contaminated sediments supported by sediment
assessment and characterization (at sites in two new Areas of Concern
VI-8
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(AQCs), thus having visited 27 out of 31 US AOCs) and by sediment cleanup
demonstrations.
* Habitat protection and restoration projects will have positive ecological
effects on 23% of the Great Lakes Basin's total land area (up from 20% in
1998). Ecological enhancements will occur at the 14 US terrestrial
biodiversity investment areas. Biodiversity investment areas will be
identified for coastal marshes and coastal aquatic areas.
• 16 additional water/wastewater projects along the Mexican border certified
for design-construction
The annual performance goals represent certain steps which must be taken to
support a reduction in trarisboundary threats. In the U.S.-Mexico border area,
it is essential that air emissions data be collected, that emissions inventories
be developed and air modeling and interpretation be done in order to put air
pollution control programs in place. Once such programs are in place, air
quality health standards can be met. Similarly, wastewater treatment projects
must first be proposed to the BECC and certified before funding is made available
and construction can begin. Once construction is completed, usually a few years
later, the population served by drinking water and wastewater collection and
treatment systems will increase. In 1999, chemical accident contingency plans
will be completed for three sister cities moving toward the goal of 10 by the
year 2005. Pollution prevention programs will be adopted by an increasing number
of maquila plants, a step toward meeting the long term goal of reducing the
generation of hazardous wastes by 8% (on a per employee basis) by 2005.
Activities undertaken In 1999 related to the Great Lakes Performance
measures focus largely on the assessment of the current status and trends in the
Basin's ecosystems. These data will be used to examine long term trends and to
target efforts to clean up contaminated sites, to more effectively manage the
biological resources of the area, and to plan longer-term toxic reduction
strategies. Each of these elements will help in the long term to restore and
protect the integrity of the basin's ecosystem.
The Agency will coordinate implementation of the ecosystem approach in the
Great Lakes by its Federal, state, tribal, and local partners, fully implementing
a •"community-based" approach. EPA and its partners will act consistently with
goals of the Great Lakes Five Year Strategy and the Agency Strategic Plan.
EPA will lead collaborative efforts for air and water monitoring in all five
Great Lakes for toxics and nutrient loadings and biological health. EPA will
report results of modeling scenarios from the multi-media initiative for the
first-ever intensive monitoring of Lake Michigan air, water, sediments, and biota
(the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study, or "LMMB")/ supporting the Great Waters
provision of the Clean Air Act and §118 of the Clean Water Act. This will enable
the Agency and its partners to determine how to further reduce Great Lakes
pollutants. The joint GLNPO/Canadian integrated atmospheric deposition network
(including air monitoring stations on each Great Lake) will provide trend and
baseline data (with the exception of metals) to support and target remedial
efforts and measure environmental progress under Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) and
Lake-wide Management Plans (LaM3?s). GLNPO, with its Canadian counterparts, will
VI-9
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finalize, and report on, Great Lakes core indicators at the biennial State of the
Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC). SOLEC brings together representatives of the
public and private sectors to facilitate decision-making based upon sound
environmental information,
EPA will work with Environment Canada and lead domestic partners in
implementing the 1997 Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy (BNS.) The
Strategy, a groundbreaking international toxics reduction effort, targets a
common set of persistent, toxic substances for reduction and virtual elimination
from the Great Lakes. The Strategy focuses on pollution prevention efforts,
using voluntary and regulatory tools to achieve reductions and contains reduction
challenges for a targeted set of substances, e.g., mercury, PCBs, dioxins/furans,
certain canceled pesticides. The Strategy outlines actions and activities which
states, industry, tribes, non-government organizations and other stakeholders may
undertake to achieve these reductions. Each targeted substance will be addressed
at the appropriate phrase of an analytical framework which consists of
information gathering, analysis of current regulations/initiatives.
identification of options and implementing reduction actions. Grants to
stakeholders (such as the Great Lakes states, Tribes and environmental groups for
mercury or PCBs reduction projects, for example) will help to achieve some of the
reduction targets. Implementation of the Strategy will be coordinated with and
augmented through cross-Agency support and activities relating to its FY 1999
Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics Initiative.
EPA, with its partners, will complete contaminated sediment cleanups through
demonstrations at 2 sites of the 31 U.S. and/or binational Areas of Concern
(AOCs) whose contaminated bottom sediments pollute their harbors. In this, GLNPO
will use expertise from GLNPO's Congressionally mandated Assessment and
Remediation of Contaminated Sediments program. GLNPO will do field work and
provide funding for sediment assessments and remedial design to .state and local
groups at five AOCs. Of these, three are likely to be follow-up assessments at
a finer scale to provide communities with sufficient information to address their
contaminated sediments. Assessments will thus have been done at 27 of the 31
AOCs since this program began.
The Agency will support the efforts of states, tribes, and local communities
to protect and restore important habitats identified in the Great Lakes
biodiversity report of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and SOLEC habitat papers.
The program emphasizes habitats important for biodiversity and ecological
integrity (such as those necessary for endangered and threatened species).
Additional projects will be started in terrestrial biodiversity investment areas.
Continuing work begun in 1998 to identify important coastal marshes and aquatic
areas, EPA will initiate projects that will positively affect these "aquatic
biodiversity investment areas" at strategic locations around the Great Lakes.
EPA, Regions, States, and local communities will strategically target
reductions of critical pollutants through Remedial Action Plans for Areas of
Concern and through Lake-wide Management Plans for Lakes Ontario, Michigan,
Superior, and Erie. The Agency will continue to meet specific requirements for
reporting to Congress and the International Joint Commission regarding progress
under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
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1998 Annual Performance Goals
• Certify 16 projects for design-construction. Construction will continue
at Me.xicali, be completed (Phase I) at the International Waste Treatment
Plant and commence as seven additional venues already certified.
• Complete emissions inventories for two of the seven non-attainment areas
along the US-Mexican border.
• Initiate government-industry partnership program to encourage adoption of
pollution prevention/waste minimization techniques by facilities in the
U.S.-Mexico border area.
• Assess the state of Great Lakes ecosystem components, and make current
status and trend information available to modelers and environmental
managers.
• Initiate projects to demonstrate reduction of persistent, Moaccumulative
toxic chemicals and complete BNS reports.
• Support State/community clean-up of contaminated sediments by sediment
assessment and characterization (at sites in 8 Areas of Concern (AOCs,)
thus having visited 25 out of 31 US AOCs since the program's inception) and
by sediment cleanup demonstrations.
• Habitat protection and restoration projects will have positive ecological
impacts on 20% of the Basin's total land area (up from 15% in 1995) .
Ecological enhancements will include the 14 US terrestrial biodiversity
investment areas. Biodiversity investment areas will be identified for
coastal marshes and coastal aquatic areas.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
01 Obj. Total Change $22,442.6 0.0
Environmental Program & Management $(2,557.4) 0.0
State and Tribal Assistance Grants $25,000,0
(+$25,000,000 STAG) This is for high priority water and wastewater
treatment facilities along the U.S. Mexican Border.
(+$290,000 EPM) This is part of the Agency's cross-media 1999 Persistent
Bioaccumulative Toxics initiative. The resource increase will fund
additional work in support of implementing the 1997 U.S.-Canada Binational
Toxics Strategy, such as following up on assessment of pesticide use or
release, an alkyl-Lead assessment, and mercury reduction by States.
VI-ll
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(-$215,000 EPM) This reduction from Great Lakes Environmental Indicator
Monitoring reflects the progress made to date,
(-$115,000 EPM) This reduction from Great Lakes Toxics Reduction
activities is offset by the Agency's cross-media 1,999 Persistent
Bioaccumulative Toxics initiative.
(-$100,000 EPM) This reduction from Great Lakes integrated data management
activities reflects the progress made to date.
The 1999 request is -$2,622,000 below the 1998 Enacted budget level due to
Congressional Add-ons received during the appropriations process but not
part of the 1999 President's Request.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Projects certified for design-
construction along the Mexico
Border
Completion of Great Lakes
assessments of nutrients, toxics
and airborne pollutants
Core Great Lakes ecosystem
components with indicators
Lake Michigan mass balance data
sets available
Toxics reduction predictions from
Lake Michigan mass balance made
available
Great Lakes projects initiated in
support of toxics reduction
Assessments and characterizations
at Great Lakes Areas of Concern
Great Lakes sediment cleanup
demonstrations completed
Great Lakes terrestrial acres
ecologically enhanced
Set of targets for ecological
enhancement in Great Lakes
aquatic biodiversity areas
16 projects
100% assessments
30 data sets
9 projects
8 assessments
1 completion
6,000 acres
16 projects
100% assessments
1 set
100% predictions
10 projects
6 assessments
3 completions
6,000 acres
1 set of targets
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Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Number of non-attainment areas
along the border with emissions
inventories
Industry partnership program
established
US-Canada .1995 PRTR report
published
NAFTA effects methodology
completed
Transboundary EIA negotiations
completed
Number of sister-cities with
joint contingency plans
NARAP developed for toxic
substance previously selected
Air monitoring projects completed
CEC trade and environmental
program established
2 inventories
1 program
1 report
l project
negotiation
5 inventories
3 cities
1 action plan
2 projects
1 program
EEA's cooperative activities under this objective will result in the
construction of water and wastewater facilities for residents of colonias and
other under served border communities. Over the long term key sister cities
should see an improvement in air quality as work is completed and emissions and
management plans are implemented. As a result of the government-industry
partnership program, maquila operations in the border area will adopt formal
pollution prevention/waste minimization programs, resulting in a decrease in the
amount of hazardous waste generated . The increased number of sister cities with
joint contingency plans will reduce the risk due to chemical accidents in the
border area.
Work within the NACEC will strengthen environmental enforcement across
North America while chemical management plans on PCBs, DDT, chlordane and mercury
will reduce risks these chemicals pose.
The achievement of the 1998 and 1999 goals of certifying 16 water and
wastewater projects for design-const ruction each year will meet the high priority
needs of the U. S. Border area population served by inadequate facilities while
meeting the intent of the bilateral cooperative agreement. Over the long term
key sister cities should see an improvement in air quality as work is completed
VI-13
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and emissions and management plans are implemented. Cooperative activities to
reduce air emissions will lead to continued improvements in air quality.
Meeting the objectives outlined requires strong cooperative efforts between
the U.S. and Mexico, the U.S. and Canada and among all three countries and the
Secretariat within the context of the NACEC. These efforts depend on strong and
continuing political commitment as well as the provision of adequate financial
and human .resources. In addition, success depends on high levels of support from
key stakeholders including industry, state and local governments. EPA is but one
player among many. Consequently, there are inherent difficulties in meeting
transboundary objectives that require action by Canada and Mexico as well as
state and local authorities.
The projected accomplishments of the Great Lakes program will significantly
advance restoration and maintenance of the Great Lakes ecosystem. GLNEO's
monitoring program is providing information on each of the Lakes, particularly
Lake Michigan, to enable Great Lakes environmental managers to better understand
the 'magnitude of the environmental problems of the Great Lakes. At the same
time, modeling and other tools are giving those managers the ability to
appropriately tailor remedial actions to clean up the Lakes. The LMMB is
providing an unprecedented picture of the source of pollutant loadings. GLNPO's
information management program will make the information accessible.
Because the BNS sets targets and time frames for virtually eliminating
targeted persistent toxic substances from the Great Lakes, BNS achievements will
be the evidence to identify the Agency1 s ability to pursue non-traditiona,! and
cost-effective solutions to the intractable problems of persistent,
bioaccumulative toxics. The analytical framework, .and the participation of our
partners in the BNS ensures that the projects which GLNPO funds will address the
greatest Great Lakes toxics problems.
Contaminated sediments "have long been identified as one of the most
important Great Lakes environmental problems. Assessments proposed for 1998 and
1999 provide the basis for future" cleanup efforts as states and communities do
the necessary planning for that work. Concurrent on-the-ground cleanups proceed
from earlier assessment work.
Great Lakes program activities in 1998 and 1999 will continue to aid in
the protection and restoration of the terrestrial habitats and, for the first
time, identify the important aquatic habitats. GLNPO's habitat achievements will
position the Great Lakes community with additional tools to protect the most
important Great Lakes habitats. The 132 endangered or threatened species in the
Great Lakes bear witness to the need to protect these important habitats.
Comprehensive efforts had not previously been completed to identify the
terrestrial and aquatic habitats most in need of protection. Under GLWQA,
eliminating discharges of persistent toxics in the Great Lakes should over the
long term improve water quality in.the Lakes. Similarly, cooperative activities
to reduce air emissions will lead to continued improvements in air quality.
VI-14
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Key Performance MeasuresL Verification
The annual performance goals and measures identified under Objective 1 are
the completion of explicit tasks (e.-g. air monitoring stations fully functioning,
Number of water projects certified for design/construction, number of border
states using Haztrak system.) These measures will be verified as completed or,
if incomplete, what percentage of the task remains outstanding. Verification of
these measures does not involve any pollutant database analysis, but is a
straight-forward determination of tasks completed and outstanding.
Performance measures for the Great Lakes program are derived from open lake
measurements taken by GLNPO and from annual programmatic analysis of activities
pursuant to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement' (GLWQA) , the Binational
Toxics Strategy, and the GLNPO programs for information management, sediments,
and habitat, individual projects which generate data are required to comply with
the Agency's standards for quality assurance and control (QA/QC.) A QA/QC
tracking system is in place to ensure that QA/QC requirements are part of all
applicable GLNPO projects. GLNPO uses its annual planning process as a check on
performance from indirect performance measures. Under the GLNPO structure, each
of the GLNPO programs conducts an end of year review of its progress regarding
identified measures and activities, draws conclusions, and makes recommendations
to management regarding the subsequent year's activities and measures.
SjtaJmfcory Authority
Clean Air Act Title VI (42 U.S.C. 7671-7671q)
19.87 Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances
Clean Water Act sections 112, 118 and 308 (33 U.S.C. 1318)
Toxic Substances Control Act sections 4, 5, and 6 (15 U.S.C. 2603, 2604, and
2605)]
North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation
Treaties:
• The Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909
• 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
• 1997 Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy
VI-15
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Request to Congress
Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks
Objective #2: Climate change
By 2000 and beyond, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced to levels
consistent with international commitments agreed upon under the Framework
Convention on Climate Change, building on initial efforts under the Climate
Change Action Plan,
Overview
In October 1997 President Clinton announced a new Climate Change Plan,
which responds to the scientific consensus that global climate change threatens
human health and the environment. According to the 1996 findings of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which included 2,500 leading
scientists from the U.S. and around the world, climate change is already
happening and it is happening partly because of human activities. If the problem
of climate change is not addressed now, the scientists concluded that "climate
change is likely to have wide-ranging and mostly adverse impacts on human health,
with significant loss of life."
The President's Plan provides a set of actions that will help protect human
health and the environment while growing the economy. By working hand-in-hand
with partners from the American business community, EPA's Climate Change
Technology Initiative (CCTI) will:
• Reduce, grjsenhouse gas jetnissjpns and help mitigate the impacts of global
climate change.
• Improve I?.S..,,„air, quality by reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) ,
particulate matter, mercury, and other air pollutants.
• Improve ,tL S... water quality by reducing the deposition of nutrients into
water bodies and better managing nutrients applied to soils.
* Preserve ..habitat by encouraging the sequestration of carbon in forests.
• Enhance eeonomic productlvit.y. and reduce the nation's energy bill by
removing market barriers that slow the penetration of efficient
technologies.
Climate change programs protect the earth from adverse environmental
impacts such as increased sea levels, increased frequency and severity of floods
and droughts, .and heat waves in the U.S. and around the world. Ecosystem and
economic losses are thereby reduced or avoided, protecting the environment and
promoting the economy. Related human health risks are also reduced, including,
VI-16
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for example, reduced adverse impacts on drinking water quality and quantity, and
reduced occurrence and severity of ground-level ozone and its related respiratory
problems. Air quality is also improved by reductions in air pollutants from
improved energy efficiency, which prevents pollution at the source by reducing
the use of fossil fuels.
Under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, industrialized countries have agreed to make
significant greenhouse gas reductions by 2008-2012. The decade preceding the
reduction target provides an important opportunity to develop and deploy the
technologies that can enhance U.S. competitiveness and productivity. The CCTI
is designed to make sure that opportunity is not wasted and will catalyze the
deployment of highly efficient technologies throughout the economy as today's
equipment is naturally replaced through normal stock turnover. Efficient
technologies offer large energy bill savings and can often enhance .overall
productivity. Without the CCTI, businesses and consumers will continue to invest
in less efficient technologies, increasing U.S. emissions and increasing the cost
of meeting future targets for emissions reductions. The budget requests
$205,407,600 for this initiative, an increase of $115,978,000 over the 1998
enacted levels.
The President's Plan includes several key elements to achieve these
benefits. These elements .include:
(1) .'Programs to expand the use of existing energy-efficient technologies in
the U.S.
(2) .Programs to encourage the development of new technologies -that use energy
more efficiently and utilize lower-carbon energy sources.
(3) Industry-by-industry consultations to develop plans for reducing
greenhouse gas emissions while increasing productivity.
(4) Incentives for early actions to reduce greenhouse gases, based on
crediting these actions under future caps on emissions.
(5) Tax credits targeted at key opportunities for reductions of greenhouse
gases.
.(6) Programs to encourage greenhouse gas reductions by developing countries.
(7) Economics and Science Reviews to improve the information available to
policy makers.
(8) Efforts to reduce energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions from Federal
facilities.
Agencies throughout the Administration will make significant contributions
to the President's Plan. For example, the Department of Energy will pursue
actions such as promoting the research, development, and deployment of advanced
technologies (for example, renewable energy sources). The Treasury Department
will administer newly proposed tax incentives for specific investments that will
reduce emissions.
EPA's CCTI will play a key role in the President's Plan. For several
years, EPA has been building successful partnerships to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions with businesses and other organizations in all sectors of the economy.
Many of these programs focus on the deployment of existing, proven technologies
that reduce emissions but are underutilized. These partnerships will continue
to be the foundation for achieving greenhouse gas reductions beyond 2000.
VI-17
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Administration-wide, the programs launched in the 1993 Climate Change Action Plan
have the potential to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by over ,160 million
tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCE) annually by the year 2010. EPA's partnerships
are expected to reduce the United States' annual energy expenditures by over $25
billion.
Under its CCTI, EPA will expand its efforts in each sector of the economy
in order to target tshe key opportunities for win-win emissions reductions that
protect the environment while promoting economic growth. Key areas where EPA is
expanding its efforts include the following:
" Industry,, Injtiat1 ves -- In conjunction with the CCTI, the President has
invited entire industries to work with the Federal government and develop
greenhouse gas plans. In addition to its partnerships 'with individual
companies, EPA will consult with key industries and develop voluntary but
aggressive strategies for further greenhouse .gas reductions that improve
overall productivity. EPA will also work with industries to promote the
.deployment of clean technologies such as the 'use of industrial combined
heat and power, which can cut the wasted energy from power generation in
half. EPA will further work with industry to build a program that credits
early action. EPA will seek dialogue with key stakeholders throughout
industry and the NGO community.
" Transpor.ta t ion Ini t iat i ve s -- EPA will accelerate its efforts under -the
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) , and will develop
enabling technology for production prototypes for delivery and long-haul
trucks that would achieve significant increases in fuel economy while
meeting stringent emissions targets. The National Academy of Sciences
has determined that EPA's renewable fuels application for 4-Stroke Direct
.Injection (SDI) engines is the lead PNGV candidate technology. When
complete, EPA's design will provide the basis for a viable and proven
concept vehicle for commercialization. It will also provide a strong
technical base from which to initiate additional EPA research into similar
technologies for light truck application. EPA will also expand its work
with state and local .decision-makers to develop and implement
transportation improvements that encourage "livable communities"
compact, walkable and mixed use development -- while reducing the growth
in vehicle travel, emissions, and congestion.
• Buildings Initiatives. The Buildings Sector., which includes both homes
and commercial buildings, offers a large potential for carbon reductions
using technologies that are on the shelf today. However, consumers and
businesses continue to invest substantial resources in equipment that is
relatively inefficient, resulting in higher energy .bills and higher
pollution levels. One of the key challenges over the next decade will be
to overcome market barriers, such as the lack of reliable information, and
improve the market for energy-efficient products. EPA will expand its
partnerships with equipment manufacturers and building owners in order to
provide reliable, easily understood information to a greater segment of
the residential and commercial markets. EPA will also expand its 'work to
support other Federal agencies in improving the energy performance of
their facilities,
VI-18
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CarbonRemoval. EPA will encourage the forest products sector to achieve
greater reliance on biomass fuels as an energy source and be a supplier of
carbon sequestration credits through afforestation and reforestation
activities. EPA will accelerate efforts to promote the use of livestock
based fertilizer products and more efficient use of nutrients from all
sources.
Engaglng_D_eveloplng Countries. Although industrialized nations currently
produce the majority of greenhouse gases, emissions from developing
countries are growing rapidly and are projected to exceed those of
developed countries within the next fifty years. To be effective, any
concerted effort to find a global solution to climate change must involve
both developed and developing countries. Recognizing this, the
Administration and EPA will work to secure meaningful participation from
developing country Parties in the recently negotiated Kyoto Protocol by
assisting key developing countries in their efforts to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and address global climate change.
State and Local Outreach:. EPA will expand its work with States, which are
key players in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. EPA will
provide support to states to help: (1) create staff positions to integrate
energy efficiency, clean air, and climate change into energy planning
policies; (2) develop State advisory committees and networks to facilitate
the expansion of successful projects and foster information exchange; and
(3) implement and expand promising policy options identified by States in
the greenhouse gas mitigation plans.
Overview of EPA's Contribution to the U.S. Global Change Research Program
The Global Change Research Program, a component of the U.S. Global Change
Research Program (USGCRP) , supports the emphasis the U.S. program is placing on
a national assessment of the consequences of climate change and climate
variability. The goal of the national assessment is to determine the local,
regional, national and international implications of climate change and climate
variability in the context of other existing and potential environmental,
economic and social stresses. Of particular importance is understanding the
regional mosaic of what has been and will be occurring as a result of the global-
scale changes that are underway and will continue over the coming decades. The
EPA research was reorganized in 1998 to reflect the emphasis on the national
assessments and the increase requested in 1999 continues to support this
emphasis. The 1999 budget requests $20,501,000 for the Global Change Research
Program .
of Change
.EPA will enhance research in the development of ecosystem indicators as
sentinels of global change. The focus will be on terrestrial, aquatic, and
coastal indicators that can detect .and quantify the effects of climate change on
ecosystems and will include research into indicators that integrate ecosystems
with human health. Indicators that diagnose ecotone (the boundary between two
VI -19
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ecosystems) stress will be emphasized. Also, EPA will continue to monitor the
UV-B radiation in rural sites as an indicator of global change.
Ecosystem Services
EPA is the lead Agency in the USGCRP for assessing the impacts of global
change on ecosystem services. Ecosystem services include a wide range of
ecological functions that are highly regarded by society, and yet are often
difficult to value economically. This sector includes evaluating the impacts on:
storage of water, nitrogen, and other nutrients, including carbon; mitigation of
floods; air and water purification; generation and renewal of soil and soil
fertility; pollination and seed dispersal; and maintenance of biological
diversity. There is little information on the impacts of global change on
natural ecosystems and associated services and the economic valuation of these
services. This work needs to be advanced to better understand the full economic
impacts of lost or diminished ecosystem services.
Asgessment of Consequences,
The national assessment of the consequences of global change is being
organized by the USGCRP to help strengthen two of the five central purposes of
the USGCRP; in particular to support state-of-the-science assessments of global
environmental change issues,- and to analyze the environmental, socio-economic,
and health consequences of global change. These activities will complement and
build upon the USGCRP efforts to observe and document changes in the earth
system, to understand why these changes are occurring, improve predictions of
future climate change, and to understand how to adapt to the anticipated
consequences of climate change.
'The national assessment process will be designed to establish and maintain
a continuing, interactive dialogue among government officials, business and
industry, planners and managers, non-profit organizations, the scientific
research and education communities, and the public. A series of 18 regional
workshops will lead to a set of regional scale assessments led by the various
USGCRP member agencies. EPA has the lead for three of the regions: Mid-Atlantic,
Gulf Coast and the Upper Great Lakes.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj
. 02 Climate
Environmental
Management
Change
Program &
Science and Technology
Total FTE
$175
$132
$42
,299
,739
,559
247
.7
.8
.9
.0
$109,
$77,
$31,
218
624
593
252
.1
.5
.6
.1
$230,
•$163,
$67,
644.
237,
406.
331.
0
5
5
1
VI-20
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1999 Annual Performance Goals
• Reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 40 million metric ton carbon
equivalent (MMTCE) per year through partnerships with businesses, schools,
state and local governments, and other organizations.
• Improve national air quality through reductions in criteria air pollutants,
including annual reductions of over 90,000 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) ,
a major contributor to ground- level ozone.
• Reduce U.S. energy consumption by over 45 billion kilowatt hours per year,
including annual energy bill savings to consumers and businesses of over $3
billion. Encourage more widespread adoption of low greenhouse gas emitting
technologies .
• Work with representatives of companies and industries interested in
developing roadmaps of actions in the public and private sectors that can
lead to improvements in energy use and reductions in GHG emissions.
• Conduct bilateral dialogues with 10-12 key developing countries to bring
them toward meaningful participation under the Kyoto protocol . Reduce
greenhouse gas emissions internationally.
• Advance the understanding and communicate the risks of climate change by
working with state constituencies to assess economic and environmental
impacts, develop strategies for reducing vulnerabilities, build, the
infrastructure to overcome existing impediments to mitigation, and
implement technology-based options.
• Guide the development of the rules and guidelines to operationalize
emissions trading, the Clean Development Mechanism, joint implementation,
and early reduction credits.
• Assess greenhouse gas implications of major sector-based policies (e.g.,
utility deregulation, subsidy removal, revenue recycling, land use policy) .
• Assess economic and technological advances to evaluate and establish
domestic policies and measures to meet U.S. obligations -under the Framework
Convention on Climate change and the December 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
• Demonstrate that an American family car can attain over 60 miles per gallon
(MPG) on the Federal Test Procedure (FTP) without loss in utility, safely,
and emissions control performance.
• Begin process to optimize prototype vehicle and to apply knowledge gained
through PNGV program to trucks .
Develop reports on problem formulation for ecosystem services sector
assessment and on the use of climate change indicators,
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Conduct preliminary assessment of regional scale consequences of climate
change at three geographic locations {Mid-Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and upper
Great Lakes).
By 2000 and beyond, provide the capability to assess ecological and
associated human health consequences of climate change.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• Reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in total by 19 million metric ton
carbon equivalent (MMTCE) per year through partnerships with businesses,
schools, state and local governments, and other organizations.
• Improve national air quality through reductions in criteria air pollutants,
including annual reductions of over 60,000 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx),
a major contributor to ground-level ozone.
• Reduce U.S. energy consumption by over 30 billion kilowatt hours per year,
including annual energy bill savings to consumers and businesses of over $2
billion. Encourage more widespread adoption of energy-efficient
technologies.
• Work with representatives of companies and industries interested in
developing roadmaps of actions in the public and private sectors that can
lead to improvements in energy use and reductions in GHG emissions.
» Conduct bilateral dialogues with 10-12 key developing countries to bring
them toward meaningful participation under the Kyoto protocol.
• Advance the understanding and communicate the risks of climate change by:
working with state constituencies to assess economic and environmental
impacts: developing strategies for reducing vulnerabilities, and building
the infrastructure to overcome existing impediments to mitigation, and
implement technology-based options.
• Guide the development of the rules and guidelines to operationalize
emissions trading, the Clean Development Mechanism, joint .implementation,
and early reduction credits.
• Assess economic and technological advances to evaluate and establish
domestic policies 'and measures to meet U.S. obligations under the Framework
Convention on Climate Change and the December 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
• Develop a research and pilot program with Department of Transportation
(DOT) that demonstrates the feasibility of more energy-efficient
transportation system investments.
• Carry out PNGV laboratory demonstration of practical four-stroke, direct
injection alternative fueled engine.
VI-2 2
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
02 Obj. Total Change $119,815.8 79.0
Environmental Program & Management $85,613.0 57.3
Science and Technology $34,202.8 21.7
(+$115,800,000 EPM and 72.0 workyears) To implement the CCTI, EPA will
build partnerships through all sectors of the economy, targeting key
opportunities for win-win emissions reductions that protect the
environment while enhancing economic growth.
(+$30,700,000 EPM) Industry Initiatives -- In addition to its partnerships
with individual companies, EPA will consult with key industries and
develop voluntary but aggressive strategies to achieve further greenhouse
gas reductions that improve overall productivity and credit early action.
EPA will also work with industries to promote the deployment of clean
technologies such as the use of industrial combined heat and power, which
can cut the wasted energy from power generation in half.
(+$37,100,000 EPM) Transportation, Inj.t^i§i$jLryea -- Through this increased
funding, EPA will accelerate its efforts to reduce greenhouse" .gas
emissions from the transportation sector. This increase will enable EPA to
greatly accelerate the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV)
and expand the process to trucks. EPA will accelerate its program to
develop an optimized renewable alcohol-fueled engine that can
simultaneously achieve high efficiency and low carbon, particulate, and
nitrogen oxides levels. EPA also will help initiate and participate in
the development of a new generation of heavy truck production vehicles, to
transfer PNGV technology to petroleum fuels, and to initiate work to
design and build a combined-cycle demonstration engine. EPA will also
expand its work with state and local decision-makers to develop and
implement transportation improvements that encourage "livable communities"
-- compact, walkable and mixed use development -- while reducing the
growth in vehicle travel, emissions, and congestion.
(+$39,300,000 EPM) gaJJL.din.gs Initiatives. EPA will expand its
partnerships with equipment manufacturers and building owners in order to
provide reliable, easily understood information to a greater segment of
the residential and commercial markets. EPA will also expand its work to
support other Federal agencies in improving the energy performance of
their facilities, and to support state and local governments in their
efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(+$3,400,000 EPM) Carbon RemoyajL. Through this investment, EPA will work
with the forest products sector to achieve greater reliance on biomass
VI-23
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fuels as an energy source and to be a supplier of carbon sequestration
credits through afforestation and reforestation activities.
(+$5,400,000 EPM) DomesticandInternationalImplementation. Emissions
from developing countries are growing rapidly and are projected to exceed
those of developed countries within the next fifty years. To be
effective, any concerted effort to find a global solution to climate
change must involve both developed and developing countries. Recognizing
this, EPA will work to secure meaningful participation from developing
country Parties in the recently negotiated Kyoto Protocol by assisting key
developing countries in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and address global climate change. EPA will also expand its work states,
which are integral players in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
To accomplish our expanded implementation efforts, EPA will require this
investment.
Research
(+$900,000 S&T) The Indicators of Change program will be increased to
evaluate indicators that integrate ecosystem and human health.
{+$1,110,100 S.&T) Research in ecosystem services will be enhanced to
understand the role of ecotones - intersections of different ecosystem
types - in providing ecosystem services and how ecotones .are impacted by
global change.
(+$4,800,000 S&T) The largest change in 1999 is an increase of $4,800,000
for the assessment program, which will include funding regional scale
assessments in the Mid-Atlantic, Gulf Coast and Upper Great Lakes regions
of the U.S. Support for the synthesis of the regional scale assessments
will also be provided from this increase.
(-$500,000 S&T) Funding to support the Tarleton State University -
Livestock and Pollution Abatement, a Congressional earmark, has been
eliminated.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Green .Liahts and Energy Star Buildincrs
• Annual Greenhouse Gas Reductions
• Annual Energy Savings
• 2.4 mmtce « 4.1 mmtce
• 12 billion kWh • 20 billion kWh
Energy Star Products
• Annual Greenhouse Gas Reductions
* Annual Energy Savings
3.7 mmtce
20 billion kWh
5.2 mmtce
27 billion kWh
VI-24
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Methane Programs
* Annual Greenhouse Gas Reductions
• Annual Methane Savings.
5.0 ramtce
1 Teragram
14.0 mmtce
2.5 Teragrams
HFC7 PFC-Ecograms
* Annual Greenhouse Gas Reductions
• Percent of primary aluminum
production participating.
• Percent of HCFC-22 producers
participating.
8.0
90%
100%
15 mmtce
90%
100%
Climate Wise Prggrams
• Annual Greenhouse Gas Reductions
• 2.0 mmtce
• 3.0 mmtce
Transportation Partnejgg
• Annual Greenhouse Gas Reductions
EngagingDevelopingCountries
• Analytical assistance
Cooperation Agreements
Project Design
• l.l mmtce
Studies with 6
developing
countries to
analyze growth
targets and
quantify co-
control
benefits.
Expand SNAPS
and Tech.
Cooperation
Agreement
Program in 5
developing
countries.
"Design CDM
projects in 6
developing
countries.
• 1.9 mmtce
Studies with 6
developing
countries to
analyze growth
targets and
quantify co-
contrpl
benefits.
Expand SNAPs
and Tech.
Cooperation
Agreement
Program in 5
developing
countries.
Design CDM
projects in 6
developing
countries.
VI*25
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» Procedures and guidelines
• Analyses and assessments
* Project
monitoring,
evaluation,
and reporting
• Report on GHG
reductions
• Methodologies
and guidelines
for emissions
trading
compliance
• Technologies
and policies
that reduce
GHG emissions
• Transfer of
technologies
to developing
countries
• Project
monitoring,
evaluation,
and reporting
• Report on GHG
reductions
• Methodologies
and guidelines
for emissions
trading
compliance
• Technologies
and policies
that reduce
GHG emissions
• Transfer of
technologies
to developing
countries
• program design
and assessment
of carbon
sequestration
UScommitments tothe FCCC
Negotiations
GHG Inventory
Evaluations and analyses
• Represent US
in internat-11
negotiations
• Produce/review
1997 US GHG
inventory
• Evaluation of
mitigation
options
• Position paper
on internat'1
agreement
• Draft
guidelines of
calculating
GHG emissions
reductions
Represent US
in internat'1
negotiations
Produce/review
1998 us GHG
inventory
Evaluation of
mitigation
options
Position paper
on internat'1
agreement
Contribute
2000 IPCC
scientific
assessment
Guidelines of
calculating
GHG emissions
reductions
VI-26
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Research.
Workshop and report on the identification 9/30/98
of indicators that integrate ecosystems
and human health.
Workshop on the identification and 9/30/98
prioritization of ecosystem services
likely to be impacted by climate change.
Regional scale workshops at Baton Rouge, LA 9/30/98
and Ann Arbor, MI. Problem formulation
workshops in the Mid-Atlantic area.
Award up to seven peer-reviewed Science to 9/30/98
Achieve Results (STAR) grants that develop
regional assessments that reduce the
uncertainties in watershed hydrology
as related to climate change.
Report on problem formulation for ecosystem 9/30/99
services sector assessment.
Report on the development and use of climate 9/30/99
change indicators.
preliminary assessment of regional scale 9/30/99
consequences of climate change at three
geographic locations (Mid-Atlantic, Gulf
Coast, and Upper Great Lakes).
ConelusIon
As the U.S. and the other Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate
Change look beyond 2000 to the important longer-term goals of preventing
dangerous interference with the climate system, it is necessary to fully
implement win-win approaches to controlling the escalating .growth in U.S.
greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing economic growth- There is now a clear
consensus that the key step to' reduce the costs of climate protection is to
accelerate the deployment of currently available, cost-effective technology to
reduce these emissions. More than 2400 economists (including eight Nobel prize
winners) said in a statement this year that:
"...there are many potential policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for
which the total benefits outweigh the total costs. For the United States in
particular, sound economic analysis shows that there are policy options that
would slow climate change -without harming American living standards, and these
measures may in fact improve U.S. productivity in the long run"
Economists' Statement on Climate Change, Feb. 13, 1997
VI-2 7
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EPA CCTI activities contribute to overall reductions of greenhouse gas
emissions. Partnership programs are successfully overcoming market barriers and
fostering investments in technologies that reduce greenhouse gas concentrations.
These programs will disseminate information on the eost-effective opportunities
to reduce emissions on the sector level and help protect the environment while
reducing the costs of complying with the Kyoto Agreement.
With the development of sensitive and accurate indicators of ecological
impacts in response to climate change, difficult policy decisions regarding US
actions to address factors affecting climate change will have an improved
scientific basis. When coupled with adaptation and mitigation research,
development of indicators of change and vulnerability to change will allow
managers to classify terrestrial systems according to risk and to focus
development and evaluation of adaptation practices to limit the impacts.
Assessments of how climate change will impact other environmental
protection strategies in place for problems such as tropospheric ozone and waste
water treatment will directly influence future strategies developed by state and
local environmental officials to maintain compliance with emission standards.
Adaptation assessments conducted in concert with the ecological vulnerability
studies will support future decisions by Federal, state, and local environmental
officials on how to restore or manage sensitive ecosystems.
Outcomes and outputs are based on a number of key assumptions/external
factors:
• Funding levels: Outputs are based upon fully funding the programs at the
requested levels,
• International negotiations - Future milestones depend upon progress made
and outcomes of continued international negotiations, including the 4th
Conference of Parties to be held in November, 1998.
• Emission factors - The primary objective of CCTI is greenhouse gas
reductions; however, certain variables outside Agency control effect
pollution impact of programs. For example, the pollution prevented by
reducing the demand for electricity depends on the type of electricity
utility plant that burns less fuel. The utility mix will change over
time, especially as the industry is deregulated and other environmental
controls are put into place to address other air pollution problems.
• Joint Implementation review - The JT pilot will undergo review by the end
of FY 1999, at which time the parties to the FCCC will decide on the
future structure or mechanism of joint implementation. The results of
this decision will ultimately be reflected in "milestones" section for
2000-2005.
Key .Eeirfonpance M^aaurgg Verification
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of environmental science and research. These programs monitor and
evaluate accomplishments based on extensive information from partnership
programs. For example, the Gre.en Lights partners provide detailed information
on investments and energy savings from over fourteen thousand completed energy-
VI-2 8
-------
efficiency projects (e.g., the annual kilowatt-hour savings from completed
lighting upgrades). These standardized reports on energy efficiency projects can
be easily translated into annual emission reductions by applying the appropriate
emission factor (Ibs/kWh) for each pollutant of concern. The voluntary programs
continually use the information collected to improve the program's performance
and more accurately assess its future potential.
Another measure of progress for the voluntary programs is obtained by using
the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program developed by the Energy
Information Agency under the 1992 Energy Policy which reports the results and
achievements of individual companies. Through this program, companies submit
reports directly to the Energy Information Agency which reviews them for accuracy
and to ensure plausibility.
For measures related to miles per gallon, actual measurements are made using
set test procedures, the FTP (Federal Test Procedure) , which has been the
standard test for these types of measurements since the mid-1970s.
The Agency has implemented a risk-based research planning process to use
risk assessment and risk management as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA
conducts annual research program reviews to both evaluate the status and
accomplishments of its research and determine planning priorities. To better
draw upon the expertise of the environmental academic community, EPA created the
Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven
extramural grants; the Agency is also working with various professional societies
on research issues.
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms for research
and development is a rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum,
EPA's Deputy Administrator states that peer review will be expanded "to Include
both the major work products provided in the past and...all scientific and
technical products supporting Agency decisions..." This expanded and
strengthened focus on peer review will help ensure that the performance measures
listed here are verified and validated by external organizations. The Agency
utilizes peer review throughout the research planning and implementation process,
both to ensure that planned research addresses critical .knowledge issues within
EPA's mission, and to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products,
and proposals. This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such
as the Science Advisory Board (SAB) and the Board of Scientific Councilors
(BOSC). The BOSC, established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will
even examine the way the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of
its research and development laboratories.
EPA's external research program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
selected for funding through grants or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
VI-2 9
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The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
Statutory Authority
Clean Air Act
Pollution Prevention Act of 1990
Framework Convention on Climate Change
Global Climate Protection Act of 1987
Climate Change Research and Development Act of 1990
VI-30
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks
Objective #3: Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
By 2005, ozone concentrations in the stratosphere will have stopped
declining and slowly begun the process of recovery.
Overview
The ozone layer protects people and other living things from hanriful
ultraviolet rays. As the ozone layer depletes, people become more susceptible
to the damaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. The
increased levels of UV radiation due to ozone depletion are linked to higher
incidences of skin cancer, eye disorders, and other illnesses. Skin cancers of
the most dangerous type, malignant melanomas, have increased 1800% since the
1930s, and some of this increase is related to increased UV radiation exposure
due to stratospheric ozone depletion. Restoring the stratospheric ozone layer
will reduce the incidence of certain health effects, including skin cancers of
all types, such as basal and squampus cell carcinomas, not only the much rarer
and often-fatal malignant melanomas. Ozone layer protection will also reduce the
incidence of cataracts, a leading cause of blindness worldwide, and will reduce
UV-linked immune suppression. Since the American Academy of Dermatology now
estimates that one American dies every hour from skin cancer, public health
benefits likely to accrue from reduced incidence of this disease are high. In
addition, increases in UV radiation .from ozone depletion are linked to damage to
the ocean's phytoplankton and other parts of the ocean's food web, as well as
damage to the production of certain types of crops,
The United States has signed the Montreal .Protocol on Substances that
Deplete the Ozone Layer. The Administration has repeatedly affirmed its
commitment to honoring this international treaty and to demonstrating world
leadership by phasing out U.S. ozone depleting chemicals as well as helping other
countries find suitable alternatives. As a signatory to the Montreal Protocol,
the United States has a positive obligation to domestically regulate to enforce
its terms. In accordance with this international treaty, EPA implements -and
enforces rules controlling the production and emission of ozone depleting
compounds, and rules requiring EPA to identify safer alternatives and promote
their use to curtail ozone depletion under the authority of Title VI of the Clean
Air Act Amendments of 1990..
Even after program goals are met, the public in the U.S. will be exposed
to higher levels of radiation than existed prior to the use and emission of ozone
depleting chemicals, since the process of ozone layer recovery is expected to
take about 50 years, according to current atmospheric research. Recognizing
this, we are informing the public about the dangers of overexposure to UV
VI-31
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radiation, so that we may further reduce risks attributable to ozone depletion
during the period of recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer.
EPA's approach to .achieving this objective focuses on six areas:
• domestic and international production phaseout of five ozone depleting
chemicals and chemical classes: chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, methyl
chloroform, carbon tetrachloride and hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFCs), as
well as controls on their import;
* implementation of limitations on two other ozone depleters,
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and methyl bromide;
• identification and information dissemination related to safe alternatives
for compounds being phased out;
• more intensive recycling programs in the U.S. and abroad;
• environmental data development and public outreach aimed at informing the
public of risks of overexposure to UV radiation; and,
• earlier voluntary phase-out of CFCs and HCFCs in developing countries.
In addition, EPA continues to provide support to the Montreal Protocol
Multilateral Fund. Because the ozone layer will never be healed unless all
nations act, under the Montreal Protocol, the U.S. and other industrial countries
support the efforts of developing countries to convert to alternatives to ozone-
depleting chemicals. This is done primarily through programs supported by the
Protocol's Multilateral Fund. When fully implemented, the .activities will
annually prevent emissions of over 90,000 metric tons of ozone depleting
substances. This is about one-third of developing country use of these
chemicals.
Our programmatic approach emphasizes pollution prevention. For example,
our National Emission Reduction Program requires recycling of ozone depleting
chemicals, primarily in the air-conditioning and refrigeration sectors. In
addition, hydrofluorocarbons (MFCs) will be recycled due to their global warming
potential, as required under the Clean Air Act. The Significant New Alternatives
Policy (SNAP) program will oversee developing alternatives, reviewing the health
and environmental effects of alternatives, including their global warming
potential, and restrict those that, on 'an overall basis, are .more risky than
other alternatives for the same end-use- The SNAP program will increasingly
review substitutes and alternatives for the HCFCs and methyl bromide.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 E>res Bud
Obj. 03 Stratospheric Oaone $27,381.4 §17,321.8 $26,914.3
Depletion
Environmental Program & $27,381.4 $17,321.8 $26,914.3
Management
Total FTE 33.8 -33.8 34.4
VI-32
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1999 Annual Performance Goals
• Through our contribution to .the Multilateral Fund, assistance will be
provided to at least 35 countries working toward achieving the requirements
of the Montreal Protocol.
• Restrict domestic exempted production and import of newly produced class I
CFCs and halons below 130,000 MTs.
• Provide assistance to at least 30 developing countries working toward
achieving the requirements of the Montreal Protocol.
Restrict domestic exempted production and import of newly produced class I
CFCs and halons below 130,000 MTs.
• Restrict domestic consumption of methyl bromide by 25% over baseline
levels.
Achieving these performance goals will lead to the attainment of our
programmatic objectives by assuring that U.S. HCFC consumption does not exceed
the cap set by international agreement through the Montreal Protocol and by
assuring that U.S. CFC, halon, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride and HBFC
production and import includes only that agreed to by the Parties as essential
for domestic use, or is under the 15% allowable cap for export production to
satisfy demand in developing countries. It will also bring the U.S. into
consistency with the agreed-upon 25% phasedown of methyl bromide consumption
during 1999. This will lower the chlorine loading (Clx) and bromine loading in
the stratosphere, and encourage ozone levels to rise. In addition, achieving
these goals will lead to our environmental objective that by 2005, at least 75
developing countries comply with their obligation under the Montreal Protocol
to achieve a 50% reduction in their production and consumption of CFCs.
The Stratospheric Protection Program will use several indicators to measure
progress toward its environmental goal of returning ozone concentrations to
levels found prior to the advent of the Antarctic ozone hole. The most important
environmental indicator will be the trend in stratospheric ozone concentration
as measured by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) , the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the World Meteorological
Organization. Under the auspices of United Nations Environmental Programme
(UNEP) and the Montreal Protocol, atmospheric scientists and institutes
throughout the world monitor global concentrations of ozone. Assuming U.S. and
worldwide control measures are enacted, maintained, and enforced, models predict
the rate of ozone depletion will slow at the turn of the century and begin a
process of recovery, with complete restoration of the ozone layer around the year
2050.
The Stratospheric Protection Program will monitor other environmental
indicators to determine progress in meeting its goal. Measurements of
atmospheric concentrations of ozone depleting chemicals (as well as their
reactive chlorine and bromine derivatives) will help to determine the success of
the program. Decreasing atmospheric concentrations of these chemicals indicate
the effectiveness of national programs throughout the world and will allow
VI-33
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stratospheric ozone concentrations to increase. Lastly, the total production of
ozone depleting chemicals, both in the U.S. and the world, will also serve as an
environmental indicator.
Eo.niiaiic@ Goals
Provide assistance to at least 35 developing countries working toward
achieving the requirements of the Montreal Protocol.
Restrict domestic exempted production and import of newly produced class I
•CFCs and halons below 130,000 Mts.
Restrict domestic consumption of class II HCFCs below 208,400 Mts.
Restrict domestic exempted production and import of newly produced class I
CFCs and halons below 130,000 MTs.
We expect one major change in the domestic program between 1998 and 1999.
The next major milestone in the accomplishment of the program's goals
comes in 1999, when the U.S. must come into compliance with the newly
negotiated 25% stepdown for methyl bromide consumption and production.
Following this milestone, the program will again act to control methyl
bromide in 2001, when under the Clean Air Act, the U.S. will phase out
production of methyl bromide, the widely used ozone-depleting agricultural
furnigant. To recognize this change, the program's emphasis is shifting
toward methyl bromide alternatives and control measures. Key areas of
programmatic change are listed below:
* Acceleration of case study development and small grants funding,
working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA),
state and university agricultural institutions to help identify
promising substitutes, both chemical and not-in-kind, for methyl
bromide.
• Increased outreach to the farm community, particularly in the
critical production areas of California strawberries and Florida
tomatoes, so that technology transfer is facilitated and problem
areas identified and addressed.
VI-34
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
03 Obj. Total Change $9,592.5 0.6
Environmental Program & Management $9,592.5 0.6
(+ $9,000,000 EPM) Full funding for the Multilateral Fund is requested at
$21,000,000, an increase of $9,000,000.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Domestic consumption of class Below 208,400 Mts. Below 208,400 Mts.
II HCFCs.
Domestic consumption of methyl Below 25,600 Mts, Below 19,200 Mts.
bromide -
Domestic exempted production Below 130,000 Mts. Below 130,000 Mts.
and import of newly produced
class I CFCs and halons.
Assistance to developing 30 Countries 50 Countries
countries working under
Montreal Protocol.
Conclusion
Accomplishing the Stratospheric Protection objective depends upon the
process of continuing international negotiation under the Montreal Protocol, as
well as the status of the Clean Air Act. While the U.S. plays a key role in
international negotiations, and EPA plays a key role in developing environmental
statutes, neither are within the exclusive control of EPA's Stratospheric
Protection program,
Despite this caveat, restoring the stratospheric ozone layer will reduce
the incidence of skin cancers, which are now considered by the American Academy
of Dermatology to be in epidemic proportions in the U.S. population. Over one
million new cases of skin cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the United
States during this year, and one in five Americans can now expect to get skin
cancer during their lifetime. Restoring the ozone layer will also reduce the
incidence of cataracts, a leading cause of blindness worldwide, and reduce UV-
promoted suppression of the human immune system.
VI-35
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A report released by the United Nations Environment Program in September
1994 found that the rate of build-up in the atmosphere of human-made compounds
that deplete the ozone layer (chlorofluorocarbons) and halons have slowed in
recent years. More recent work by the National Center for Atmospheric Research
(NCAR), an agency of NOAA, confirms that measured concentrations of these
compounds in the stratosphere are declining, .confirming the value of the Montreal
Protocol controls and their domestic implementation through the stratospheric
protection program in the U.S.
The Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund (Fund) is supported by annual
contributions from 34 donor countries totaling over $155 million per year. The
U.S. makes approximately 25% of the total annual contributions^ The Multilateral
Fund promotes international compliance with the Montreal Protocol by financing
the incremental cost of converting existing industries in developing countries
to cost-effective ozone friendly technology.
Through 1997, the Fund has approved approximately 2,000 activities in 95
countries. These projects have helped over 80 countries prepare detailed plans
to enable them to meet or significantly exceed the reduction requirements of the
Protocol. When fully implemented, the projects supported by the Fund will
eliminate over 90,000 annual metric tons of emissions of ozone depleting
substances, or about one-third of. developing country consumption. This
environmental benefit accrues not only to the country in which the project is
undertaken, but to the U.S. as well, since use of ODS in developing countries
depletes the world's ozone layer, affecting U.S. citizens.
The Fund has helped facilitate the universal participation that is
essential to protecting the ozone layer. Since the creation of the Fund in 1990,
the number of developing countries ratifying the Montreal Protocol has grown from
about 20 to over 100. The Fund has helped to ensure ozone layer protection, the
protection of public health, and protection of the investment made by U.S.
industry to comply with the Protocol. In the absence of the Fund, the
unconstrained growth in developing country use of ozone depleting substances
would cause significant ozone depletion and related health and environmental
problems. This expanding use would, over time, negate the significant
investments made by U.S. industry to protect the ozone layer.
The restriction of domestic exempted production and importation of newly
produced class I CFCs, halons, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride and HBFCs
will be measured using atmospheric models and data provided by NASA, NOAA, the
World Meteorological Organization, and the UNEP where available. Actual
measurements of stratospheric ozone will be made by NASA's Upper Atmospheric
Research Satellite and the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer, and also by the
Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Spectrometer(SBUV)-2 and Operational Vertical
Sounder instruments on the NOAA Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite and
subsequent National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite. Progress
on the restriction of domestic consumption of methyl bromide and class II HCFCs
will be tracked by monitoring industry reports of compliance with EPA's phaseout
VI-36
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regulations. The Allowance Tracking System results are compiled and published
\ in annual tMEP reports.
i
The progress of international implementation goals will 'be measured by
tracking the number of countries receiving assistance, dollars allocated to each,
and the expected reduction in ozone-depleting substances in assisted countries.
Statutory Authority:
CAA Title I, Parts A and D (42 U.S.C. 7401-7431, 7501-7515)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-13109)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sections 3001-3006 and 3017 (42
U.S.C. €921-6926, 6938)
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Flan Request to Congress
Reduction of Global and Cross-border Environmental Risks
Objective #4: Protect Public Health, and Ecosystems From Persistent Toxics
By 2005, reduce the risks to U.S. human health and ecosystems from selected
toxics that circulate in the environment at global and regional scales,
consistent with international .obligations.
Overview
With a request of $6,873,700 and 39.3 total workyears, EPA's activities
under this objective address selected toxics which can persist, bioaccumulate and
move long distances, thereby posing serious risks to human health and the
ecosystem in the U.S., not to mention in remote .regions where the substances may
not be produced or used. The actions of individual nations to control the
adverse effects of these persistent bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs) often .are
insufficient because of the long-range transport of such substances. Thus, it
takes coordinated international action to reduce the risks posed by PBTs
globally, let alone in the U.S.
Reducing pollution around the world brings benefits back to the U.S., and
as a result, EPA is committed to reducing pollution globally. Many human health
and environmental risks to the American public originate outside our borders.
Ecosystems and transboundary pollutants transgress international 'boundaries. The
U.S. can aggressively limit PBTs domestically but without international
cooperation the problem will remain unsolved.
EPA's international efforts 'in managing pesticides which are PBTs include
ensuring the safety of our food supply and enhancing the protection of public
health and the environment from the risks resulting from pesticide use, .both in
the U.S. and throughout the world. Outside the U.S., EPA has accomplished this
through cooperation and information exchange with other nations and international
organizations.
The major benefits of the programs supporting this objective are to: (1)
reduce the release and particularly transboundary movement of PBTs of greatest
concern (e.g., PCBs, dioxins/furans, DDT, mercury, lead); (2) reduce the levels
of exposure to., and adverse .effects resulting from these PBTs, particularly with
respect to highly vulnerable populations (e.g., children exposed to lead in
gasoline, coastal populations with diets heavy in fish or marine mammals which
may contain mercury, wildlife which consume and biomagnify PCBs, DDT or other
harmful PBTs); (3) increase the number of countries around the world which can
monitor domestic environmental releases and effects of PBTs, as well as more
soundly manage their own use of PBTs; and (4) increase confidence among domestic
stakeholders (especially industry) that they will be subject to consistent PBT
obligations as negotiated by the EPA and U.S. government.
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•One emerging initiative proposed for 1999 in support of this objective is
an orchestrated. Agency-wide, multi-media collaboration to reduce risks
associated with priority PBTs. The initiative will have an important
international component, in recognition of the transboundary movement of many
PBTs. This will assist the Agency in pursuing the strategies and major steps
outlined immediately above, while minimizing the overall resource burden on the
Agency.
As part of the Agency's efforts to carry out this work, EPA will: (l)
support and lead to a successful conclusion a number of regional and global
negotiations (e.g., U.S.-Mexico, U.S.-Canada, North American Commission for
Environmental Cooperation (NACEC) , United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)) of voluntary and legally
binding obligations to control and more safely produce, use, store and dispose
of selected PBTs; and (2) expand ongoing programs to build the capacity of other
countries to reduce risks associated with PBTs, consistent with the obligations
of the international agreements already in place or now under negotiation. Key
near-term milestones include: (1) the conclusion of a protocol on selected
persistent organic pollutants (POPs, a subset of PBTs) to the UNECE Convention
on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP), the completion of a legally
binding convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) outlining requirements for the
export and import of banned or severely restricted chemicals among countries, and
the commencement of negotiations on a global POPs convention under UNEP auspices;
and (2) in 1999 the conclusion of a LRTAP protocol on selected heavy metals, and
the initiation of a North American mercury deposition monitoring network..
To reach the agreement on POPs and PIC, EPA first must be involved with
other Federal agenpies, and external stakeholders, such as Congressional staff,
industry, and environmental groups, to convey our concerns and develop the U.S.
negotiating approach. EPA needs to ensure that the initial list of chemicals and
the criteria and process for evaluating future chemicals are based on sound
science.
Pollutant Release and Transfer Registries (PRTRs) is the international term
for emissions inventories. The Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) is the United
States' version of a PRTR. International attention focused on PRTRs in 1992 when
the Earth Summit encouraged all nations to establish these systems as an integral
role in the sound management of chemicals. All three North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) nations, Canada, the United States, and Mexico, have
established emissions inventories. There are currently eight nations with PRTRs,
and many more that are in the process of developing them. Still, more countries
have expressed an interest in developing such an inventory. Providing technical
assistance to other countries who want to establish pollutant registries can help
reduce pollution generated in these countries, just as it has in the United
States.
EPA remains involved at all levels of the PRTR effort. This involvement
includes country-to-country talks and active participation in international
meetings and workshops. EPA works actively with the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations Institute for Training and
Research (UNITAR), and the PRTR Coordination Workgroup on ways to facilitate the
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public's right-to-know and the importance of collecting data on air, water, land,
and off-site transfers. As the OECD takes steps to integrate PRTR data with risk
assessment and risk management activities, EPA will participate to ensure that
the resulting decisions meet Agency objectives. To help foster the public's
right-to-know around the world, EPA will help nations develop PRTRs, providing
financial or technical assistance.
The goals of international harmonization of test guidelines are to expand
the universe of available test facilities for chemicals for which needed testing
increase consistency and information sharing between nations, and reduce
requirements for repeated testing by chemical companies to meet varying national
requirements. For test guideline harmonization, EPA will continue to cooperate
closely with other Federal agencies and OECD in harmonizing its testing
guidelines. Test guidelines are a collection of methods for testing chemicals
and chemical preparations, such as pesticides and Pharmaceuticals. The purpose
of the testing is to assess hazard or toxicity. Each test guideline provides
instructions on how a specific type of test should be performed. EPA serves as
a major source of scientific expertise and review in updating guidelines with
OECD.
The U.S. is working with other OECD member countries to implement the
International Screening Information Data Set (SIDS) Program, a voluntary
international cooperative testing program started in 1990. The program's focus
is on developing base level test information (including data on basic chemistry,
environmental fate, environmental effects and health effects) for international
high production volume chemicals. SIDS data will be used to screen chemicals and
to set priorities for further testing and/or assessment. The Agency will review
testing needs for 50 SIDS chemicals in 1999.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 04 Protect Public Health
and Ecosystems From
Persistent Toxics
Environmental Program &
Management
Total FTE
$4,155.0
$4,155.0
36.2
$4,250.8
$4,250.8
36.5
$6,873.7
$6,873.7
39,3
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1999 Annual Performance Goals
Obtain international agreement on criteria for selecting Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs) to be covered in a new global POPs treaty, and
on capacity building activities to support the convention's
.implementation.
• Evaluate the domestic suitability of international consensus testing
decisions made in the OECD SIDS program and obtain needed testing as
required.
The annual performance goals outlined for 1999 represent incremental steps
which support the fulfillment of the larger policy objective stated above. The
1999 performance goals will initiate long-term improvements in domestic and
international capacity to safely manage and reduce the risks of selected PBTs.
The fact that the policy objective has a time horizon of 2005 means that
most of the benefits expected from the 1999 performance goals and related
activities will not be realized until a future fiscal year. To illustrate, if
the U.S. can win international agreement in 1999 to our proposal for how the
global POPs convention would select additional substances for control, we would
have secured a fundamentally important element (from both a risk and economics
perspective) of the convention. But the fact that the convention will not be
concluded until the year 2000 means that actual implementation of the selection
process, not to mention of the control obligations for selected substances, will
not commence until a later time.
EPA has published 97 guidelines in the areas of physical chemistry,
ecotoxicity, environmental fate, and human health. OECD has published 77
guidelines in the same four areas. In the Pesticides Program a total of 170 test
guidelines have been published which include guidelines for the above four areas
^and for other specific requirements for the evaluation of pesticides (e.g.,
product identity, composition, application exposure).
Presently, all of the physical/chemical properties and environmental fate
guidelines, 30 health effects guidelines, and six ecotoxicity test guidelines
have been harmonized between EPA and OECD. Ten health effects guidelines and 13
ecotoxicity guidelines have been harmonized between EPA's Toxics and Pesticides
Programs. Some of these test guidelines incorporate recent and significant
advances in the scientific knowledge and methodologies compared with older
existing OECD guidelines, particularly in the areas of neurotoxicity,
developmental neurotoxicity, and developmental and reproductive biology. EPA is
currently leading the effort to harmonize these improved guidelines with OECD.
1998 Anniaal Performance Goals
• Evaluate the domestic suitability of international consensus testing
decisions made in the OECD SIDS program, harmonize test guidelines, and
obtain needed testing as required.
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Three CEE/NIS countries and two Latin American countries make national
commitments to phase out Pb gasoline use and make progress in reducing
global Pb use to 1993 levels or below.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars
FTE
04 Obj. Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
$2,622.9
.$2,622.9
2.8
2.8
(+$2,418,000 EPM) The increase will support the new Agency initiative on
targeting PBTs. Under this initiative the Agency will l) facilitate the
fulfillment of obligations under the Canada-U.S. Binational Strategy, 2)
develop Agency and U.S. government positions for the intergovernmental
negotiating conference on POPs, 3) implement the Regional Action Plans,
developed through NACEC, for DDT, chlordane, PCB's, and mercury; and 4)
provide technical assistance to developing countries to eliminate lead
exposure pathways.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Complete the review of testing
needs for chemicals processed
through the OECD sponsored SIDS
program
Complete harmonization with
OECD of ten additional test
guidelines
Agreed USG policy on UNEP
selection criteria
Number of commitments to Pb
phaseout
Agreement on USG selection
criteria proposal
Testing needs
Reviewed for 25
SIDS chemicals
ten guidelines
1 policy agreement
5 countries
Testing needs
reviewed for 50
additional SIDS
chemicals
ten additional
guidelines
4 countries
1 negotiations
Conclusion
Environmental loadings of PBTs and the resultant health and environmental
risks they pose in the U.S. and other countries will increase over time with the
expanded production, trade, and use of these substances unless controls are put
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in place internationally. Yet many countries currently are unwilling or unable
to commit to such controls-as demonstrated by the continued need for DDT and the
absence of suitable and affordable substitutes as a vector control in tropical
nations. Thus, without the cooperation of their neighbors, the U.S.. and other
countries which aggressively deal with PBTs domestically will not be able to
control transboundary flows of these toxics..
The regional LRTAP POPs protocol may result in banning or restricting
manufacture and/or use of approximately 15 industrial chemicals and pesticides.
Also under discussion are export and import restrictions/controls and emission
release restrictions, micro contaminant issues, and waste management issues.
Non-pesticide chemicals under consideration include: PCBs, Polyaromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) , Short-chained chlorinated paraffins (SCCP) , The global POPs
list initially covers some 12 chemicals and pesticides, and is almost identical
to those in the LRTAP POPs protocol. Once these agreements are completed, the
U.S. hopes to sign and ratify them.
In this context, it is clear that the accomplishments in 1999 will help the
U, S. to lay the foundation for achieving — but not constitute in themselves — the
needed international risk reductions associated with selected PBTs. The
successful accomplishment of this objective is based on several key assumptions
and external factors. Domestically, (1) all key EPA program .offices must engage
in negotiations and capacity building programs; (2) all. relevant U.S. government
agencies must cooperate with EPA in this work; (3) key U.S. stakeholders
(especially industry and the agricultural sector) must support the development
and implementation of international agreements and -risk reduction efforts; and
(4) the U.S. demonstrates leadership in negotiating, complying with, and
facilitating the implementation of international agreements. Internationally,
(1) we reach agreement on the scientific basis for determining which PBTs must
be controlled; (2) key foreign countries which produce, export and/or use certain
PBTs (e.g., DDT) agree to global bans and/or severe use restrictions; (3)
substitutes for key pesticides and industrial chemicals are introduced and widely
used; (4) improved industrial processes and integrated pest management practices
are widely used; and (5) monitoring and reporting regimes are established and
utilized.
The achievement of this objective will lead to simplified testing
requirements for the regulated industry, with unified guidelines that are
acceptable to a wide spectrum of Federal agencies and countries. This will in
turn 'result in less confusion regarding testing requirements among regulated
industries, increased efficiency in collecting test data and in assessing risk,
avoidance of duplication of effort, reduce use of animals in testing, and reduced
expense.
By 2005, EPA expects that all OECD countries will not only have developed
PRTRs, but that these inventories will be fully operational. Besides being used
for community right-to-know purposes, as they are currently used in this country,
these registries will be used to monitor the progress countries make in complying
with international agreements, such as the Montreal Protocol (CFC production) and
Basel (waste transfer agreements).
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Key Performance Measures Verification
The annual performance goals and measures identified under this objective
are expressed as the completion of explicit tasks (e.g. degree of implementation
of trilateral action plans on DDT, PCBs, and chlordane; national inventories of
obsolete chemicals initiated, delivery of technical assistance, success in
negotiating strategy). These measures will require assessment by program staff
and management. Verification of these measures does not involve any pollutant
database analysis, but will require objective assessment of tasks completed and
the satisfaction of U.S. environmental negotiating objectives.
StatutoryAuthority
0
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-13109)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) sections
3,4,5,6,10,11,18,20,23,24,25,30 and 31 (7 U.S.C. 136a, 126a-l, 126c, 136d, 136h,
136i, 136p, 136r, 136u, 13Sv, 136w, 136w-5 and 136W-6)
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) section 313 (42 U.S-C-
11023)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) sections 4, 5, 6, 12, and 13 (15 U.S.C. 2S03,
2604, 2605, 2611, 2612)
Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)]
Clean Air Act (CAA)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC)
1996 Habitat Agenda, paragraph 43bb
U.S./Canada Agreements on Arctic Cooperation
1989 US/USSR Agreement on pollution
1991 U.S./Canada Air Quality Agreement
1978 U.S./Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
1909 Boundary Waters Agreement
World Trade Organization Agreements
North American Free Trade Agreement
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks
Objective #5: Prevent Degradation of the Marine and Polar Environments
By 2005, the United States will prevent significant degradation of the
marine and polar environments, consistent with U.S. obligations under relevant
international agreements.
Overview
With a request of $1,397,500 and 10.2 total workyears, this objective
captures those international involvements of the Agency that seek to protect the
marine and polar environments. In 1999, efforts will focus on five areas: 1)
progress in multilateral negotiations at the International Maritime Organization
(IMO) addressing vessel-based pollution and ocean dumping, 2) regional
multilateral efforts in the Wider Caribbean (inclusive of the Gulf of Mexico and
Straights of Florida) to address land-based marine pollution, 3) continued
efforts to slow the loss of coral reef ecosystems, 4) project specific work in
northwest Russia to remove high-level sources of radioactivity that threaten the
Arctic environment, and 5)new initiatives in the Arctic Council and the Arctic
Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) to identify priority pollutants and
associated risks to the Arctic ecosystem. We also continue to work as needed to
provide technical and policy support for environmental issues under the Antarctic
Treaty System.
The most significant macro-scale benefit of programs in this objective is
the protection of Arctic populations, arid resources in marine and polar
environments that are important to the United States and other countries. More
specifically, the 1999 programs will reduce environmental damages associated with
tributlytin, ballast water discharges, ocean dumping, and improper storage of
radioactive wastes. In addition, on-going efforts to address land-based sources
of marine pollution in the Wider Caribbean should result in improvements in
regional water quality and marine habitats that include economic benefits to
significant commercial interests in the Region.
Our interests in protecting the oceans and polar environments cannot be
achieved through unilateral or domestic actions alone. Consequently, EPA's
international efforts in this area are centered on a strategy that focuses on
selected multilateral negotiations that: 1) -set explicit international standards
for specific marine pollution problems, and 2) establish cooperative mechanisms
for identifying, prioritizing, and -mitigating/preventing international sources
of Arctic contamination. Our negotiating efforts are focused on global standard
setting and regional water bodies that the U.S. shares with other nations (e.g.
the Wider Caribbean and Arctic seas). Other efforts are project specific,
addressing significant source problems or establishing programs to be replicated
on a larger scale.
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Significant steps taken in 1999, leading to accomplishment of the objective
include concluding a regional treaty on land-based marine pollution in the Wider
Caribbean, global agreement on a phase-out of tributyltin use on ships,
completion of prototype containment systems for high-level sources of
radioactivity in the Arctic, and enabling Russia to formally accept the amended
London convention banning ocean disposal for all radioactive materials.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 05 Prevent Degradation of $1,318.2 $1,307.7 $1,397.5
the Marine and Polar
Environments
Environmental Program & $1,318.2 $1,307.7 $1,397.5
Management
Total FTE 9.9 9.9 10.2
1999 AnnualPerformance Goals
• Conclude regional treaty on land-based marine pollution including 2
source-specific annexes (domestic wastewater & agricultural run-off)
• Complete construction of prototype for transportable containment system
for spent & damaged nuclear fuel from decommissioned Russian submarines;
and initiate design feasibility and siting studies for dedicated storage.
The 1999 performance goals address distinct activities relating to long-
term achievement of the objective. The first pertains to the conclusion of
negotiations on a regional agreement addressing land-based marine pollution and
the second pertains to completion of site specific projects in the Arctic. The
combination of these 1999 performance goals represent incremental components in
seeking to prevent significant degradation of the marine and polar environments
over the long-term. Completion of the regional protocol on land-based marine
pollution will provide the first instrument in the Wider Caribbean for
establishing international norms for specific contaminants and effluents.
Attaining our 1999 performance goals for programs in the Arctic will complete
important design and engineering steps necessary for us to achieve risk
reductions between 2000 and 2005.
1998 Annual , Performance Goals
• Complete design of prototype for transportable containment system for
spent & damaged nuclear fuel from decommissioned Russian submarines.
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars .FTE
05 Obj. Total Change $89.8 0.3
Environmental Program & Management $89.8 0.3
(+$89,800 EPM) Total payroll costs for this objective will increase to
reflect -increased workforce costs.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1SJL§
Design prototype completed for September 30, 1998
containment system
Number and types of source- 2 annexes completed
specific annexes completed
Concltisioii
Preventing significant degradation of the oceans and polar environments
over the long-term is important since the environmental health and socio-
economic well-being of these resources are critical to the United States and
other nations. Accomplishment of our 1998 and 1999 goals will put us in a
position to better protect these resources in future years. Risks reduced will
be specific to those contaminants targeted for international action. Risks
reduced may be reductions in environmental risks that are currently resulting in
known damages or may be reductions in potential risks associated with
foreseeable, but preventable releases to the environment.
Achieving the Arctic environmental goals in 1998 and 1999 will result in
proper disposal of high-level radioactive waste sources, significant reduction
in future risk from these sources, and establishment of monitoring and assessment
stations for priority pollutants to distinguish regional from long-range sources
of transport.
Achieving 1999 performance goal will establish definitive international
legal standards for significant marine pollutants that are applicable to
numerous nations through global or regional agreements. Some reduction in risk
may occur in the near-term, but most significant reductions in environmental risk
will occur only in later years due to the sequential nature of multi-year
objectives and the lag between agreement finalization and entry-into-force of the
relevant international agreements.
To effectively achieve our performance goals, EPA must assume that other
U.S. departments and Agencies as well as affected stakeholders, international
organizations, and foreign states work cooperatively to advance our collective
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interests in this area. Specific countries and international organizations, most
notably the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations Environment
Program, and the Arctic and Barrents Councils must be able to adequately support
the relevant negotiations if we are to be successful in achieving the stated
goals.
KeyPerformance Measures Verification
The annual performance goals and measures identified are expressed as the
degree of completion of explicit tasks (e.g. completion of legal agreement, and
complete testing and construction of a radioactive waste prototype containment
system) and the satisfaction of U.S. negotiation objectives. These measures may
be verified as tasks completed or, in some cases (such a treaty negotiation) will
require assessment by program staff and management. Verification of these
measures does not involve any pollutant database analysis, but will require
objective assessment of tasks completed and the satisfaction of U.S.
environmental negotiating objectives.
StatufcoEy'Authority
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sections 3002-3005 (42 U.S.C. 6922-
6925)
Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) sections 5 and 6 (15 U.S.C. 2604 and 2605)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-13109)
North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC)
1996 Habitat Agenda, paragraph 43bb
Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 as amended
[other possible authorities, directives, obligations--Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C.
1251-1387)]
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks
Objective #6: Achieve Cleaner and More Cost-Effective Practices
By 2005, increase the application of cleaner and more cost-effective
environmental practices and technologies in the U.S. and abroad through
international cooperation.
Overview
With a request of $7,958,200 and 37.6 total workyears, EPA's activities
under this objective will: (1) protect human health and global, regional and
local ecosystems through enhanced environmental management capabilities in other
countries; (2) reduce costs of environmental protection in the U.S. through
international sharing of information and costs in environmental policy and
research programs; (3) promote environmentally sound trade worldwide through
participation in multilateral environmental agreements, including trade regimes,
and the strengthening of global environmental institutions; and (4) advance U.S.
foreign policy, economic, national security, humanitarian and other interests
abroad.
The most important benefits of the programs supporting this objective
include protection of our national environmental investments by ensuring that
trade policies do not undermine bur ability to protect the environment, increased
cost-effectiveness of U.S. environmental programs, enhancement of U.S.
environmental security and foreign policy requiring environmental technical
assistance, and support of U.S. environmental goals that require capacity
building in key countries.
The Agency will employ the following strategies in carrying out its work
under this objective: (1) cooperation through the World Trade Organization (WTO)
and other multilateral fora to ensure that domestic and international
environmental laws, policies and priorities are recognized and, where
appropriate, promoted within the multilateral trading system; .(2) cooperation
with other Federal agencies, states, business and environmental Non Government
Organizations (NGOs) to ensure an appropriate balance between the promotion of
trade in U.S. goods and the need to protect the U.S. domestic environment and
achieve global environmental policy goals; (3) cooperation with other Federal
agencies, states, local groups, and the business community in promoting the
worldwide dissemination of environmental technologies and services; (4)
implementation of bilateral agreements with key countries facilitating
scientific, technical and other forms of environmental cooperation; (5)
multilateral collaboration in coordinating policies and in implementing
cooperative research and development programs;(6) international technical
assistance, training, information exchange and other capacity-building programs;
(7) implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Defense
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and. the Department of Energy on "environmental security"; and. (8) implementation
of EPA's international visitors program.
Providing access to microbiologically safe drinking water and the
protection of drinking water sources in developing nations is one of the Agency' s
priorities. These goals have been further underscored by the Administration's
interest in improving the environmental health of children, who are most
vulnerable to -water-borne -diseases. Ongoing and new initiatives in the water
sector include projects in Latin America, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe,
Russia, and the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union. The Agency
will be working in cooperation with the Pan American Health Organization, the
U.S. Peace Corps, the Water and Environment Federation, UNICEF, and many other
domestic and international partners to improve drinking water treatment
techniques, waste water collection and treatment, watershed management, and the
operation, maintenance, and financing of water distribution systems.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
' 1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 06 Achieve Cleaner and $5,684.1 $4,315.8 $7,958.2
More Cost-Effective Practices
Environmental Program & $5,684.1 $4,315.8 $7,958,2
Management
Total .FTE 41.6 41.6 37.6
19:9.9 Annual Performance. .Goals..
• During FY 1999, deliver 30 international training modules; implement 6
technical assistance or technology dissemination projects; implement 5
cooperative policy development projects; and disseminate information
products to 2,500 foreign customers. The purpose of these programs will
be to reduce air, water, and waste problems in at least 6 environmentally
and geopolitically significant countries and to improve the cost-
effectiveness of U.S. domestic programs.
• Develop a training module for improving the performance of existing
drinking water treatment facilities without major capital investments.
• Initiate two pilot projects to demonstrate how communities can protect and
improve their drinking water sources with low-cost measures.
The annual performance goals outlined for 1999 represent incremental steps
to address larger policy objectives that will require many years to realize. In
many cases, such as in trade and the environment, the policy objectives are on-
going in character, requiring continuous participation in selected policy fora.
Success in these venues can be best characterized as success- in maintaining U.S.
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flexibility in our authority to require necessary levels of environmental
quality. In 1999, annual goals for our technical assistance programs represent
step-wise programs targeted to specific environmental issues and sectors that are
critical to protection of the U.S. and global environment.
1998 jtonual Performance Goals
• During FY 1998, deliver 25 international training modules; implement 5
technical assistance or technology dissemination projects; implement 4
cooperative policy development projects; and disseminate information
products to 2,000 foreign customers. The purpose of these programs will
be to reduce air, water, and waste problems in at least 6 environmentally
and geopolitically significant countries and to improve the cost-
effectiveness of U.S. domestic programs.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
06 Obj. Total Change $3,642.4 <4.0)
Environmental Program & Management $3,642.4 (4.0)
(+$2,900,000 EPM) for the International Safe Drinking Water Program to
support the new Agency initiative Ensuring- Children's Health through
Microbiologically Safe Drinking Water and Adequate Sanitation. This
Initiative would result in significant and measurable risk reduction from
exposure to water-borne diseases in targeted developing countries. It
includes components on environmental technology transfer and environmental
capacity-building.
•The additional change in resources does not represent a change in the
program. The application of 1998 carryover funds to this objective are
not included in this table.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Number of training modules 25 modules 5 modules
delivered
Number of technical _ 5 projects 6 projects
assistance or technical
dissemination projects carried
out
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Number of information 2,000 products 2,500 products
products disseminated to foreign
customers
Development of 1 module
microbiological SDW training
module
Number of pilot projects 2 pilot projects
conducted in targeted countries
Conclusion
EPA's activities under this objective will help move U.S. and international
environmental policies and programs toward the desired "end state" in which: (1)
proven and cost-effective environmental technologies and services are readily
available to those who need them, (2) countries possess the environmental
management and enforcement capabilities necessary to reduce environmental risk,
and (3) countries, including the United States, benefit economically and
environmentally from scientific or technological advances achieved in another
country.
Key Performance Measures Verification
The annual performance goals and measures identified under Objective 6 are
expressed as the degree of completion of explicit tasks (e.g. completion of
environmental security action plans for priority areas, delivery and successful
application of information and training materials, trade initiatives that do not
compromise domestic environmental standard ) . These measures may be verified as
tasks completed or, in some cases (such a treaty negotiation) will require
assessment by program staff and management. Verification of these measures does
not involve any pollutant database analysis, but will require objective
assessment of tasks completed and the satisfaction of U.S. environmental
negotiating obj ectives.
Statutory Authority
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (section 313 (42 U.S.C. 11023)
Pollution Prevention Act (42 U.S.C. 13101-13109)
World Trade Organization Agreements
North American Free Trade Agreement
VI-52
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Goal 7: Right to Know
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Goal 7: Expansion of Americans' Right to Know About Their Environment VII-1
Increase Quality/Quantity of Education, Outreach,
Data Availability VII-6
Improve Public's Ability to Reduce Exposure VTI-18
Enhance Ability to Protect Human Health. , . VII-2 7
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Expansion of Americans' Right: to Know About Their Environment
Strategic? Goal: Easy access to a wealth of information about the state of their
local environment will expand citizen involvement and give people tools to
protect their families and their communities as .they .see fit* Increased
information exchange between scientists, public health officials, businesses,
citizens, and all levels of government will foster greater knowledge about the
environment and what can be done to protect it.
Goal Summary
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Expansion of Americans' Right to $156,730.7 $140,371.4 $159,087.8
Know About their Environment
Obj. 01 Increase $76,246.5 $72,202.0 $75,343.7
Quality/Quantity of
Education, Outreach, Data
Availability
Obj. 02 Improve Public's $51,493.5 $47,120,6 $51,875.5
Ability to Reduce Exposure
Obj.' 03 Enhance Ability to $28,990.7 $21,048.8 $31,868.6
Protect Public Health
Goal Total FTE 774.4 771.7 757.0
Providing all Americans with access to sound environmental information and
informing and involving the public in our work are essential parts of a
comprehensive approach to protecting the environment. All U.S, citizens have a
"right to know" about the pollutants in their environment - including the
condition of the air they .breathe and the water they drink, as well as the health
effects .of the chemicals used in the food and products they buy. Increased
information is especially valuable for minority, low-income, and Native American
communities that suffer a disproportionate burden of health consequences from
poor environmental conditions. As U.S. citizens, they need to receive adequate
knowledge of and representation in public policy and environmental decision--
making.
Access to environmental information enables American citizens to be
involved and informed environmental decision makers. Through the dissemination
of information, citizens are given the'ability to create and promote lasting
solutions to environmental problems. The relative severity of environmental
risks, the opportunities for preventing pollution, and the uncertainties and
complex trade-offs that underlie many environmental decisions need to be
understood and addressed. Public awareness is critical to developing sustainable
solutions that all stakeholders — industry, agriculture,' government, and the
public will support and carry out,
VII-1
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The 1999 President's Budget requests $159,087,800 and 757.0 total workyears
for this goal, an increase of $18,716,400 and a decrease of 14.7 workyears over
1998 Enacted, The Agency will use a variety of .strategies to accomplish this
goal, Critical to the success of these strategies will be cooperation and
collaboration with all potential partners, including Federal, state, tribal and
local governments, education institutions, nonprofit organizations, and
businesses. In 1999, the Agency will expand Americans' • "right to know" by
improving the quality and increasing the quantity of general environmental
education outreach and data availability programs, and improving electronic
access to information.
The resources requested in this budget will enable the Agency to meet a
number of important performance goals in 1999. The most significant of these
include:
» Add 10 state participants to the One-Stop Reporting Program (Total=30).
• Provide over 100 grants to assist communities with understanding and
addressing Environmental Justice issues,
• Increase compliance with right to know reporting requirements by
conducting 1300 inspections and undertaking 200 enforcement actions,
* 3,300 large and very large community water systems (serving approximately
185 million Americans) will issue annual consumer confidence reports
containing information about the systems' source water and the level of
contaminants in the drinking water.
• Process 110,000 facility chemical release reports, publish the TRI Data
Release Report and provide improved information to the public about TRI
chemicals, enhancing community right to know and efficiently processing
information from industry.
• By 1999, EPA will complete 5-7 monitoring pilot projects in EMPACT cities,
and implement timely and high quality environmental monitoring technology
in 5-7 EMPACT cities.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Corantunitle
The 1999 President's Budget .requests $51,875,500 and 255.1 total workyears,
an increase of $4,754,900 over 1998 Enacted, to improve the public's ability to
reduce exposure. Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
(EPCRA), EPA is required to provide the public with valuable chemical release
data through the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). EPA has recently expanded the
TRI by adding seven new industry sectors and by nearly doubling the number of
..reportable chemicals. The goal of these actions is to provide a broader picture
of industrial releases and transfers so the public will have more information
.about potential risks.
In 1999, EPA will perform quality analyses of at least two additional
industries reporting to TRI and process 110,000 TRI Form R'-s as part of the
operation. EPA will finalize the persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxics (PBT)
rule to add more chemicals to the TRI. To ensure that the public has information
on chemicals that may be highly toxic but are manufactured, processed, or used
in lower volumes, the Agency will lower the thresholds 'for reporting PBTs. The
Agency has expanded the TRI effort and will propose a chemical use reporting
VII-2
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rule. Finally, 'to ensure the efficacy of this information, five focus groups
will be conducted to determine how to better serve those who would use TRi
information.
The Agency aggressively seeks to integrate all relevant sources of data and
information to support comprehensive approaches to environmental protection that
include community-based environmental protection (CBEP) and ecosystem protection.
This information is to be coordinated and integrated across the Agency to provide
comprehensive views of environmental data based on increased availability and
accuracy of locational and spatial data, the establishment of the central
structure required to support data standards, and a registry of environmental
data.
Accsss
The 1999 President's Budget requests $67,487,300 and 302.9 total workyears,
a $3,150,200 increase over 1998 Enacted, to enhance American's access to
environmental information. In 1999, "the Agency will provide environmental
information through a variety of initiatives.
The Agency's One Stop Reporting .Initiative will provide one-stop access to
and reporting of environmental information. This initiative focuses on
streamlining reporting by regulators and improving the availability of
environmental performance data for the public and the educational community,
information such as databases, press releases, phone numbers, fact, sheets, and
regulations will be made available ,on the World-Wide Web.
In 1999, the Agency' s Public Access strategic Initiatives will provide the
necessary infrastructure to integrate EPA data electronically so that the .public
has access to information on environmental requirements and regulations, and is
provided, an opportunity to comment. Under the Enforcement and Compliance
Information (ECi) initiative, the Agency will provide the public access to user-
friendly information on enforcement and compliance data policies, guidance and
interpretations. This initiative will improve citizens' and small businesses'
access to, and their understanding of, compliance and enforcement information-
Lessons learned from the Regulatory Information Inventory and Team
Evaluation Project (RIITE) will be made available nationally, providing a toolbox
of successful approaches, establishing a web site of forms, and testing the use
of web sites for submission of compliance data. Collection, analysis, and use
of data are at the heart of effective environmental management. Electronic
reporting for many o.f the Agency's core compliance reports will be available;
e.g., municipal water system laboratory reports, some transactions involving the
hazardous waste manifest, and reporting of annual emissions inventories in some
delegated states-. Additionally, EPA is now developing a "second generation"
approach on Internet/Web-based forms, which will be much more appropriate for
small companies and for individuals.
The Agency will ensure that small business and other small entities are
full participants in Agency regulatory activities, especially regulatory
development and compliance assistance. Under the requirements of the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, the Agency provides small
entities the opportunity to participate in the development of proposed rules
subject to the Regulatory Flexibility Act. One of the Agency keys for successful
small business participation in the environmental decision making process is a
well informed and educated small business community. A focal point of the
Agency's small business information activities is EPA' s Office of Small Business
Ombudsman (SBO) . This office coordinates over 12, 000 small business inquiries
each year, supports an internet Web page for small business, and coordinates
VII-3 '
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agency regional small business activities. .In addition, the SBO provides
oversight for and reports to Congress on small business compliance activities
'under §507 of the Clean Air Act, Through this process the Agency and the small
business community stay abreast of each other's needs and concerns.
The creation of the Center for Environmental Information and Statistics
(CEIS) will play a crucial role in our efforts to improve delivery of
environmental information to the public and ensure a cooperative and
collaborative approach to environmental decision making. The CEIS will provide
a "Master Atlas" that integrates various mapping software and provides multimedia
data on environmental quality, status and trends. CEIS will also have a web site
for visitors to identify and contact Agency representatives so that they may
discuss the environmental data used and the Agency's interpretation. The CEIS
will also serve as the Agency's source of internal information on environmental
quality, status and trends - informing individuals, communities, businesses and
the public of environmental information which will be easily accessible,
objective, and reliable.
Ensuring Environmental Justice
The 1999 President's Budget requests $7,856,400 and 45.7 total workyears
to support environmental justice. In 1999, the Agency will work to ensure that
minority, low-income, and Native American communities will be able to
meaningfully participate in environmental decision-making and protect themselves
from undue risks. The Agency will hold National Environmental Justice Advisory
Council meetings to advise the Administrator on Environmental Justice concerns.
The Agency will continue to develop the Environmental Justice program to
ensure that all people, regardless of race, national origin, or income, are
protected from a disproportionate impact of environmental hazards. Environmental
programs do not always equally benefit all communities or all populations. To
remedy this problem, the Agency will raise the awareness and understanding of
environmental issues affecting high risk communities by holding at least one
Enforcement Roundtable in an affected community. To facilitate community
involvement, EPA will provide grants to minority and low income communities to
address Environmental Justice issues.
Through the Interagency Workgroup meetings and joint projects, EPA will
work to ensure that all Federal agencies comply with the Executive Order on
Environmental Justice and incorporate environmental justice concerns into program
planning and implementation. EPA will also integrate Environmental Justice into
its own program operations, Regional Memoranda of Agreement, and state
Performance Partnership Agreements.
Tools for Enhancing the Ability to ProtectHuman Health
The 1999 President's Budget requests $31,868,600 and 153.3 total workyears,
an increase of $10,819,800 over 1998 Enacted, to enhance American's ability to
protect human health. In pursuing this objective, the Agency ensures that all
Americans have easy access to sound environmental information. Providing this
information will allow citizens to expand their involvement in protecting the
environment.
The President's Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community
Tracking (EMPACT) initiative is a cross-agency program established to provide the
public with information regarding local environmental conditions (e.g. toxic
pollutants, water and air quality). This program will continue to report and
provide access to selected communities throughout the nation. EMPACT will
provide at least 75 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas with access to
vri-4
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information regarding the quality of their local environments, and relevant
scientific and technical tools to interpret and evaluate potential impacts and
risks to these environments. The Agency will expand EMPACT's effectiveness by
improving technological approaches to data management and communications and by
improving its discourse with the public regarding environmental risks.
Citizen involvement in protecting the environment will also be expanded
through the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) . IRIS is an EPA database
of Agency consensus health information on environmental contaminants which is
used extensively by EPA Program Offices and Regions where consistent, reliable
toxicity information is needed for credible risk assessments. Each of the 535
IRIS "files" contains chemical-specific information on cancer and noncancer
health effects. Each IRIS file summarizes a more detailed health assessment or
support .document. IRIS is heavily used for risk assessments and other health
evaluations across the Agency. The most frequent users are Regional and state
risk assessors, but use has grown to include all levels of government, as well
as the public and private sectors, both nationally and internationally.
VII-5
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Environmental Protection Agency .
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Expansion of American's Right to Know About Their Environment
Objective 1: increase Quality/Quantity of Education, Outreach, Data
Availability
By 2005, EPA will improve the ability of the American public to
participate in the protection o.f human health and the environment by increasing
the quality and quantity of general environmental education, outreach and data
availability programs, especially in dj.sproportion.ally impacted and
disadvantaged communities.
Overview
This objective supports EPA's efforts to provide an increasing quantity
of information to the public so that the public is able to make informed and
educated decisions on environmental issues affecting their communities.
Information will be made available to educators, academic institutions,
scholars, industry, state and local governments, non-profit organizations, the
public, and NAFTA partners. Resources within this objective also help support
the President's Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community
Tracking (EMPACT)initiative. EPA's role in EMPACT is to develop approaches to
1) integrate monitoring measurement technologies with effective data management
and communications solutions and 2) to research to facilitate effective
communication to the public regarding environmental risk. Major program
benefits include fair and equal protection under .environmental laws for those
communities disproportionately affected by toxic releases and hazards, a better
informed public, increased involvement of citizens in adversely impacted
communities in environmental decisions affecting them, and pollutant reductions
in high risk communities.
In support of this objective, EPA will continue to increase the amount and
quality of publicly available information on environmental programs. This
includes one-stop access to and reporting of program information. The Agency's
One-Stop Reporting Initiative will focus on streamlining reporting by regulated
entities and ultimately improve the availability of environmental performance
data to the public. A central component of the One-Stop Reporting Initiative
is establishing a standard facility identifier for regulated entities. EPA will
also provide an Agency-level framework to ensure an overall coordinated approach
to information collection, integration, and access. EPA will manage and support
Internet activities such as managing website content and organization. The
website activity provides world-wide electronic access to Agency information
such as databases, press releases, locator tools, fact .sheets, regulations,
policies and guidance, and other Agency information. In addition, the Agency
will provide the Envirofacts data warehouse to state and local communities and
Tribal governments. Envirofacts allows the Agency to develop new software tools
for conducting permit reviews, assessing compliance status and trends, and
conducting environmental assessments. EPA will also work to develop and improve
existing tools to identify communities most disproportionately affected by toxic
releases and hazards. This objective also involves collaboration and
coordination of the efforts outlined to address environmental justice issues
within EPA and with other Federal agencies.
VII-6
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Multimedia resources serve to educate students, individuals, tribes and
communities about environmental and public health protection. EPA will use
various media resources to aid and increase public understanding of public
health and environmental protection issues. Equally important is advising
appropriate program offices in EPA on the various outreach tools available.
This will increase the public's .awareness of environmental issues and their
technological and scientific solutions, as well as apply standardized cross-
media tools to identify communities at risk of potential environmental
contamination. This objective supports educational and training programs that
encourage replication of model environmental education curricula programs and
materials for educators and teachers. It also supports youth programs such as
the President's Environmental Youth Awards and the Vice President's GLOBE
initiative - which will be used -to convene workshops and meetings to involve
scientists and educators in selecting appropriate environmental observations
that will be used to coordinate the work of students, -teachers, and scientists
to study and understand the environment^
An integral component of this objective is the environmental justice
program. The goal of the environmental justice program is to ensure that all
people, regardless of race, national origin, or income, are protected from
disproportionate impacts of environmental hazards and that the most affected
communities have adequate opportunities to participate in environmental decision
making. EPA is the lead agency for Executive Order 12898, which requires each
Federal agency to integrate environmental justice a part of its mission by
identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse
human health and environmental effects of its own programs, policies and
activities on minority populations and low-income populations. Through
Interagency Workgroup meetings and joint projects, EPA will work to ensure that
-all Federal agencies are aware of and incorporate environmental justice concerns
into program planning and implementation. EPA will also continue to hold
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council meetings to advise the
Administrator on environmental justice concerns. The Agency will also integrate
issues into program operations, Regional Memoranda of Agreement/ and state
Performance Partnership Agreements.
EPA is particularly interested in making sure that minority, low-income
and Native American communities receive adequate information and representation
in public policy and environmental decision-making processes. Although
significant progress has been made in achieving healthier, sustainable
environments, environmental programs have not always equally benefitted all
communities or all populations within a community. In particular, environmental
programs do not always address the disproportionate exposures to pesticides,
lead, or other toxic chemicals suffered by certain communities at home or at
work. To raise awareness and understanding of environmental issues affecting
these high risk communities, at least one Enforcement Roundtable -will be held
in such a community. To facilitate community involvement, EPA will provide
grants to minority and/or low income communities to address environmental
justice issues.
Citizens also need access to information to stay informed about
environmental issues and participate effectively in decisions affecting their
communities. The maze of statutory and regulatory authorities and policy
interpretations is daunting, and the public needs clear information on the
regulatory requirements and contacts to answer questions and resolve concerns.
EPA will provide the necessary infrastructure to integrate EPA data
electronically so that the public has access to information on environmental
requirements. The Agency will provide public access to user friendly
information on enforcement and compliance policies, guidance, site-specific
interpretations and other information relating to the Agency's enforcement and
VII-7
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compliance assurance program. This will allow the public to better understand
the environmental conditions in their local area as well as the broader
accomplishments of EPA. EPA will make information available to the public
through the Agency's Public Access Strategic Initiatives. Activities and
projects associated with this initiative include: making Agency regulations,
policies and guidance available to the public and allowing the public to comment
electronically; making key enforcement interpretations available, as recommended
by the Enhanced Public Access Task Force; managing and organizing Agency 'records
in electronic formats to enhance both internal and public access; measuring
citizen satisfaction with the information and access, thus allowing continuous
improvement in services; and enhancing design and organization of EPA's Homepage
and upper-level web pages. To support these activities, the Agency requests
$5,831,000.
EPA offices will use electronic communications such as the Enforcement and
Compliance Information (ECI) initiative which will reengineer enforcement data'
systems to improve the Agency's, states', and the public's access to and
understanding of compliance and enforcement information. ECI will also relate
these data to risk and other relevant information for decision making. The
Index of Watershed Indicators (IWI) is another example which contains more
environmental and health information than EPA has presented before - combining
15 indicators of aquatic resource health to characterize the condition and
vulnerability of 2,HI watersheds in the continental United States. Several
Federal, state and nongovernmental organizations contributed to this Index.
These same agencies share in our past water quality successes and will continue
to be involved in overcoming the problems IWI brings to light. The IWI will
also enable managers and community residents to understand and take action to
protect the watershed where they live. The watershed information provided by
IWI can also lead to more specific information about their water, how they
compare to similar watersheds, and what may be causing problems.
Lessons learned from the Regulatory Information Inventory and Team
Evaluation Project (RIITE) will' be made available nationally, providing a
toolbox of successful approaches, establishing a website of forms, and testing
the use of websites for submission of compliance data. Collection, analysis and
use of data are at the heart of effective environmental management. Electronic
reporting for many of the Agency's core compliance reports will be available
(e.g., municipal water system laboratory reports, some transactions involving
the hazardous waste manifest, and annual emissions inventories in some delegated
states). Additionally, EPA is 'now developing a "second generation" approach
based on internet/Web-based forms, which will be much more appropriate for small
companies and individuals.
Creation of the Center for Environmental Information and Statistics (CEIS)
will play a crucial role in efforts to improve delivery of environmental
information to the public and ensure a cooperative and collaborative approach
to environmental decision making. The CEIS will provide a "Master Atlas" that
integrates the capabilities of EPA's various mapping software offerings and
• provides multimedia data on environmental quality, status and trends as well as
an electronic network that allows website visitors easy identification and
contact with Agency data experts to discuss questions of data use and
interpretation. The CEIS will also serve as the Agency's point of internal
focus and convenient point of external public access for integrated, multi-media
information on environmental quality, status and trends — informing
individuals, communities, businesses and the public of environmental information
that is easily accessible, objective, and reliable. For example, -small entity
outreach :and education will be augmented by making information on training and
technical assistance available through the .Small Entity homepage. The CEIS will
be customer-oriented, meeting the needs of the many audiences for environmental
VII-8
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information. For CEIS, the Agency is requesting a total of $4,355,300 and 33
workyears.
In 1999, EPA will identify and promote the development of new policies
and innovative approaches to environmental management through cooperative
partnerships with organizations and institutions outside of EPA,. EPA will
accomplish this through the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy
and Technology (NACEPT) and its standing committees, and statutorily-mandated
advisory committees dealing with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
implementation and U.S./Mexico border issues. The committees are: the National
Advisory Committee/Governmental Advisory Committee and the Good Neighbor
Environmental Board.
Providing public access to information is also a statutory requirement
under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) . The Office of Executive
Secretariat controls an ever increasing quantity of correspondence, and routes,
logs, and tracks Agency FOIA requests. This office develops FOIA policy;
coordinates Agency FOIA and correspondence policies; guides and trains Agency
personnel in FOIA and correspondence activities; prepares a yearly FOIA report
to Congress; provides policy and program oversight on FOIA; and manages and
tracks executive correspondence. To support this process, the Agency requests
$2,268,400 and 29 workyears.
The regulatory development process ensures compliance with various
statutes governing rulemaking, and promotes an improved and streamlined
regulatory process including increased public information. EPA has been a
leader in the Federal government in the use of consensus building techniques and
will continue to develop negotiated rulemaking, policy dialogues and other
consensus based stakeholder involvement techniques at the national, regional,
local and international levels. Involvement of stakeholders in crafting the
programs and rules by which they will abide promotes innovative, effective and
cost effective solutions and fosters earlier, more complete compliance with
environmental protection measures.
The Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) requires
EPA to establish -formal mechanisms for outreach to small entities for certain
significant regulations. EPA is committed to the advancement of outreach and
public participation in the rulemaking process for all stakeholders and
especially for small entities. The Small Business Ombudsman was created by the
Administrator to assist small businesses in understanding and complying with new
legislative initiatives. The Ombudsman identifies and evaluates small business
problems and recommends practices as they relate to small businesses. The
Ombudsman provides outreach to small business in a multitude of ways-through
distribution of information, the small business homepage, hotline, training,
conferences, etc.-and is continually looking for ways to improve outreach and
involve the small business community directly in the regulatory development
process. The Agency requests a total of $987,100 and 3 workyears for this
obj ective.
This objective will be supported through legal counseling and advocacy.
This may include advice, participation in the development of Agency actions,
document review, and the conduct of defensive litigation.
VII-9
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 01 increase
Quality/Cuantity of
Education, Outreach, Data
Availability
Environmental Program &
Management
Hazardous .Substance
Superfund
Total FTE
$76,246.5 $72,202.0 $75,343.7
$75,489.1 $69,791.8 $72,915.2
$757.4
385.5
$2,410.2
3.8.1.1
$2,428.5
'348.6
1999 Annual Performstn.ce Goals
« Continue to advise the Administrator on Environmental Justice issues.
• Continue to ensure that all Federal agencies comply with the Executive
Order on Environmental justice, review performance measure, and conduct
Environmental Justice project in coordination with other Federal agencies.
« Continue to make Enviro$sense more user friendly and continue electronic
conversion of appropriate enforcement documents and data to provide for
enhanced public access.
• 'Continue to improve public access to compliance and enforcement data,
particularly to high risk communities, through multimedia data integration
projects and other studies, analyses and communication/outreach activities.
• Continue to develop tools for data management programs integrating EPA
data.
• Increase availability and usage of environmental information on the EPA
Website.
• Make 60% of the Agency's interpretive Guidance available on the Internet.
• Add 10 State participants to the One—Stop Reporting Program (for a total
of 30).
• Make Electronic Data Interchange/Electronic Commerce (EDI/EC) available for
Agency reports.
* Make 5% of data reported to EPA available through EDI/EC.
• Establish a National Facility ID file with accurate information for 95% of
the facilities.
• Continually improve processes to involve affected parties in environmental
decision-making to forma more collaborative and cooperative partnership.
VII-1.0
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* Index of Watershed Indicators (IWI) report is updated.
• Improve the consistency of Federal/State and other reporting requirements
through technological advances n information generation combined with new
approaches in environmental management.
The Agency's goal is to ensure that all people receive 'equal protection and
access to a ''healthy .and sound environment. The Agency will ensure that the
President's Executive Order on Environmental Justice is implemented in Federal
and non-Federal areas. The Agency will provide everyone with access to user
friendly information on enforcement and compliance policies, guidance,
interpretations and other information relating to the Agency's enforcement and
compliance assurance program. EPA will also continue to hold public NACEPT and
NAFTA Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) meetings to review current issues,
identify emerging issues, establish priorities, and develop near- and long-term
recommendations on environmental issues. The meetings will culminate in the
issuance 'Of six to ten reports that will inform the Administrator, the
President, and Congress of these independent committees' recommendations on
various environmental issues. These recommendations will empower the Agency,
the President, and Congress to make better informed decisions on important
environmental issues.
The.Agency also estimates that it will receive and respond to approximately
140,000 pieces of executive correspondence and 30,000 FOIA requests in 1999.
By responding to these public inquiries, the Agency empowers the American public
with information that enables them to make informed decisions on environmental
issues in their communities. In 1999, the Office of Executive Secretariat will
fully implement the Electronic Freedom of Information Act (E-FOIA) by expanding
and enhancing availability of databases to the public through a user friendly
indexing system and an electronic "reading room."
The first phase of the IWI has been completed. . Updates and refinements are
planned in 1999 that will extend its use as both an analytic and an outreach
tool. This will include data to show environmental change over more recent time
intervals, and prototypes of the use of data in innovative ways for internet
presentations at finer scales -of resolution in .selected states. Work will begin
to portray program response (a new category of data) in the IWI format.
The Agency will continue to manage and improve the regulatory development
process so that our informational databases provide program managers, the
Administration, Congress, and external stakeholders with timely and accurate
information on the status and history of individual EPA rulemakings and their
compliance with statutory mandates. Continued use of consensus building
techniques will be used to improve environmental rulemaking decisions, enhanced
guidance and training will be provided, and improved databases which provide
information on regulatory development and identify facilitators and mediators
will be available, EPA will expand efforts to reduce reporting burden and
streamline reporting. Key activities include electronic reporting for
pretreatment program and Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC)
plans, full-scale Internet-based EDI for Hazardous Waste Manifest, updated
Agency policy on EDI and final report to OMB on information streamlining plan.
EPA will continue outreach to small business, establishing formal
mechanisms and building partnerships to advocate small business involvement in
Agency rulemakings. EPA will complete Regulatory Flexibility analyses for all
of its rulemaking that may have significant impacts on a substantial number of
small entities, initiate a small communities outreach program to gather
information on impacts of 'EPA rules on small communities, augment Small Entities
Homepage with specific information on rules for 20% of the sectors identified
VII-11
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by the Agency, and improve small entity outreach through training and technical
assistance to Agency managers and staff.
EPA will play a crucial role in efforts to improve delivery of
environmental information through the CEIS. The CEIS will serve as the Agency's
point of internal focus and convenient point of external public access for
integrated, multi-media information on environmental quality, status and trends
•— informing individuals, communities/ businesses and the public of
environmental information that is easily accessible, objective, and reliable.
The CEIS will be customer-oriented, meeting the needs of the many audiences for
environmental information, and will also serve as an effective tool in the
Agency'svplanning and budgeting processes
1998 3tanu>3L Psirfozinajacc Goals
• Advise the Administrator on Environmental Justice Issues.
• Continue to ensure that all Federal agencies comply with the Executive
Order on Environmental justice, review performance measure, and conduct
Environmental Justice project in coordination with other Federal agencies.
• Make Enviro$sense more user friendly and continue electronic conversion of
appropriate enforcement documents and data to provide for enhanced public
access.
• Improve public access to compliance and enforcement data, particularly to
high risk communities, through multimedia data integration projects and
other studies, analyses and communication/outreach activities.
* Make environmental data/information available to the public in a user-
friendly manner.
• Develop tools for data management programs integrating EPA data.
• Make 30% of the Agency's Interpretive Guidance available on the Internet.
• Add 7 state participants to the One-Stop Reporting Program for a total of
20 states.
• Provide 1 Agency report on EDI/EC available.
• Complete the design for a National Facility Identifier System.
• Make Phase II Index of Watershed Indicators (IWI) data and analyses on a
watershed basis via Internet.
• Implement priority data quality improvements form partnerships to promote
understanding and use of information.
• Continually improve processes to involve affected parties in environmental
decision making to form a more collaborative and cooperative partnership.
• Improve the consistency of Federal/State and other reporting .requirements
through technological advances in information generation combined with new
approaches in environmental .management.
ViI-12
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
01 Obj. Total Change $3,141.7 (32.5)
Environmental Program & Management $3,123.4 (32.5)
Hazardous Substance Superfund $18.3 0.0
($2,439,200 EPM; 33 FTE) An investment will- be redirected from OPPE
regional resources to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer to support
GPRA and accountability.
($500,000 EPM) An investment will be redirected to support economic
analysis and sustainable industry sinall business initiatives.
($-200,000 EPM) A disinvestment in the level of National Environmental
Education Act resources distributed from Headquarters, including funding
for the Environmental Education and Training Foundation.
($-650,000 EPM) A disinvestment to reflect completion of certain Regional
projects under the EMPACT/Right-to-Know Initiative.
($-1,300,000 EPM) A disinvestment due to a 1998 Congressional Add-on for
the Environmental Justice Community/University Grant program.
($+3,340,000 EPM) An investment to support, under EMPACT, enhancements
of Surf Your Watershed and to the Index of Watershed Indicators (IWI).
($+3,750,000 EPM) Investment will provide for increased use of the EMPACT
home page by the public, building increased local capacity in access to
the information, a technology architectural plan for the EMPACT program,
and a data standards program for EMPACT.
($+496,000 EPM) An investment to support the Small Business Ombudsman and
SBREFA.
($+947,700 EPM) An investment for increasing the management, integration,
and volume of data/information offered on the EPA Website.
Key Performance .Measures 1998 1999
Environmental Justice Grants 100 Grants 100 Grants
CERCLA Environmental Justice 27 Grants 27 Grants
Grants
Documents included in 4,200 Documents 4,200 Documents
Enviro$en$se
Hits to several Websites 67,400 Documents 67,400 Documents
Specialized .assistance and 100 Courses 100 Courses
training
Increase Usage on EPA Internet 140,000,000 Hits 180,000,000 Hits
Increase data/information on 25 Percent 10 Percent
EPA Website
VII-13
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Add new data system to
Envirofacts
Interpretive Guidance on
Internet
Number of States with One-Stop
Reporting
Availability of EDI/EC
EDI/EC Data Reported
Facility ID .file accuracy
Design facility ID system
Completion o.f analysis of
Phase II IWI with underlying
data publicly available on
watershed basis via Internet
3 Types
30 Percent
20 States
1 Report
100 Percent
1 Analysis
2 Types
60 Percent
30 States
4 Reports
5 Percent
95 Percent
Updated IWI Report
Small entity outreach and
education
Improve Federal/State
collaboration efforts
Hold 2 conferences
10 Meetings
1 Report
.Hold 2 conferences
10 Meetings
Under the provisions of the Executive Order on Environmental
Justice, EPA provides grant funding to universities and communities -to
help raise awareness of environmental and public health issues in
disproportionately exposed .and .low income communities. Open dialogue on
Environmental Justice concerns will ensure that Environmental Justice is
integrated into the Agency's inspection, enforcernent, and compliance
assurance efforts.
The public and regulated community will also have access to
accurate, timely, and comprehensive information about regulatory
requirements. The Federal Facilities Program will conduct environmental
equity profiles, Federal Facility environmental justice
meetings/conferences, and post relevant policies and guidance on
Enviro$en$e. The enhancement of the Agency's web sites and uploading of
material will enable all stakeholders, including the public and the
regulated community, to have access to the major policies, documents and
interpretative guidance used to implement the enforcement and compliance
program. The web sites also provide additional information (e.g.,
pollution prevention opportunities) that enable the public to develop
community-based environmental protection programs and strategies and the
regulated community with opportunities to enhance their economic
efficiency and thei.r compliance record. The project will integrate data
from several data sources into a single system allowing both
facility-level and sector analysis.
Conclusion
The Agency is committed to improving Americans' knowledge and
understanding of environmental issues so that they will be able to make
informed and educated decisions about environmental issues affecting their
communities. To that end, the Agency is making a determined effort to
VII-14
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increase the quality and quantity of its general environmental education,
outreach and data availability programs, especially in disproportionately
impacted and disadvantaged comraunitie,s. EPA's efforts will directly
support the President's "Right-To-Know" goal by providing up-to-date,
accurate pictures of the conditions and stressors in their communities.
Accomplishments under this objective provide key milestones for
ensuring the collection of environmental information in a manner that
reduces burden while promoting integrity, accuracy, and supporting timely
access for communities, regulators, and scientists to the data they need
to make sound decisions about human health and the environment. EPA is
committed to the overall effort of connecting the American people more
effectively with the decision making structures of all levels of
government and to establishing a more cooperative and collaborative
approach to environmental decision making. To this end, EPA will increase
efforts to involve stakeholders and provide information, guidance,
technical assistance and evaluation with a focus on small entities. Small
entity outreach programs represent EPA's continuing commitment to involve
affected parties in a collaborative environmental decision-making process.
These partnerships will result in better, more cost effective, more
implementable, more creative solutions to environmental problems,
Furthermore, when the public and EPA's partners are empowered with
information, they can act in ways beneficial to the environment. As a
result, EPA seeks to get information to the parties that need it in the
most efficient manner possible.
EPA provides the public with information which enables Americans to
participate in the protection of public health and the environment. The
Agency's approach involves expanding the content of EPA's data holdings,
improving the quality and useability of the data, and ensuring that these
data are widely available. The dramatical'!y increasing availability of
public access to electronic media offers unprecedented opportunities for
EPA to provide citizens with the information necessary to effect
substantial environmental improvements. EPA's emphasis on electronic
records management will enhance public access to EPA records. EPA will
also focus on electronic rule-making to support the right of citizens to
be knowledgeable of, and to participate in, decisions affecting the
environment. Additional efforts involve EPA's attempts to incorporate
state participation in the voluntary One-stop Reporting Program and
continued commercial development of the Internet in a manner that
continues to support public outreach and access to the Agency's
information.
EPA will also work to develop and improve existing tools to identify
communities most disproportionately affected by toxic releases and
hazards; reduce such releases and hazards by targeting enforcement
activities and other specific activities to reduce exposure and promote
cleanup; continue collaboration and coordination on environmental justice
issues within EPA and with .other Federal agencies covered by the Executive
Order; integrate environmental justice issues into program operations,
Regional Memoranda of Agreement, and state Performance Partnership
Agreements; and, enhance community participation in environmental programs
by increasing and improving education, technical assistance and financial
support to high risk communities.
The .dramatically increasing availability of public access to
electronic media offers unprecedented opportunities for EPA to provide
citizens with the information necessary to effect substantial
environmental improvements. Our watershed-based electronic outreach
VII-15
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efforts, .including Surf Your Watershed and the Index of Watershed
Indicators, will directly support the Agency's efforts to implement the
President's "Right To Know" goal by providing up-to-date, accurate
pictures of the conditions and stressors in their communities.
Improving the ability of the American public to participate in the
protection of human health and the environment will be facilitated through
continued improvements to the regulatory development process, electronic
systems, burden reduction, electronic data reporting and the use of public
advisory committees. Public participation will also be improved by
expanding outreach to small businesses, and through development of the
CEIS. The CEIS will improve the quality and integration of environmental
information, improve electronic access to information, and meet the needs
of stakeholders to determine their internal and external requirements for
environmental information. The CEIS will also provide an easily
accessible central point which consolidates and reports information that
the Agency or others .hold on -environmental conditions and 'trends. The
CEIS will enhance Agency efforts to protect the environment — providing
tools for more fact-based decision making and providing customers with
information that is useful to them,
Efforts to reinvent reporting practices track with changes in
information technology that are taking place in the commercial and
industrial sectors, where there has been a phenomenal growth in electronic
commerce in recent years. Some industries report large savings from the
use of EDI - partly due to a 40-50% reduction in general data error rate
compared to paper documents. Based on anecdotal evidence, EPA estimates
that EDI can be expected to reduce burden by 15% on average across EPA
programs .
The Agency maintains a FOIA tracking system that will be used to
determine the number of FOIA requests completed each year.
Staff within the Office of Cooperative Environmental Management are
responsible for publishing the NACEPT and NAFTA reports. At the end of
the year, they will identify the number of reports issued by the' NACEPT
arid NAFTA FACA committees .
The Agency has attempted to develop measures which adequately
reflect program goals and objectives. These measures emphasize
quantifiable aspects of program processes, incorporating realistic program
outputs and outcomes. The Agency recognizes the importance of verifying
the validity of performance measures and indicators. consequently,
efforts are planned and currently underway to ensure that measures
accurately reflect and support our assumptions. An important first step
in this process has been the undertaking of a Customer Service survey to
measure customer satisfaction. The results of this survey will provide
us with a framework by which to validate and revise many of our
assumptions. As the process evolves, the program output and outcome data
provided will allow us to refine both our measures and our supporting
information management system.
While the planned performance measure for this objective is output-
oriented, the availability of refinements to the Index of Watershed
Indicators will provide the Agency and the pifblic significant
opportunities to better understand the extent of the health of the
VII-16
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nation's ecosystems. Working with a broad array of inter-governmental
partners, we can assure the validity of the data presented in our
comprehensive assessments by continually refining data layers that undergo
frequent change and by ensuring that the entire system is updated and
refreshed on a periodic basis. This will enable the establishment of a
firm analytical footing for measuring progress in the future..
The success in improving the regulatory development process will be
visible through the number of stakeholders participating in the
development of Agency rulemaking through a variety of consensus-based
forums (i.e., negotiated rulemakings and public advisory committees).
Success in outreach to small business will be measured by identifying the
number of these entities participating in regulatory development, using
compliance guides, and requesting information and clarification of Agency
rules, through the Small Business Ombudsman Homepage. Verification of
CEIS performance will be determined by the integration of multi-media
information and the quality of products available. Surveys will measure
the user satisfaction with these activities.
Statutory Authority
Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 7601-7671q)
Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251- 1387)
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
(CERCLA) (42 U.S.C. 9601-9675)
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) section 313 (42
U.S.C. 110001-11050)
Environmental Education Act
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C, App.}
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. 136-
136y)
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552)
Paperwork Reduction Act Amendment of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-13109)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. 6901-6992k)
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) section 1445 (42 U.S.C. 300f-300j-26)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) section 14 (15 U.S.C. 2601-2692)
North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation
VII-17
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Expansion of Americans' Right to Know About Their Environment
Objective #2: improve .Public's Ability to Reduce Exposure
By 2005, EPA will improve the ability of the public to reduce
exposure to specific environmental and human health risks by making
current, accurate substance-specific information widely and easily
accessible.
Overview
The full and active participation of the American public in
environmental priority setting, risk reduction and remediation and both
short and long term environmental planning is an essential part of a
comprehensive national approach to environmental protection. In many
cases, especially those that are focused in a specific geographic
location, informed citizens in their community setting can better assess
the relative severity of environmental risks, the opportunities for
prevention or remediation, and the tradeoffs and uncertainties that
underlie 'many environmental decisions. Communities that have access to
the information and data, which characterize potential risks from
pesticide use and industrial facilities within their boundaries, are in
a position to make effective decisions about their day-to-day activities:.
To be successful in assuring that communities can protect the
environment .for themselves and their families, they need to have rapid
and convenient access to environmental information that is local,
relevant, and comprehensive. For relevance, the Agency must identify the
customers' information needs and tailor the data collection, presentation
and dissemination accordingly. For comprehensiveness, a goal for EPA is
to continue to identify information gaps that reduce the ability of the
public to make sound environmental decisions. Gaps could be associated
with specific pesticides and chemicals; drinking water contaminants;
specific industrial sectors or specific data elements and reference
sources.
The Consumer Labeling Initiative (CLI) is an ongoing voluntary
partnership with representatives of the cleaning products and pesticides
industries, key federal agencies, public interest groups and other
organizations. EPA and its partners make labels easier to read and more
useful to consumers. The Pesticide Consumer Brochure will inform the
public of risks and benefits from using pesticides on food, particularly
risks to children, and tips to reduce exposure. The brochure will be
available in the local grocery stores by August 1998.
The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act also emphasizes
the importance of providing better information to consumers on the quality
and safety of their drinking water. Under this statute, EPA is required
to promulgate a regulation on the issuance of annual right-to-know reports
to all customers of public water systems. These consumer confidence
reports, which will be published by public water systems, must contain
information on the source of the water system's supply, the level of
VII-18
-------
detected contaminants, data on the health effects of contaminants found
above the drinking water standard, as well as information on unregulated
contaminants in the water supply. Furthermore, EPA is required to have
a Safe Drinking Water Hotline to provide consumers with more information
on drinking water contaminants and potential health effects, especially
in emergency situations.
Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act
(EPCRA), EPA has provided the public with valuable chemical release data
through the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). This data can be used as a
pollution prevention measure and a risk reduction tool. EPA can also
incorporate this information into enforcement case settlement, and local
authorities can prepare more effective emergency response plans, training
programs and notification procedures to protect human health and the
environment.
EPA has recently expanded TRI by adding seven new industry sectors
and by nearly doubling the number of reportable chemicals. The goal of
these actions is to provide an expanded picture of industrial releases and
transfers so the public is more informed about potential risks-.
EPA is aggressively seeking to .integrate all relevant sources of
data and information to support comprehensive approaches to environmental
protection that include community-based environmental protection (CBEP)
and ecosystem protection on a facility and location specific basis. This
information is to be coordinated and integrated across the Agency to
provide comprehensive views of environmental data based on increased
availability and accuracy of locational and spatial data, the
establishment of the central structure required to support data standards
and a registry of environmental-data.
EPA is working toward streamlining the operations for data
reporting, integration, processing, and dissemination by taking advantage
of advanced information technologies and other nonelectronic means so that
quality data are provided in a timely manner. EPA's Internet site and
data warehouse, Envirofacts, -have begun to increase access to an ever
broader user community.
EPA will inspect and take enforcement actions against those in the
regulated community who are not in compliance with the nation's TRI
reporting requirements. EPA is targeting inspections and enforcement
actions against companies with data quality'.and data reporting violations,
focusing on those chemicals which present the highest risks. The Agency
is also conducting compliance inspections to identify companies that have
failed to report releases.
Providing information and data is just one component of an effective
strategy to expand the public's right-to-know about their environment. EPA
will assure that training and education materials and programs keep pace
with the information and data that the Agency provides to the public.
Communities will be given not only data .but the tools, training, and
assistance to use that data in a way that "helps every citizen make
informed environmental decisions. For example, EPA is developing a
catalogue of tools, resources, and programs that relate to its extensive
base of information on the characteristics and effects of pesticides and
industrial chemicals. These "tools" include databases, access to
information hot lines, and descriptions of programs and initiatives that
may affect local environments. The catalogue will be available in at
least two formats: a printed manual and as a resource on the Internet.
VII-19
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These formats will be linked to other EPA information sites. EPA has
data-gathering authorities available in its statutes — the Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and EPCRA, among others — and the catalogue can
make the public aware of the data and its availability. Along with
information' on data, the catalogue will describe analytical tools,
technical guidelines, and program information that can assist communities
in learning about potential risks, which can, in turn, iielp them impxove
the local environment.
EPA will support and encourage the interdisciplinary environmental
education programs of state and local governments, schools and
universities, and nonprofit organizations through grants, teacher
training, internships, and national recognition of outstanding efforts and
model programs. EPA will build stronger partnerships with other
governmental organizations and.with the private sector to improve public
understanding of the role of science in environmental decision-making.
The successful implementation of the TRI program, building on the
concept of right-to-know, has greatly expanded the availability of
chemical release information to the public. The program has encouraged
citizens and communities to become active participants in environmental
decision-making. Besides the national data collection and dissemination,
EPA will emphasize the application of TRI data for local environmental
situations. For example, EPA is currently implementing a pilot in
Baltimore, where TRI data are used in conjunction with other EPA, state,,
and local information, to establish priorities among the multitude of
environmental challenges the community faces. Factors .such as volume of
local releases of specific chemicals and location of such releases
(proximity to schools, etc.) play a significant ro.le in the discussions
among the community's stakeholders. EPA will conduct surveys among users
including the EPA Regional Offices, states, industry, environmental
groups, community decision-makers, and the general public to evaluate
whether EPA is meeting their information needs and how they are using the
data. In communities, the national Environmental .Monitoring for Public
Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) initiative will drastically change
the focus for EPA in disseminating information. It sets a framework for
EPA to assess community usage of TRI information and at the same time,
speeds up the process for the Agency to gather community needs on other
chemical-specific information. EPA will help communities identify the
needed information currently not available within the Agency and devise
methods to collect the data at the community level. EPA will incorporate
other chemical data and health effects information into the TRI Public
Data Release reports and through the Web Envirofacts Warehouse database.
EPA will take additional steps to expand the scope and depth of
information available from TRI.. Examples .include .initiatives to review
chemicals based on risk that presently are not on the TRI list, to assess
the need to include additional industrial sectors and to evaluate the need
for more in-depth chemical use data. Specifically, in 1999, EPA will
promulgate a rule lowering the reporting threshold for certain chemicals,
such as persistent bioaceumulative toxics (PBTs), to assure that the
public has information on chemicals that may be highly toxic but are
manufactured, processed, or used in lower volumes. These refinements to
TRI will assure the public has more comprehensive information.
A key component of improving public access is the consolidation of
information provided to EPA under a variety of statutory and regulatory
authorities. EPA's one-stop access Envirofacts Warehouse and one-stop
VII-20
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reporting initiative strives to fashion an unambiguous way to identify
facilities; to consolidate EPA information collection on environmental
uses and releases, transfers, and emissions; and to otherwise re-engineer
reporting. For example, under the Enforcement and Compliance Information
(ECI) initiative, EPA will re-engineer its multimedia compliance and
enforcement data to increase public access and understanding and enhanced
data quality. EPA will ensure that enforcement and compliance data is
consistent across the Agency and that the public is able to .link such data
to demographic risk information. EPA will construct a warehouse of key
enforcement and compliance data with consistent, user friendly interfaces.
EPA will build partnerships with state, tribal, and local
governments and nongovernmental organizations to ensure that environmental
information is widely available <. EPA will upgrade the electronic
distribution of environmental information by significantly expanding the
type and amount of information on the Internet, and by providing easy
access to data.
In 1999, EPA will issue the TRI Public Data Release for 1997,
process 110,000 TRI Form R's, and finalize the PBT rule to add more
chemicals to the TRI and lower the thresholds for reporting PBTs.
EPA will work to improve the public's access and use of TRI and
other information. EPA will have completed documents which the public can
use to understand the TRI data and how that data may affect them. EPA
also will work to improve Internet access, including identifying
opportunities to improve the user-friendliness of the on-line TRI data.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through
legal counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in
the development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of
defensive litigation.
Objective Toy Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud.
Obj. 02 Iitprove Public's $51,493.5 $47,120.6 $51,875.5
Ability to Reduce Exposure
Environmental Program & $51,493.5 $47,120.6 $51,875.5
Management
Total FTE: 247.2 244.7 255.1
1999Annual Performance Goals
• Process 110,000 facility chemical release reports, publish the TRI
Data Release Report and provide improved information to the public
about TRI chemicals, enhancing community right to know and
efficiently -processing information from industry.
VII-21
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• Increase compliance with right to know reporting requirements by
conducting 1,300 inspections and undertaking 200 enforcement
actions.
• Continue to improve the public's ability to reduce exposure to
specific environmental and public health risks by improving public
accessibility to current and accurate information on pesticide
related issues.
• Continue to inform the public about the health and environmental
risks of PBTs and PBT releases in their communities.
• Have 1 million locational values (an increase of 500,000 from 1998)
of known documentation in the location'al database with the
Envirofacts Warehouse.
• Develop, document and communicate key data standards using an
Environmental Data Registry.
• Continue to provide outreach to inspect and use appropriate
enforcement tools to increase compliance with the chemical hazardous
inventory and accident release notification requirements under EPCRA
and CERCLA.
• 3,300 large and very large community water systems (serving 77% of
the 240 million Americans who receive water from these systems) will
issue annual consumer confidence reports.
EPA activities related to TRI focus on how to increase the public's
access to and use of the data. Documents which help the public understand
TRI, and steps to facilitate access to the data also are integral to the
goal of right-to-know. Expanding TRI, whether through lower thresholds,
new chemicals or new industry sectors, will provide more comprehensive
information to the public.
EPA will continue to work on the base TRI program, processing forms,
and providing the data to the public. This basic work provides an
important foundation for the public's ability to understand and reduce
risks in their communities. EPA will perform inspections and take
enforcement actions against those in the regulated community who are not
in compliance with the nations TRI reporting requirements. EPA will
propose expanding the information available to the public on PBTs, and
will monitor the usefulness of materials provided to the public. While
EPA has accomplished much in the area of right-to-know, we believe it is
important to have a clearer understanding of what types of information are
most useful and what manner of presentation is most effective.
EPA will provide consumers of public water supplies their first
annual confidence report by September 1999. These reports will contain
information on the source of the drinking water, information on the
quality of that source, .information on any detected contaminants in the
drinking water, and a plain language explanation of the health effects of
these contaminants. Customers will be able to find out information on the
occurrence of contaminants, as EPA's National Occurrence Database and part
of the Envirofacts Warehouse becomes operational by August 1999. states
will be conducting source water assessments of drinking water supplies,
the results of which will be available to the public.
VII-22
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1998 Annual Performance Goals
• Provide improved information to the public about TRI chemicals,
enhancing community right to know and efficiently processing
information from industry.
• Improve the public's ability to reduce exposure to specific
environmental and public .health risks by improving public
accessibility to current and accurate information on pesticide
related issues.
• Inform the public about the health and environmental risks of PBTs
and PB.T releases in their communities..
« Have 500,000 locational values of known documentation in the
locational database in the Envirofacts Warehouse.
• Provide outreach to inspect and use appropriate enforcement tools to
increase compliance with the chemical hazardous inventory and
accident release notification requirements under EPCRA and CERCLA.
« Propose a regulation and promulgate a final rule for drinking water
consumer confidence reports.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted.
(Dollars In Thousands)
__ Dollars ^ FT33 '
02 Obj. Total Change $4,754.9 10.4
Environmental Program &. Management $4,754.9 10.4
• (+$4,000,000 EPM) for *the Environmental Monitoring for Public
Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) initiative.
• (+$488,900 EPM) An investment in the ECI activity under the ESC for
IRM.
• (+$106,000 EPM) to assist public water systems in issuing consumer
confidence reports.
Key Performance 1998 1999
Measures
Public Data Release 1996 Report 1997 Report
available via the
internet and CD ROM
Form R's processed 110,000 110,000
VII-23
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PBT rule to add more
chemicals and lower the
threshold for reporting
PBTs
Update, Publish and
distribute to grocers,
the annual consumer
brochure on the health
effects of pesticides.
•Section 313 Inspections
EPCRA Civil Referrals
EPCRA APO Complaints
EPCRA Compl. Orders
Other EPCRA Inspections
Availability of
proposed rule and final
regulation for drinking
water confidence
reports
Community water systems
that will comply with
the regulation to
publish consumer
confidence reports
Locational values with
known accuracy
Complete the design of
ECI
.Implement key data
standards using EDR
Locational values
within the 25 meter
goal
Proposed
Finalized
600
10
2.00
3
700
1 Rule
600
10
200
3
700
3,300 Lg. CWS
1,000,000
100%
100%
50,000
Conclusion
EPA is committed to providing understandable, accessible, and
complete information on chemical risks to the broadest audience possible,
EPA believes that an informed public is better able to make responsible
decisions about protecting itself and the environment. By providing the
public with the necessary information, the greatest environmental benefit
will be achieved at the least cost and without resorting to expensive
control regulations.
The President and Administrator have made commitments through a
variety of initiatives to give the public access to the information and
VII-24
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education necessary to develop an understanding of, and make knowledgeable
decisions about their environment. Information disseminated to the public
may be used by individuals or local groups to make choices that could help
reduce environmental risks for themselves and their communities. By -using
EPA information, individuals would be better prepared to identify
opportunities to prevent pollution and minimize environmental releases,
and to identify potential exposures and the means needed to reduce or
avoid them.
The accomplishments in 1999 will move EPA further toward providing
the necessary comprehensive chemical risk information to the public by
improving and increasing education opportunities, identifying customer
information needs, increasing environmental information, :and improving
access to information. Under EPCRA, the Agency will focus on providing
compliance assistance to facilities using, manufacturing, or processing
potentially harmful chemicals. EPA will focus on newly regulated
facilities, monitoring the compliance of regulated facilities 'with both
community right-to-know and emergency planning requirements, and using
appropriate enforcement tools to promote increased compliance with EPCRA
requirements. Through consumer confidence reports, public water .systems
will provide important information on the source of their water system's
supply, the level of detected contaminants, information on the health
effects of contaminants found above standard, and information on
unregulated contaminants. Each of these efforts will -contribute to the
ability of the public to reduce exposure to specific environmental and
public health risks by providing information and tools necessary to make
informed decisions about environmental and health risk priorities.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Verification and validation continue to be important parts of the
right-to-know program. Verification procedures are built into the data
entry process both at the facility level and when the data are entered
into the national database. Procedures internal to the reporting form
check whether data entered are internally consistent. If this is not the
case, an error message is generated. Once data are entered into the
national database, data are compared to those previously submitted by a
facility to determine whether large increases or decreases at the largest
TRI facilities have occurred. In cases where there .are large changes
relative to previous reports submitted, facilities are called by staff
engineers to verify the .information.
Verification of progress for the .right-to-know programs will include
the development of pesticide info.rmation, dissemination of such
information, the appearance on the Internet of pesticide-specific risk
information, and development of maintenance tools and quality standards
for all Internet-resident pesticide data.
TRI, the right-to-know program, generates data so that individuals
will be informed about what occurs in their communities. Data collected
and disseminated as part of TRI has been assembled and used by a wide
variety of parties, including other Federal agencies, state and local
governments, environmental, labor and community groups, and academics.
In order to facilitate appropriate usage of the data, EPA publishes
various analyses as part of the annual data release.
The Agency is enhancing the quality and presentation of enforcement
and compliance assurance data on the Agency's Envirofacts "Warehouse
VII-25
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Database which is located on the World Wide Web. EPA is providing core
enforcement program data •* along with enhanced report .capabilities - to
assure greater access by the public.
EPA will be developing and implementing detailed system specific
Quality Management Plans for all systems we directly manage. These plans
will include development of Data Quality Objectives (establishing
measurable criteria for data quality); Quality Assurance Project Plans
(determine how QA activities will be implemented through the system life
cycle), and standard Operating Procedures (to provide a consistent and
routine process for assessing data quality measurements) .
Central to the ECI project is the development and adoption of data
standards for compliance and enforcement information. The ECI plan
includes developing and formalizing these data definitions through the EDR
and making these standards available to encourage widespread adoption.
EPA's Enforcement and Compliance Information Initiative will re-
engineer the Agency's multimedia compliance and enforcement data to
increase public access and understanding and enhanced data quality to
support EPA's mission. EPA will ensure that data is consistent across the
Agency and give the public comprehensive compliance and enforcement data
linked to demographic and risk information. EPA will construct a
warehouse of key enforcement and compliance data with .consistent, user-
friendly interfaces.
Each of the key measures is verifiable through "quantitative means..
The measures are output oriented and actual outputs or products will be
counted or verified.
.Performance data regarding preparation of consumer confidence
reports will be provided to EPA by the states through existing national
databases or other means. States will collect the data from public water
systems and will have chief responsibility for validating the information,
Statutory Authority
Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
Toxic Substances Control Act
Safe Drinking Water Act
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-.Know Act
Pollution Prevention Act
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
VII-26
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Expansion of Americans' Right to Know About Their Environment
Objective #3: Enhance Ability to Protect Public Health
By 2005, EPA will meet or exceed the Agency's customer service
standards in providing sound environmental information to federal, state,
local-, and tribal partners to enhance their ability to protect human
health and the environment.
Overview
The President's Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and
Community Tracking (EMPACT) initiative - is a cross-agency program
established to work with communities to improve their capabilities and
capacity to provide the public with timely information regarding local
environmental conditions. This new program, beginning in FY 1998, will
provide near"~real-time measurement, reporting and access to selected
communities throughout the nation. EMPACT will provide at least 75 U.S.
largest metropolitan areas with access to information regarding conditions
in their local environment and relevant tools and guidance to interpret
and evaluate potential impacts and risks. EPA will play a major role in
two related research and development activities pivotal to the success of
EMPACT: (1) development of approaches to integrate monitoring measurement
technologies with effective data management and communications solutions,
and (.2) research to .facilitate effective communication to the public
regarding environmental risk.
Another effort under this objective is the integrated Risk
Information System (IRIS), with a request of $2,724,500, that supports
EPA's community-based environmental research. IRIS is an EPA database
of Agency consensus health information -on environmental contaminants which
is used extensively by EPA pro.gram offices and Regions where consistent,
reliable toxicity information is needed for credible risk assessments.
Each of the 535 IRIS "files" contains chemical-specific information
on cancer and noncancer health effects. Each IRIS file summarizes a more
detailed health assessment or support document. IRIS is heavily used for
risk assessments and other health evaluations across the Agency. The most
frequent users are Regional and state risk assessors, but use has grown
to include all levels of -government, as well as the public and private
sectors, both nationally and internationally.
Also under this objective, guidance and support will be provided to
risk assessors through the provision of ris.k assessment guidelines, expert
consultation and support, and risk assessment training. Included in this
effort is support for the Agency's Risk Assessment Forum. The Forum is
a standing committee of senior EPA scientists which was established to
promote Agency-wide consensus on difficult and controversial risk
assessment is'sues and to ensure that this consensus is incorporated into
appropriate Agency risk assessment guidance.
VII-27
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Improvements in health and environmental risk assessment have little
or no benefit without an ability to communicate such information to the %'
public. Few states have environmental risk assessment capability, and • •
most are solely dependent on the U.S. EPA in this regard. ' Stakeholders,
including the public at large, have a right to know the results of Federal
environmental research and assessments, since such information can have
enormous impacts on their lives and well being. It is necessary to
provide the public with .adequate access to timely and credible risk
assessment information. Therefore, EPA research in this area will:
• Apply new and upgraded technology that will incorporate a
systematic approach to automated sampling, real-time analysis and
communication of environmental data.
• Provide timely, reliable and consistent environmental information
in a meaningful format that is easily accessible by the public.
The Agency includes comparative risk projects to advance the goal
of providing more information about the environment. It enhances the
ability of stakeholders to articulate risks, determine priorities, and
develop environmental management systems that balance flexibility and
accountability. Comparative risk projects support risk characterization
and development of risk management strategies for environmental challenges
facing states, communities, and tribes. Use of comparative risk is
critical as the Agency continues to implement the National Environmental
Performance Partnership Systems (NEPPS), Community Based Environmental
Protection (CBEP), and its government-to-government trust responsibility
with Federally recognized tribes. Agency expertise in the area of
comparative risk, indicators, statistics and consensus building will help
communities use environmental information in making choices about their \
environment. Comparative risk projects assist state, local and tribal )
governments in putting together environmental and cultural information in
a-way that helps build environmental programs and address the needs and
priorities of these governments.
In 1998, the Office of the Administrator underwent a reorganization.
As a part of the reorganization, functions from the old Office of
Congressional and Legislative Affairs and the state and local relations
functions from the old Office of Regional Operations and State/Local
Relations were joined to create the new office .of Congressional and
Intergovernmental Relations (OCIR). In 1999, OCIR and its regional
counterparts, with a request of $6,963,500, respond to congressional
requests for information, written and oral testimony, briefings, and
briefing materials. It ensures that Congress receives the information
needed to -make decisions on environmental and public health issues. In
addition to working with Congress, OCIR works closely with the Agency's
program offices to keep them informed of current activities that affect
their particular subject areas. OCIR develops legislative strategies on
behalf of the program offices and coordinates Agency appearances before
congressional committees, as well as responses to congressional
transcripts and questions and answers.
OCIR also responds to local government and national associations'
requests for information, issue resolution, .and/or assistance. It ensures
that these groups receive the information needed to make decisions on
environmental and public health issues, and have an appropriate level EPA
person available to participate in meetings or assemblies. OCIR works
closely with the Agency's program offices to keep them informed of current
activities at the local level and of any policies the local governments
VII-28
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and national .associations may be advocating that affect a particular
program office's subject area. Support is also provided to the Local
Government Advisory Committee and the Small Town Advisory Subcommittee.
OCIR provides regular, timely communication by preparing the
Agency's leadership to effectively address 'priority issues and develop
appropriate responses. It designs and manages meetings and conference
calls for .Regional -managers, and works with states and state associations
to ensure that state concerns are considered in Agency policies, guidance,
and regulations. OCIR will implement policies, .rules and procedures that
will enhance the execution of NEPPS, PPAs, and PPGs. Additionally, OCIR
functions as the lead for negotiating with state issues relating to the
National Environmental Performance' Partnership System (NEPPS).
The Agency' s Office of Small and pisadvantaged Business Utilization
(OSDBU), with a request of $2,149,400, provides technical assistance to
both Headquarters and Regional program office personnel to ensure- that
small, minority and women-owned businesses receive a "fair share" of
Agency procurement dollars. This "fair share" may be received either
directly or .indirectly through EPA grants, contracts, cooperative
agreements, or interagency agreements. Pursuant to P.L. No. 102-389, the
Agency has a national goal of 8% utilization of minority and women-owned
businesses in the total value of prime contracts and subcontracts awarded*
This activity enhances the ability of small/ minority and women-owned
businesses to participate in the Agency's objective to protect public
health.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Fres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 03 Enhance Ability to
Protect Public Health
« Environmental Program &
Management
Science and Technology
'Hazardous Substance
Superfund
Total FTE
$28,990.7
$12,008.2
$21,048.8
$11,650.8
$31,868.6
$12,834.5
$16,716,4 $9,133.7 $18,648..3
$266,1 $264.3 $385.8
141.7
145.9
153.3
The following Annual Performance Goals will contribute to the
achievement of the ends listed .above, ultimately leading to accomplishment
of the long-term objective.
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• By 1999, EPA will complete 5-7 monitoring pilot projects in EMPACT
cities, implement timely and high quality environmental monitoring
technology in 5-7 EMPACT cities.
VII-29
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• By 2000, develop monitoring technologies and tools to interpret
environmental data, and risk communication methods to provide time
relevant environmental information to the public under EMPACT.
• Publish Guidelines for Carcinogenic Risk Assessment, Neurotoxicity
Risk Assessment, and a technical report on the health - risk
assessment of chemical mixtures.
• Add or update 28 summaries of the potential adverse health effects
of specific chemical substances to the Integrated Ris.k Information
System.
• Develop documents and "workshops 'to transfer what has been learned
from completed comparative risk projects to EPA Regions and
communities.
• Respond to congressional requests for information.
• Identify measure of success for the PPG program.
• Pursue the Agency's 8% minority/disadvantaged business utilization
goal.
• Negotiate annual Performance Partnership .core performance measures
agreement with states.
The EMPACT program will evaluate and modify existing risk assessment
tools for use by local stakeholders, and deliver these tools into the
hands of the users. Data necessary for accurate and timely risk
assessments will also be delivered. Thus, EMPACT will enhance the
capability of local stakeholders to perform risk assessments. In
addition, EMPACT will: 1) evaluate the efficiency and cost-effectiveness
of various systematic approaches to delivering environmental information
to the public; and 2} evaluate, modify, and deliver risk assessment and
characterization tools to the public in readily usable formats..
Existing, new, and improved measurement, monitoring, and
communication solutions will play an important role in the EMPACT program.
EPA will support the program through participation in the comparative
analysis that will be conducted as part of the EMPACT program. The
program will determine and demonstrate the efficiency and cost-
effectiveness of chosen measurement, monitoring, and communication and
delivery technologies.
In addition to the important functions listed above, EMPACT research
will support the program to:
• Develop state-of-the-art techniques for viewing environmental
information and evaluate their utility for communicating information
to a range of customers including the scientific community,
regulators, and the public;
• Develop evaluation and assessment methods to convey time-relevant
critical information to the public about their environment;
• Develop time 'relevant communication methods that will explain to the
public what the specific environmental information means;
VII-3-0
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• Develop mechanisms to deliver information in a timely and easily
accessible format (e.g., through the Internet, over radio and
television, in the newspaper, etc,);
• Develop and validate time relevant multi-media, integrated models
for predicting environmental effects; and
• Support the work of the Agency through legal counseling and,
advocacy.
The human health effects information in IRIS is widely used for risk
assessments and other health evaluations at all levels of government, as
well as in the public and private sectors. Up to date and credible health
effects information is critical for credible ris'k assessments. As more
risk-based decision-making takes place at the state and local levels,
access to credible health effects information is essential, but difficult
for individuals to find or generate. Risk assessors everywhere look to
EPA to provide this information.
IRIS values represent Agency consensus positions on health effects
of hundreds of environmental contaminants and, as such, are used
throughout the Agency as the scientific basis for addressing various
mandates, including the establishment of air and drinking water standards
and thresholds for waste site investigation and remediation. EPA made
IRIS more easily and widely accessible via EPA's home page on the World
Wide Web in March, 1997, This greatly improved accessibility and
empowerment to users at the state and local levels.
The 1999 investment will focus on:
• Producing, updating, and maintaining health assessments on IRIS;
• ' Ensuring appropriate external peer review of IRIS summaries and
support documents;
• Facilitating Agency consensus and resolving issues in a timely
manner;
• Maintaining a widely-accessible Internet version of IRIS, available
at the local level to support community-based environmental
protection and;
• Active outreach and communication with users.
These efforts will assure that this widely 'used, highly visible
Agency product will be adequately maintained and will serve its customers
with the most up-to-date information available.
The Agency' s Risk Assessment Forum will develop a number of products
to assist risk assessors, including risk assessment guidelines, technical
panel reports on special risk assessment issues, and peer consultation and
peer review workshops addressing controversial risk assessment topics.
The Forum focuses on generic issues fundamental to the risk assessment
process and related science policy issues. In 1.999, the Forum will focus
activities on completion of risk assessment guidelines on carcinogenic
risk, neurotoxicity risk, and chemical mixtures.
Technical assistance on comparative risk, environmental planning,
environmental indicators and statistics, and consensus building will be
VII-31
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made available to states, local governments, and tribes., enhancing their
ability to use environmental information as they make decisions that
affect the environment. Comparative risk projects will be completed in
several states, local communities and tribes and .new projects will be
initiated. A pilot project will be underway to demonstrate how issues
management can be used to help communities look .at the long-term economic
and environmental impacts of various community decisions.
Development of documents and workshops will begin to transfer what
has been learned from completed comparative risk projects to EPA Regions
and communities. Transfer of tools is crucial to results-based planning
and evaluation, an important objective of the Agency, particularly as
articulated in GPRA, NEPPS and CBEP.
In 1999, the Agency will continue providing information to Congress
in a timely and efficient manner. OCIR will be the Agency's day-to-day
liaison with Congress and exceed the Agency's customer service standards
in responding to congressional requests. Additionally, OCIR will support
legislative activities within the Agency for several environmental
statutes that are ripe for congressional reauthorization. These
activities will assist Congress in making good decisions to protect human
health and the environment for all Americans.
In .1999, -the Agency will manage five Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA) meetings for the Local Government Advisory Committee and its Small
Town Subcommittee, In addition, it will design and manage quarterly
meetings of the Agency's ten Regional Administrators.
The Agency will enhance QSDBU's outreach to communicate with, and
educate, its customers. An increase in customer knowledge, education, and
satisfaction will result in greater use of small, minority, and women-
owned businesses in prime contracts, subcontracts, and grants awarded by
the Agency. In 1999, the Agency proposes an increase in its efforts in
this area. As a result, this segment of the population will be better
able to participate in the Agency's objective to protect public health.
1998 AnnualPerformance Goals
• Conduct a pilot project to demonstrate how environmental management
can be used to help communities look at the long-term economic and
environmental impacts of various decisions.
• Respond to Congressional requests for information.
• Develop measure of success for the PPG program.
• Pursue the Agency's 8% minority/disadvantaged business utilization
goal.
• Negotiate annual Performance Partnership core performance .measures
agreement with states.
VII-32
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
03 Obj. Total Change $10,819.8 7.4
Environmental Program & Management $1,183.7 3.0
Science and Technology $9,514.6 3.2
Hazardous Substance Superfund $121.5 1.2
(+$1,307,200 S&T and 4.0 workyears, $1,000,000 EPM, and $94,000 SF
and 1.0 workyears) The investment in IRIS will significantly
upgrade the content of the IRIS data base, improve , its
accessibility, and provide better outreach to users. It includes
an integrated program of developing and updating health
assessments-, facilitating a strong program of peer review and
internal consensus review, and making the Agency's consensus health
information available to communities and other stakeholders in
environmental health protection.
(+$8,326,100 EPM) The increased investment in EMPACT will advance
research to improve the capabilities of selected environmental
models to incorporate real-time data streams, to run in real time
and to provide visualization capabilities that are al.so updated in
real time. The increased investment will als.o support the
development of risk communication methods that are linked to the
models and can provide communities with relevant and timely
information.
(+$800,000 EPM and 3.0 total workyears) An increase for the Office
of Small and Disadvantaged business Utilization will enhance the
delivery of service to small, minority and women-owned businesses.
The additional resources will provide contractor assistance to the
Regions in performing audits and various socio-economic studies to
assist them in meeting the changes in the Agency's guidance
document.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Comparative risk projects 17 projects 21 projects
cumulative cumulative
Respond to Congressional 100 percent 100 percent
Inquiries
PPG report or program 1 report 1 measure
Add or update to IRIS 28 28 Assessments
summaries of the potential
adverse health effects of
specific chemical substances,'
VII-33
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Add/update the following
assessments to IRIS: Arsenic,
Bentazon, Beryllium, Chlordane,
Methyl Methacry1 ate,
Diphenylmenthane Dissocyanate,
Napthalene, Vinyl Chloride.
Award 2-10 Internal EPA projects
t o develop monitoring
technologies, data
interpretation tools, and risk
communication methods in support
of EMPACT.
Award 5-7 grants to EMPACT
cities to implement timely and
high quality environmental
monitoring technologies.
Revision of guidelines for
carcinogen risk assessment,
neurotoxicity risk assessment,
and technical report on health
risk assessment on chemical
mixtures.
8 assessments
2-10 grants
annually
2-10 grants
annually
5-7 grants
12-16 grants
2 guidelines
1 tech report
Conclusion
The Agency's long-term objective is to meet or exceed its customer
service standards by the Year 2000 in providing sound environmental
information to the American public. Information provided by the Agency
may enhance the public's ability to protect human health and the
environment.
Through the EMPACT program, EPA will apply new and upgraded
technology that will incorporate a systematic approach to automated
sampling, real-time analysis and communication of environmental data.
Research in this area will provide timely, reliable and consistent
environmental information in a meaningful fo.rraat that can be easily
accessed by the public. EPA will coordinate the development of approaches
to integrate monitoring measurement technologies with effective data
management and communications solutions, and facilitate effective
communications with the public regarding environmental risk. A
fundamental concept underlying the EMPACT program is the building of
partnerships with local communities. EPA will coordinate efforts across
Federal agencies and work closely with local stakeholders in determining
what environmental data and tools are needed-
The 28 new revised IRIS health assessments per year will result in
significant improvements to risk assessments, because the currency and
reliability of IRIS health effects information is critical for credible
risk assessments at all levels of government, as -well as in the public and
private sectors. Further, the Agency will have a stronger scientific
basis for -addressing various mandates, including the establishment of air
and drinking water standards and thresholds for waste site investigation
and remediation. Finally, IRIS users will have easier access to more
health effects information via an .expanded delivery system.
VII-34
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EPA will complete the development of important risk assessment
guidelines for use by risk assessors in the program offices and the
regions as well as the general public. This will include risk assessment
guidelines on carcinogenic risk, neurotoxicity risk, and a technical
report on the health assessment of chemical mixtures.
Risk ranking is used as the key component in setting the Agency's
environmental agenda. This has proven to be a valuable tool in these
times of limited resources. In some states, comparative risk has been
instrumental in developing consensus around environmental legislation and
environmental strategic plans. The comparative risk tool, as well as
indicators, will help states and EPA set environmental performance
measures and, thereby, help meet' 'the objective to provide sound
environmental information to our state, local and tribal partners,
enhancing their ability to protect the environment. EPA focuses on
environmental risk assessment and comparative risk as a planning and
priority setting tool. Risk is used to determine the importance of art
environmental problem and set environmental priorities. All EPA Regional
offices have completed comparative risk projects or assessed risks in
their Regions relative to one another. Most state, local and tribal
governments currently are not able to fully use the tools of comparative
risk, environmental indicators and statistics, and consensus building in
their environmental planning, A comparative risk project involves
gathering available information on a broad range of environmental problems
facing the state, local or tribal government, and developing methods for
characterizing and analyzing human health, ecology, and quality of life
risks associated with each problem area.. The next step constructs a public
involvement process which includes diverse representation of government,
special interests, and the general public.
The Local Government Advisory Committee and its Small Town
Subcommittee meetings will serve to empower local governments and the
Regions with information to make decisions regarding local environmental
issues. EPA will set up and manage five FACA meetings. Liaison among the
Regional Administrators will be facilitated via quarterly meetings, as
well as frequent conference calls and other meetings for Regional
managers.
The Agency has been very successful in providing information to its
congressional constituents. However, we have been less successful in
providing infojnriation to others, such as small, minority and women-owned
businesses. During the next two years, the Agency will place an increased
emphasis on improving services to these segments of the population so they
will be in a better position to become active participants in the Agency's
efforts to protect human health and the environment.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Performance will be judged by the number of comparative risk
projects completed and the number of environmental actions taken by state,
local and tribal governments as a result of EPA's assistance.
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance
measures in the area of environmental science and research. The Agency
has implemented a risk-based research planning process to use risk
assessment and risk management as principal priority-setting criteria.
EPA conducts annual research program reviews to both evaluate the status
and accomplishments of its research and determine planning priorities:.
VII -3.5
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To better draw upon the expertise of the environmental academic community,
EPA created the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program of peer-
reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants; the Agency is also working
with the National Research Council to identify emerging environmental
issues for which we must begin planning the necessary research,
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is
a rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator stated that peer review will be expanded "to include both
the iflajor work products provided in the past and...all scientific and
technical products supporting Agency decisions" This expanded and
strengthened focus on peer review will help ensure that the performance
measures listed here are verified and validated by external organizations.
The Agency utilizes peer review throughout the research planning and
implementation process, both -to ensure that planned research addresses
critical knowledge issues within EPA's mission, and to assess the quality
of scientific research plans, products, and proposals. This is
accomplished through the use of independent entities such as the Science
Advisory Board (SAB)and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC). The
BQSC, established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even
examine the way the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of
its research and development laboratories.
EPA's external research program undergoes extensive peer review.
Proposals from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and
projects are then selected for funding through grants or cooperative
agreements. In addition, Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR
program are often developed jointly with outside partners such as the
National Science Foundation. 'In this way, EPA has developed a mechanism
by which to check the quality and relevance of its research program.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System
(OMIS) will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate
performance measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be
incorporated into OMIS to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting,
resulting in greater accuracy and consistency of information to users.
Statutory Authority
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sections 3007, 3013, and
7003 (42 U.S.C. 6927, 6934, 6973)
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
sections 104 and 106 (42 U.S.C. 6904 and 6906)
TSCA .section 14 (915 U.S.C. 2613)
CWA section 308 (33 U.S.C. 1318)
SDWA section 1445 (42 U.S.C. 300J-4)
EPCRA sections 313, 325, and 326 (42 U.S.C. 11023, 11045, 11046)
PPA (42 U.S.C. 13101-13109)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act sections 3 and 10 (7
U.S.C. 136a and 136h)
VII-36
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FOIA (5 U.S.C. 552)
Federal Advisory Committee Act
VII-37
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Goal 8: Sound Science
-------
Goal 8: Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risks,
and Greater Innovation to Address Environmental Problems VIII-1
Research for Ecosystem Assessment arid Restoration. . VIII-6
Research for Human Health Risk Assessment VIII-20
Research to Detect Emerging Risk Issues VIII-.32
Pollution Prevention and New Technology for Environmental
Protection VIII-44
Enable Research on Innovative Approaches to Current and
Future Environmental Problems VIII-57
Increase Use of Integrated, Holistic, Partnership Approaches . VTII-61
Increase Opportunities for Sector Based Approaches VIII^SB
Regional Enhancement of Ability to Quantify
Environmental Outcomes VIII-.6.9
Science Advisory Board Peer Review VIII-72
Incorporate Innovative Approaches to Environmental
Management VIII-75
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Strategic Goal: An important aspect of the Agency's mission is to ensure a
strong scientific foundation for the process of identifying public health and
environmental issues and the approaches taken to address them. EPA's 1-999
request continues to support this commitment. The programs proposed will allow
EPA to develop and apply the best available science for addressing current and
future environmental hazards, as well as new approaches toward improving
environmental protection.
Goal Summary
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Sound Science, improved
Understanding of Env.
and Greater Innovation to
Address Env. Problems
Obj. 01 Research for Ecosystem
Assessment .and Restoration
Obj. 02 Research for Human
Health .Risk Assessment
Obj. 03
Emerging Risk Issues
Obj . 04 Pollution Prevention
and New Technology
•Obj . 05 Enable Research on
Innovative Approaches to
Current and Future
Environmental Problems
Obj. 06 Increase Use of
Integrated, Holistic,
Partnership Approaches
Obj. 07 Increase Opportunities
for Sector Based Approaches
Obj. 08 Regional Enhancement of
Ability to Quantify
Environmental Outcomes
Obj. 09 Science Advisory Board
Peer Review
$403,644.3 $404,721.2
$85,172.3 $100,712.5
$52,631.1
$6,306.5
$2,418.3
$49,006.9
$56,414.1 $47,744.4
$51,435.0 $69,919.2
$120,875.0 $86,927.7
$18,049.3 $19,.386.3
$10,342.7 -$16,478.4
$5,969.0
$2,415.8
$366,867.6
$85,505.6
$47,618.5
$55,387.0
$46,387.8
$88,745.5
$16,810.5
$11,496.8
$7,99.5.1
$2,586.7
VIII-1
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Obj. 10 Incorporate Innovative
Approaches to Environmental
Management
Goal Total FTE
$0.0
1,384.3
$6,161.0
1,165.0
$4,334.1
1,256.3
Among EPA's highest research priorities is our Assessing Health Risks to
Children research program to expand information on exposure, effects and risk
assessment to address children's risk.. This program will provide the data to
strengthen Agency risk assessments for children, both in the near and long-term.
Two important efforts will produce much of this data, the Children's Health Risk
Centers, and EPA's participation in studies in the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey (NHANES) being conducted by the National Center for Health
Statistics (NCHS).
We will increase our efforts in the Advanced Measurement Initiative (AMI).
The focus of this program is to facilitate the application of technologies to
enhance individual monitoring and measurement technologies, as well as to improve
coordination of .existing monitoring- research and programs such as the mapping of
waste sites, the development of ground water and surface water transport models
and the .characterization of soils and surface water vegetation quality and land
use. AMI will develop working partnerships between technology developers,
environmental policy makers, and environmental managers to ensure that advanced
measurement technologies will meet the needs of EPA, the regulated community, and
the public.
Additionally, we will strengthen our intramural research program through the
allocation of additional workyears to recruit post-doctoral students to work at
EPA laboratories.
The Agency has requested resources to support research within Goal 8, Sound
Science, as well as Goals 1,2,4,5,6 and 7. The research program areas requested
and described under Goal 8 represent research support that cuts across multiple
goals.
The 1999 President's Budget requests $366,867,600 and 1,256.3 workyears for
this goal, a change of -$37,853,600 and +91.3 FTE from 1998.
The resources requested in this goal will enable the Agency to meet a
number of performance goals in 1999. The most significant of these include:
• In 2001, complete and evaluate a multi-tiered ecological monitoring system
for the Mid-Atlantic region and provide select land cover and aquatic
indicators for measuring status and trends.
• In 1999, analyze existing monitoring data for acid deposition and UVB and
implement a multiple site DVB monitoring system for measuring status and
trends.
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In 1999, provide ecological risk assessment case studies for two
watersheds, final guidelines for reporting ecological risk assessment and
ecological risk assessment guidance and support.
By 2008, develop and verify innovative methods and models for assessing
the susceptibilities of populations to environmental agents, aimed at
enhancing risk assessment and management strategies and guidance.
By 1999, a total of 50 Project XL projects will be in development or
implementation, an increase of 15 over 1998.
In 1999, produce first generation exposure models describing .residential
exposure to pesticides.
In 1999, initiate Field Exposure Study of children to two endocrine
disrupter chemicals..
In 1.999, complete and submit external review draft of the Air Quality
Criteria Document for carbon monoxide.
By 1999, improve computational efficiency of fine particulate model by
25%,
HIGHLIGHTS:
EcosystemProtection. Research
The President's Budget requests $85,505,600 and 378 workyears to support
Ecosystems Protection research. The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Program (EMAP) is one of the areas of investment in this objective.
The EMAP Program monitors the condition of the nation's ecological
resources to evaluate the cumulative success of current policies and programs and
to identify emerging problems before they become widespread or irreversible.
Policies and programs that promote, the sustainable use of resources and the
preservation of ecosystem integrity must be based upon our scientific knowledge
of the environment. EMAP seeks to improve the quality of that knowledge and to
fill in any gaps in that knowledge through research in two primary areas:
developing a better understanding of the mechanisms that control ecosystem
structure and function and assessing the role of human actions in altering them;
and, monitoring ecosystem characteristics and the human influences that change
them over time.
Research toImproveHuman Health Risk.Assessment
The President's Budget requests $47,618,500 and 224 workyears to support
Human Health Risk Assessment research. One key focus under this objective is in
the area of Susceptible Subpopulations research.
Research activities are designed and implemented to provide insights into
subpopulations that experience higher than normal exposures or have underlying
biological factors that place them at greater risk. Research on susceptible.
VIII-3
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populations assumes that certain segments of the population may not be afforded
adequate consideration in current risk assessment practices and/or sufficient
protection under ensuing risk management decisions. Efforts associated with this
research activity will evaluate the adequacy of current approaches to identify,
characterize and explain the increased susceptibility of various subpopulations.
This evaluation will subsequently direct the evolution of improved tools and
approaches to assess risk to these populations. A unique dimension of these
efforts will be the incorporation of risk management research as these key
parameters and populations are defined (exposure or biologic) so that appropriate
intervention strategies can be developed and applied in parallel.
Ting Risk Issues
The President's Budget requests $55,387,000" and 185 workyears to support
Emerging Risk Issues research. The Endocrine Disrupters (ED) research program
and the One Atmospheric•research program are two key areas of investment within
this objective.
The ED research program was established in response to growing scientific
concern and public awareness regarding potential effects .of environmental
exposure to chemicals that interact with the endocrine system, causing adverse
reproductive and other health and ecological effects. Research on endocrine
disrupters is being conducted according to priorities described in the Endocrine
Disrupters Research Strategy, which is targeted at addressing the. major
uncertainties in this important area. In 1999, the ED research program will
include integrated toxicology and exposure studies in ecological systems or'human
populations with suspected contamination or exposure to ED chemicals.
In 1999, the One Atmospheric research program is intended to assess and
prevent risks from air pollution present in mixtures, the way people and
ecosystems commonly experience it. EPA's focus will be on understanding the
health and ecological effects associated with exposures to air pollutants in
combination, without emphasis on a particular constituent, as well as the
interplay of source emissions transformation, transport and fate, and the impacts
of multi-pollutant controls to achieve balance in pollution control and avoid
unnecessary costs, EPA will look at multiple scales and at all environments,
thereby, focusing on the fact that all air pollution merges in one atmosphere.
Pollution Prevention and New Technologies
The President's Budget requests $46,387,800 and 188 workyears for pollution
prevention and new technologies. Research on Advanced Measurement Initiative
(AMI) and Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) are among the focus areas
for this objective.
The purpose of AMI is to identify, evaluate, adapt, and apply new and
emerging measurement and monitoring technologies to facilitate effective
environmental risk management. Through AMI,' EPA seeks to meet current
environmental measurement requirements more effectively, to permit the collection
of important environmental data that is not available' using conventional
monitoring methods, and to create opportunities for entirely new and innovative
approaches to environmental measurement needs.
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ETV was created to substantially accelerate the introduction of new
environmental technologies into the domestic and international marketplace. This
will be done by verifying the environmental performance characteristics of
commercial-ready technology through the evaluation of objective and quality
assured data, so that potential purchasers and permitters are provided with an
independent and credible assessment of -what they are buying and permitting. EPA's
ETV research program began with a three to five year pilot phase to test a wide
range of partner and procedural alternatives in various pilot areas, as well as
the true market demand for the response to such a program. In 1999, the ETV
program will -transition from a pilot phase to establishment of the particular
verification areas.
EnableResearch on Innovative Approaches to Current and Future Environmental
Problems
The President's Budget requests $88,745,500 and 97 workyears to Enable
Research on Innovative Approaches to Current and Future Environmental Problems.
Resources requested in this objective provide the support required to
accomplish the science and technology program .at EPA. The effectiveness of the
support provided in this objective is integral to the achievement of numerous
Agency goals, including Goals 1,2,4,5,6,7,and 8. The implementation of a strong
science and engineering program requires necessary infrastructure support,
operating expenses and other operational resources. The staff support activities
include program review, health and safety, resource planning and execution,
administrative and financial contract and grant management, equipment and
facilities maintenance, and automated data processing.
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Request to Congress
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective #1: Research for Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration
By 2008, provide the scientific understanding to measure, model, maintain
and/or restore, at multiple scales, .the integrity and sustainability of highly-
valued ecosystems, now, and in the future,
Overview
Most environmental laws require that EPA not only ensure that the ait is
safe to breathe, water is safe to drink, and food is safe to eat, but also that
it protect the environment. But because of direct and indirect effects of'human
activity, ecosystems that provide valuable renewable resources and services such
as food, fiber, flood control, and cleansing the air, water, and soil are
disappearing or changing in ways that concern us: forest decline, fish kills in
estuaries, reproductive failure of wildlife, deformed amphibians, and the
reappearance of vector-borne epidemic disease.
Because our understanding of the natural environment is still in its
infancy compared to our understanding of human health, opportunities for
significant advancements in this research area are enormous. With considerable
debate about where to target limited resources when investing in environmental
protection, the focus of this objective is on research that will better inform'
public decisions about how to best protect ecosystems from irreversible harm, and
to avoid measures that are unnecessary or insufficient.
To make cost effective management decisions on the protection of ecological
resources, we must be able to answer the following questions:
• What is the current condition of the environment, and what stressors most
significantly affect the condition?
• What are the biological., chemical, and physical processes affecting the
exposure and response of ecosystems to multiple stressors, both chemical
and non-chemical?
• What is the relative risk posed by these stressors, alone and in
combination, now and in the future? and,
• What options are available to manage the risk to, or restore, degraded
ecosystems and .at what costs?
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj
. 01 Research for Ecosystem
Assessment and Restoration
Science and Technology
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Total FTE
$85,172
$84,821
$351
315
.3
.2
.1
.1
$100,712.
$100,363.
$349.
354.
5
0
5
4
$85,505
$84,537
$968
377
.6
.2
.4
.9
1999 Annual PerformanceGoals
• By 1999 analyze existing monitoring data for acid deposition and UVB and
implement a multiple site UVB monitoring system for measuring status and
trends.
• In FY 1999, provide ecological risk assessment case studies for two
watersheds, final guidelines for reporting ecological risk assessment and
ecological risk assessment guidance and support.
• In 2001, complete and evaluate a multi-tiered ecological monitoring system
for the Mi.d-At.lant.ic region and provide select land cover and aquatic
indicators for measuring status and trends.
• By 2002, develop a prototype multimedia, effects and modeling framework for
evaluating the impact of watershed management practices, at multiple
scales, on stream and estuarine condition.
• In 2003, provide guidance for development of watershed scale and other
ecological risk assessments,.
• By 2002, develop and evaluate cost-effective and reliable approaches for
restoring riparian 'zones within watershed.
• By 2004, develop protocols, information, and tools for stakeholders and
decision makers to select ecosystem risk management actions.
• By 2008., develop models to understand, predict, and assess the exposure and
response of ecosystems to multiple stressors at multiple scales.
Discussion
EPA will develop and improve upon indicators and emerging methods and
technologies, monitoring systems and designs for measuring the exposure and
condition of ecosystems to multiple stressors at local, regional and national
scales.
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This work continues research, already underway. Emphasis will be increased
on the development and evaluation of indicators at multiple geographic scales and
levels of biological organization. This work will lead to more rapid
identification of the extent and magnitude of hazards, more definitive
identification of causes, better measures of success and the addition of
landscape factors in determining the condition of the environment and their
response to alternative management strategies. Significant activities are listed
below.
'The President's .Budget request includes a total of 50 work years to be used
for 3-year term appointments of postdoctoral candidates to work at ORD
laboratories.
In 1999, effects research will focus on:
* Indicator, Development: Indicators of ecological effects of anthropogenic
stresses are needed to monitor the condition of the environment and track
the cumulative effectiveness of our management and policy actions. This
research is critical to determine the ecological effects of these
anthropogenic stresses and their regional extent. Therefore, a significant
research effort will be to develop indicators of effects/condition at
multiple scales and multiple levels of biological organization in aquatic
and terrestrial ecosystems.
* Geographic, Regional Initiatives: Indicators of ecological
effects/condition .of anthropogenic stresses will be developed to monitor
the condition of the environment and track the cumulative effectiveness of
our management and policy actions. Geographical initiatives will result .in
a suite of indicators of ecological effects to assess regional scale
problems. The research will test the utility of these indicators "in
selected geographic regions and demonstrate the efficacy of monitoring
designs on large geographic scales that to date have been too costly and
complex to be undertaken.. Research will be primarily conducted in the Mid--
Atlantic and Pacific Northwest Regions.
.* R-BMAP: Monito.ring designs that provide defensible answers to regional
scale questions are critical to the decision maker. This project will
demonstrate the application and transfer of monitoring technology to
facilitate regional comparative assessments to those who must make
environmental management decisions; in this instance the Regional Offices.
It will provide alternative monitoring .designs .in different parts of the
country.
• Determination of the wetland structure and function: Wetlands serve an
important role within the landscape. This research includes detailed
studies of individual wetlands or complexes to evaluate the major
categories of' wetland functions: water quality improvement, habitat, and
hydrologic functions. Research will be conducted in a number of
strategically chosen wetland types throughout the U.S.,' including prairie
basin wetlands, bottom land hardwood forest communities, freshwater
emergent marshes, Great Lakes coastal wetlands and coastal seagrass
communities.
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* Pfiesteria: Harmful algal blooms occur when certain species of algae
multiply quickly and aggregate in a given coastal area. Most microscopic
algae are not harmful, but a few species produce toxins that can be
transferred through the food chain, affecting and even killing zooplankton,
shellfish, fish, birds, and mammals, including humans. Pfiesteria is a
colorless species that is believed to cause sores and nervous system damage
to humans. Outbreaks of pfiesteria are believed to be responsible for
•recent fish kills, as well as lesions and nervous system problems such as
memory loss among researchers, fishermen, and fish and wildlife workers who
came into contact with contaminated water in the coastal waters of North
Carolina and the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. EPA will continue in
1999 to conduct research to better understand the causes of Pfiesteria
blooms, the effects of nutrients and pollutants on the organism, and their
effects on different types of nutrients, as well as for improving upon
techniques for detecting the organism in the environment.
In 1999, EXPOSURE research will focus on:
* Exposure Indicators: A set of indicators is needed to document the
relative magnitude .of environmental stresses in producing ecological
effects at multiple geographic scales. The research needs focus primarily
.on improved indicators of chemical exposure, indicators of habitat
degradation, and indicators of landscape quality. It is a direct
counterpart to the effects research listed above. Further, the success of
ecological risk assessments depends upon robust methods for
characterization of the exposure of ecological receptors to particular
stressors (e.g., sensitive aquatic species to toxicants, nutrient
enrichment, or habitat alteration). This research will, therefore, also
focus on the development of indicator methods to measure environmental
exposures for aquatic systems.
* Geocfrapliic Initiatives: Monitoring designs for tracking regional status
and trends in ecological resources are needed as well as approaches for
using indicators in weight-of-evidence diagnosis. This project Is will
demonstrate that the monitoring designs can be used to assess ecological
condition within a region, and track the cumulative effectiveness of our
management and policy. This work is .an essential counterpart to the
preceding effects project.
• R-EMAP: A set of indicators is needed to document the relative magnitude
of environmental stresses in producing ecological effects. Research needs
in exposure focus primarily on: .improved indicators of chemical exposure,
indicators of habitat degradation, and indicators of landscape quality to
provide proof of their soundness in different parts of the country.
• Index Sites: Research is needed to determine the geographic variation in
the .extent of these atmospheric stresses. This research is critical to the
design of a national network. It is research to determine how best to
monitor the magnitude and geographic variation in the extent of key
chemical contaminants introduced via atmospheric processes.
• Multi-Resolution Landscape Characterization (MRLC) :- Data are needed to
document landcover change on a five year basis. This research will
VIII-9
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significantly improve EPA ecological monitoring and ecological
assessments, and ecological risk management decisions, reduce uncertainty
in other high priority ORD research programs and thus would have broad
applicability and a large user community. The MRLC is a multi^-agency
effort with NOAA, USGS, FWS, and others.
* Characterizing and ^Monitoring Wetlands Exposures: Biological measures of
wetlands must include both structural and functional measures. Of critical
concern is the relative stability of wetlands as functional units within
the landscape; wetlands are unstable when either structure or function
deviate from their expected ranges.
* R-EMAP and Geographic initiatives: Assessing condition and the importance
of stresses from environmental monitoring data is not simple. Approaches
for conducting assessments of this sort and the expertise to do so are of
great concern to the Regions and Program offices. This project will
demonstrate the application of monitoring designs for hazard identification
and trends assessments for large scale comparative risk analyses * It will
serve as case studies for the further development of ecological risk
assessment guidelines.
In 1999, ORD's Environmental Monitoring Management Council (EMMC) support
staff facilitates the efforts of an Agency-wide council of senior managers who
are responsible for developing sound monitoring policy designed to reduce the
cost and improve the quality of environmental data. Specific initiatives being
addressed include: reducing .barriers to the use of Innovative approaches to
monitoring through implementation of a performance based measurement system
(PBMS); developing a national environmental laboratory accreditation program in
partnership with the states; and developing a system for tracking the Agency's
measurement needs and communicating those needs within the EPA measurement
community and to the private sector technology innovation community.
EPA will develop models to understand, predict and assess the exposure and
•response of ecosystems to multiple stressprs.
This research serves as the foundation for the ecological research program.
It will focus on developing more realistic diagnostic and predictive models
relating to exposure and effects, and developing a user friendly architecture for
integrating multimedia exposure models with effects models at multiple scales.
The intent is to develop a ~one-system-' model that accounts for the true
interactions in the environment so it will benefit all Program Offices. By
significantly improving stakeholders' ability to analyze, assess and predict the
outcome of alternative management strategies before acting, EPA hopes to provide
a more reliable foundation for cost/benefit analyses prior to final decision
making. Significant activities are listed below.
In 1999, effects research will focus on:
• Ecosystem sustainabilitv; This research will focus on understanding the
habitat requirements for aquatic ecosystems. Research on the
sustainability of ecosystems will include evaluations of the exchange of
materials and energy within and among ecosystems in watersheds. Research
will also be conducted to study these relationships and the degree to which
viii-io
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landscape patterns and usage affect the sustainability of aquatic
ecosystems, including a study of the nature of cumulative impacts at the
watershed and regional scale.. Results from this research- will improve the
scientific understanding of habitat requirements and ecosystem
sustainability leading to the development of ecological and biological
criteria and diagnostic methods for determining ecosystem health. In
addition, this area of research will assist in the development of
biological criteria and lead to the development of methods to diagnose
causes of ecosystem impairment.
• Index Sites: Index sites will be used as field laboratories to determine
and monitor the .ecological effects of key chemical contaminants including
endocrine disrupters, nutrient loadings, and pesticides, and their
interactions with DVB. This research will determine the ecological effects
of these stresses.
• Landscape Interactions: This growing research effort will evaluate the role
of wetlands in the landscape (e.g., impacts on water quality, habitat,'and
hydrologic functions) and the effects of multiple stressors and landscape
factors (e.g., regional hydrology, geomorphology) on wetland functions at
the scale of watersheds and ecoregions. Studies on selected wetland types
will test hypotheses regarding the function of wetlands in the landscape,
develop and field evaluate models of landscape processes, and evaluate
various indicators of wetland function. This research will provide tools
and data for biocriteria development and for prioritizing sites for wetland
management activities.
• Predictive Effects Modeling for Chemicals.; This continuing research program
. will develop and validate models (BBDR, SAR) to identify and characterize
ecological hazard and risk. The research will be applied to determine
which chemicals pose the greatest threat to the environment, which effects
are of greatest concern, and which mechanisms are responsible for observed
toxicity. Models developed in this research area will help decision makers
prioritize testing requirements, interpret data obtained from
manufacturers, and determine the extent of needed regulation and
remediation.
In 1999, exposure research will focus on:
* Index Sites-- This research is a counterpart to the effects research aimed
at improving our understanding of exposure processes including dry
deposition, factors affecting UVB exposures, and transport and fate
processes for chemicals.
* Watershed Exposure Models: Research will include refinement of models which
characterize the impact parameters and combinations of parameters (e.g.
soil type, temperature, plant type, surface permeability) have on watershed
water quality. These models can be used to assist with landscape planning,
such as, identifying the appropriate building density to maintain water
quality or identifying wetland restoration sites.
* MultiMedia Modeling1: Development of multi-scale, multi-pathway, multimedia
cumulative exposure assessment models. Modeling technology has been media-
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and problem-focused, in the past but increasing concern is being seen for
multi-pathway exposure. Tools and technologies developed in this research
area will address the exposure of ecosystems to multiple stressors
(chemical, biological, physical) through multiple pathways (atmospheric
deposition, nonpoint and point sources in water, soil contamination,
.biomagnif ication) across media boundaries.. These 'techniques are critically
needed to evaluate the significant interactions among stressors in larger
systems and develop priorities for addressing the .most vulnerable
ecosystems.
• 'Ecosystem Screening Models: Develop screening risk assessment
methodologies that take existing information on exposure and effects and
determine whether a chemical Is a candidate for a more thorough assessment.
The primary focus will be on terrestrial systems.
EPA will develop and apply assessment methods, indices and guidelines for
quantifying risk to the -sustainab.ility and vulnerability of ecosystems from
multiple stressors at multiple scales.
This research is a continuation of current research and is the essential
synthesis element of the program, ultimately aimed at properly targeting limited
funds. The research will be refocused from individual chemical assessments to
developing methods and indices for evaluating the comparative risk associated
with multiple stressors at larger scales (Place Based) to ensure
stakeholders/.decision makers at all levels have the tools to make the most cost
effective and environmentally sound management decisions. ORD will directly
benefit because the assessments conducted will ensure that research is directed
to the highest priority problems where uncertainty is greatest. Significant
activities are listed below.
In 1999, risk assessment research will focus'on:
* Guidance on Ecological Risk Assessment. In-depth analyses -o.f particular
issues, these reports supplement general guidance documents. They assist in
the analytical process of risk assessment by providing a ready source of
background material and examples of the application of relevant
information. They will provide state-of-the-science considerations used at
the beginning of the assessment process.
• Ecological Risk^Assessment _in ^practice. The practical application o.f the
EPA's ecological risk assessment framework will establish its general
utility and illuminate its shortcomings. This will be done through
completion of a variety of assessments, including problem formulations for
shrimp virus in coastal waters, specific watersheds located around the
United States, and the initial phases of the longer term Mid-Atlantic
Integrated Assessment. In addition, a special analysis of dioxin impacts
on aquatic life and associated wildlife will be completed from published
information. Creating useful data sorting and cataloguing will provide
more efficient access to scientific information used in support of
environmental risk evaluation and regulation,
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• EcologicalRisk Assessment in the Federal Government. This is a report to
the CENR on the use of ecological risk assessment in the Federal
government. A synthesis of the applications of ecological assessment, this
report will illustrate common principles and identify the range and
disparity of parameters used across Federal agencies. This may be used as
a focal point for harmonizing approaches across agencies and to determine
research needs and their priority for future work.
• Ecological Assessment Methods. A variety of new methods that facilitate
ecological risk assessment are being developed. These include an
Environmental Information Management System, which will provide electronic
access to a large array of data and information useful in environmental
modeling and assessment. As a model for other community based initiatives,
it will serve as a measuring stick for the integration of complex data and
information across multiple ecological resources and geographic scales.
New analytical tools for large-scale ecological risk assessment (a model
for the Columbia River Basin) will be developed in cooperation with other-
parts of EPA and outside agencies. These innovative methods for monitoring
and evaluating ecosystem condition will be useful for conducting state of
the science assessments and making informed management decisions,
• iff e c t s As s essment "tools•; Systematic and high quality databases for aquatic
life, wildlife and terrestrial plants are also needed to develop and
validate chemical effect, toxicokinetic, dose-response and species
extrapolation models. Use of these knowledge bases in coordination with
modeling exercises will assist in identifying significant knowledge gaps
for future research. ECOTOX will provide the means to cost-effectively
collect standardized and critically needed effects data for a wide variety
of ecological risk assessments.
• Regional Vulnerability Exposure Assessments: This research will develop
computer models that juxtapose current and projected future physical,
chemical, and biological stressor patterns, the geographic distribution of
vulnerable .receptors, and mathematical functions that link the resulting
exposures to direct and indirect•effects on critical ecosystem structure
and function. In 1999, this will be accomplished by utilizing existing
data on stressor sources and ambient concentrations and on the geographic
distributions of potentially 'susceptible receptors and their associated
ecosystems. Transport, transformation and fate models or statistical models
then are used to simulate the resulting ecological exposures (the
occurrence of a stressor .and receptor in space and time) at time .and space
scales appropriate to available models that link exposures to effects in
the-Mid-Atlantic.
• Probabilistic Methods: New research in risk characterization will develop
probabilistic methods for risk assessment of ecosystem risks beginning with
pesticides and toxics as the primary focal point.
EPA will develop prevention, management, adaptation, and remediation
technologies to manage, restore, or rehabilitate ecosystems to achieve local,
regional, and national goals.
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The focus will be on .demonstrating reliable and cost-effective treatment or
containment of contaminated sediments, restoration of riparian habitats and other
critical watershed ecosystems, and guidelines for watershed and larger scale
adaptation and mitigation technologies. This research will provide tools and
technologies that may lead to improved capabilities to achieve desired results
from actions .taken, and at lower costs. Significant activities are listed below.
In 1999, Risk Management research will focus on:
• ' .Ecological RiskAssessroent/Restoration (ERA/R) technologies; This research
will develop restoration technologies and tools for ecosystem managers
focused on three broad approaches. These are: (1) reconstruction of, to
the extent possible, the physical structure of the ecosystem, (e.g.,
creating a riparian zone); (2) reduction of the perceived stressor(s),
(e.g., cleaning up contaminated sediments); and (3) allowing the natural
restorative capacity of the system to bring about the needed change. This
research will incorporate the knowledge developed from research on
restoration technologies, the appropriateness of their use for a. specific
situation, and tools for measuring the effectiveness of restoration
technologies into decision support systems to be used in planning .and
implementing ecosystem restoration. This approach will also minimize the
potential for unanticipated consequences such as introduced species and
water quality degradation.
• ERA/R restoration assessment technologies.,:. This research will develop
assessment tools to measure the progress and effectiveness, as well as the
cost, of candidate restoration technologies. The emphasis will be on" tools
that can be used while restoration activities are in progress, rather than
steady state or long term measures of ecosystem health. In many cases
these are expected to be indirect measurements that can be made quickly and
at low cost. An important part of the effort will be to develop methods
for evaluating negative or unexpected impacts of the restoration efforts.
These assessment technologies will measure the effectiveness of ecosystem
restoration (e.g., cost/benefit tools, stressor reduction tools). These
capabilities will help quantify the improvements that are realized by
applying scientific and systematic approaches to restore damaged
ecosystems..
In 1999, the Regional Methods program will emphasiize the development of high
priority monitoring methods needed by EPA Regions and states to establish permit
conditions that are better tailored to site-specific situations (i.e., reduce
both over and under regulation) as well as to more cost effectively assess
compliance with permit conditions.
1998 Annual Performance Soala
• Develop reliable, scientifically defensible indicators for measuring
change, specifically indicators for measuring change of ecosystem stability
or integrity, and methodologies for multi-scale regional assessments.
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
01 Obj. Total Change $(15,206.9) 23.5
Science and Technology • $(15,825.8) 23.5
Hazardous Substance Superfund $618.9 0.0
(+11.8 workyears) This request includes 11.8 work years for postdoctoral
scientists and engineers to enhance the intramural research program.
These 3-year term appointments will provide a constant stream of
highly-trained postdoctoral candidates who can apply state-o.f-the-science
training to EPA research issues.
(-$1,500,000) Resources will be shifted out of research on EMAP due to the
conclusion of funding for ecosystem risk assessment research associated
with the Pacific Northwest Ecosystem Management Research Consortium.
(-$2,000,000) Resources will be shifted out of EMAP, which could impact
the number of index sites that will be included in the monitoring network.
However, data collected from fewer sites could be extrapolated to other
regions not directly monitored..
(+$435,000 and +6.3 workyears) Resources will be shifted into research to
determine ecosystem sustainability. Efforts will be shifted from research
to characterize the ecotoxicity of chemical stressors to research for
developing methods and models for determining the environmental factors
that influence the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. The increase
reflects a growing emphasis on understanding factors influencing
ecosystems and the need to incorporate a watershed perspective in
approaches to ecosystem health. Methods and models that are developed will
help improve the scientific understanding of the factors influencing
ecosystem sustainability leading to the development of watershed level
criteria for protection of ecosystems and diagnostic methods for
determining ecosystem health.
(-$1,500,000 and +1 workyear) Resources are being shifted out of
ecological risk assessment and management. $1,300,000 of this will be
redirected into more basic research oil how to conduct modeling efforts on
multimedia stressors.
(-$2,900,000) Funding to support the National Decentralized Water
Resources -Capacity Project, a Congressional earmark, has been eliminated.
(-$2,900,000) Funding to support the Water Environment Research
Foundation, a Congressional earmark, has been eliminated.
(-$5,800,000) Funding to support Salton Sea Research, a Congressional
earmark, has been eliminated.
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(-$.975,000) Funding to support Center for Estuarine/Caastal Ocean
Environment, a congressional earmark, has been eliminated.
(+$209,000) Increased resources will be directed to EPA's participation in
the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC), a
state-EPA partnership with the goal of achieving a uniform national
program for accrediting environmental testing laboratories. This national
program provides baseline quality assurance oversight in all
environmental monitoring conducted for EPA programs, and the basis for
promoting reciprocity among existing state programs.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Develop new analytical
tools for large-scale
ecological risk assessment:
A model for the -Columbia
River Basin.
In partnership with NOAA,
NSF, ONR, USDA, and NASA,
award up to six peer-
reviewed STAR research
grants emphasizing
Pfiesteria, particularly
factors which influence the
induction of toxic forms.
Award up to 3 peer-reviewed
/STAR research grants to
.develop ecological
assessment techniques for
regional scale analysis and
assessment.
Award up to .12 peer-
reviewed STAR research
grants that focus on
indicators of
sustainability that
integrate among resource
types and address multiple
spatial scales.
09/30/98
09/30/98
09/30/98
09/30/98
VIII-16
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Publish a landscape atlas
for the Mid-Atlantic
Region.
Provide a draft analytical
protocol for chemical
screening at Index sites in
multiple media for review.
Complete installation of UV
radiation monitors at 10
National Index Sites.
09/30/98
09/30/98
09/30/98
Report out a suite of
watershed models that
integrate ecological,
physical, and social
sciences.
Report to CENR on use of
Ecological Risk Assessment
in the Federal Government.
Develop final guidelines
for Ecological Risk
Assessment(specific issue
report).
Development and use of
ecological information
management system.
Publish an evaluation of
the applicability of
estuarine indicators as
indicators of the condition
of estuaries.
Publish Mid-Atlantic region
stressor profiles for
ozone, acid deposition,
pesticides, nitrogen and
other stressors.
Provide baseline landscape
indicators for the Mid-
Atlantic Region.
Complete simulations for
multiple years and 5
stressors in the Mid-
Atlantic.
09/30/98
09/30/98
09/30/99
09/30/99
09/30/99
• 09/30/99
09/30/99
09/30/99
09/30/99
VIII-17
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Develop a GIS-based 09/30/99
modeling platform for
landscape ecology and
regional biodiversity.
Report on use of ecological
risk assessment framework " 09/30/99
for shrimp virus
assessment.
Develop a problem 09/30/99
formulation statement for
the Mid-Atlantic Integrated
Assessment.
Assess dioxin impacts on 09/30/99
aquatic life and associated
wildlife,
Initial data and modeling 03/30/99
results from a paired
watershed study of
hydrogeologic, geochemical,
and geomorphic processes
determining reparian zone
controls on subsurface
nitrate transport into
Chesapeake Bay.
Conclusion
The EPA has restructured its strategy for protecting and restoring the
nation's ecological resources to use a new "integrated ecosystem management"
approach. Rather than focusing solely on regulatory command and control based
,on individual legislative mandates,, the new strategy recognizes the need to
adequately accommodate the interactive nature of ecological systems by replacing
approaches involving single species and single stressors to approaches based on
systems-level management.
The end result of this research and incrementally al-1 along the way, will
lead the Agency to an increasingly better understanding of our environment, the
options available for protecting it, and the tools to do both, including:
* Better .measures of the success or failure of regulatory and management
policies--more definitive, more responsive, more diagnostic, and less
costly,
• Improved models to predict the response of ecosystems to alternative risk
management strategies--more realistic, more flexible, more useable, and
more accurate,
• More techniques for restoring degraded systems when protection has failed,
• Rigorous risk assessments to make decisions on where to invest limited
resources for maximizing protection,
VIII-18
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Performance MeasureVerification and Validation
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of environmental science and research. The Agency has implemented a
risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and risk management
as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its .research and
determine planning priorities. To better draw upon the expertise of the
environmental academic community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants; the Agency is
also working with a number of professional societies and scientific organizations
to identify emerging environmental issues for which" we must begin planning the
necessary research.
Chief among the -Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator states that peer review will be expanded "to include both the manor
work products provided in the past and...all scientific and technical products
supporting Agency decisions.,." This expanded and strengthened focus on peer
review will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are verified
and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer review
throughout the research planning and implementation process, both to ensure that
planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EPA's mission, and
to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products, and proposals.
This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as the Science
Advisory Board (SAB)and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC). The" BOSC,
established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine the way
the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of its research and
development laboratories.
EPA's external research program 'undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
selected for funding through grants -.or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
StatutoryAuthority
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) section 4 and 5 (15 U.S.C. 2603 and 2604)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-13109)
Clean .Water Act (CWA) Title 1 (33 U.S.C. 1251-1271)
VIII-19
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective #2: Research for Human Health Risk Assessment
By 2008, improve the scientific basis to identify, characterize, assess,
and manage environmental exposures that pose 'the greatest health -risks to the
American public by developing models and methodologies to integrate information
about exposures and effects from multiple pathways.
Overview
During .much of its history, EPA has focused its risk management decisions
and regulations on single environmental pathways and individual contaminants.
Often, this approach has been mandated by environmental legislation. In recent
years., advances in the state of environmental science have illustrated that new
risk assessment methods are needed to investigate complex environmental and human
health issues that were not contemplated by early environmental legislation.
Perhaps of equal importance, these advances illustrate the significance of new
risk management options for EPA -- replacing, where appropriate, the "one-size-
fits-all" approach to risk management with a more population/geographic-specif ic
approach where risk management options can be developed -for the general
population, specific age groups (e.g., infants and children), or other
susceptible subpopulations.
Today, the practice of risk assessment and risk •management helps to
identify scientific issues that cut across the elements of the risk assessment
paradigm (exposure, dose -response, effects, risk assessment). Risk assessment
plays an essential role in guiding and focusing human exposure and health
research in an interactive and iterative process to improve the prevention,
mitigation, or management of environmental health risks. Creating a strong
scientific foundation for risk assessment and for subsequent risk management
decisions requires research to .reduce significant areas of scientific uncertainty
and to develop the methods, models, and data needed to support EPA's scientific
and regulatory programs. In recent years, a number of national scientific
advisory groups have developed specific recommendations to assist in
strengthening this foundation.
In consideration of those recommendations and the needs of EPA's regulatory
programs and Regional Offices, EPA has identified three major areas of
uncertainty as 'the focus for its 1999 Human Health Risk Assessment Research
Program: 1) reducing uncertainties in exposure measurements and measurement-
derived models, 2) applying mechanistic-based methods and models and data in
hazard identification/characterization and dose-response assessment, and 3)
characterizing and assessing variation in human exposure and susceptibility to
disease. Because substantial uncertainties are associated with these areas,
resolution will greatly advance the science of human health risk assessment.
VIII-2-.0
-------
A number of projects are anticipated in pursuing these efforts. Efforts
to improve human exposure assessment will include: 1.) development and evaluation
of methods for measuring total human exposure, 2} incorporation of those methods
into ongoing efforts to establish/validate multi-pollutant, multi pathway
surveillance protocols that will contribute to human exposure data bases and
model development, and 3) development and application of measurement-based models
that include time-activity patterns and represent prospective and retrospective
source-pathway-exposure-dpse relationships.
Given the challenges raised to current approaches to estimating cancer
(e.g., linear extrapolation) and noncancer (application of uncertainty factors)
risks, greater emphasis will be given to obtaining fundamental pharmacokinetic
and mechanistic data and tools for their application in deriving more
biologically defensible risk assessments. The pharmacokinetic data and .models
will serve as the lynchpin for linking exposure and effects and include research
to address route-to-route and cross-species extrapolation and validation "of dose
biomarkers to serve as actual indices of exposure. The mechanistic data will
allow for clarification of the relevance of animal models (e.g. , for ha'zard
identification methods, cross-species extrapolation) and the validation of
biomarkers of toxic effects that may serve as disease surrogates and.be used as
the basis for low dose extrapolation. Special attention will be given to
quantifying near and long-term risks associated with less-than-lifetime
exposures.
The exposure and effects research activities will be designed and
implemented to provide insights into subpopulations which experience higher
exposures or have underlying biological factors {e.g., genetic predisposition,
children, elderly., pre-existing disease, etc.) that place them at greater risk..
Research on susceptible populations assumes that certain segments of the
populations may not be afforded adequate consideration in current risk assessment
practices and/or sufficient protection under ensuing risk management decisions.
Efforts associated with this research activity will evaluate the adequacy of
current approaches to identify, characterize and explain the increased
susceptibility of various subpopulations. This evaluation will direct
subsequently the evolution of improved tools and approaches to assess risk to
these populations. A unique dimension of these efforts will be the incorporation
of risk management research as these key parameters and populations are defined
(exposure or biologic) so that appropriate intervention strategies can be
developed and applied in parallel.
In addition to supporting the GPRA goal of•conducting sound science, the
work here will also support efforts to reduce the use of pesticides on food that
do not meet the new Food Quality Protection Act statutory standard of "reasonable
certainty of no harm" {GPRA Goal 3) by developing improved risk assessment
methods to provide state-of-the-scienc.e guidance for addressing susceptibility,
variability, aggregate exposure, exposure to mixtures, and how these sources of
variability can be factored into risk assessments. Also supported will be
efforts to improve pollution prevention strategies, tools, and approaches needed
to protect human health from unreasonable adverse effects of pesticides and toxic
chemicals (GPRA Goal 4) by the production of first generation exposure models for
assessing residential exposure to pesticides. The new improved data, methods,
models, and guidance resulting from efforts under the Sound Science Objective
will support more effective Agency .implementation of a variety of legislative
VIII-21
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mandates, particularly the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA), the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), and the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996.
The Agency supports this objective through legal counseling and advocacy.
This may include advice, participation in the development of Agency actions,
document review, and the conduct of defensive litigation.
dbj.ecti.ve by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
; 1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 02 Research for Human $52,631.1 $49,006.9 $47,618.5
Health Risk Assessment
Environmental Program & $18.8 $17.5 $18.8
Management
Science and Technology $52,261.1 $48,639.7 $47,556.1
Hazardous Substance Superfund $351.2 $349.. 7 $43.6
Total FTE 216.8 207,0 224.1
1999 Annual Performance Goala
• By 1999, produce first generation exposure models describing residential
exposure to pesticides.
• FY 2000: Generation of mechanistic data to strengthen the biologic basis
for low dose and species extrapolation in building quantitative health risk
assessment models.
* FY 2001: Providing methodologies suitable for quantifying exposures and
.effects for targeted subpopulations, especially children.
• By 2008., develop and verify innovative methods and models for assessing the
susceptibilities of populations to environmental agents, aimed at enhancing
risk assessment and management strategies and guidance.
• Define and identify factors and conditions that place various
subpopulations at high risk.
As stated earlier, this objective calls for improving the scientific basis
to identify, characterize, assess, and manage environmental exposures that pose
the greatest health risks to the American public by developing models and
methodologies to integrate information about exposures and effects from multiple
pathways. In pursuit of this objective, research is supported: 1) to develop
multimedia/multipathway exposure models, 2) to develop biologically defensible
health risk assessments, and 3) to develop improved approaches to assess the
health risks of sensitive subpopulations.
VIII-22
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.Research on Multimedia/Multipathway Exposure Modeling
By 2007, EPA is committed, to demonstrating a model to assess, predict, and
diagnose the population distribution of multi-media, multi-pathway .exposures to
major classes of environmental agents. A number of exposure related activities
will be undertaken in achieving this objective. They have been chosen to address
substantial uncertainties that exist in human health risk assessment and thereby
improve the scientific basis for assessing and managing risks. They include: 1)
research to develop/improve methods for measuring total exposure; 2) measurement
research to develop/improve surveillance and measurement protocols and provide
input into the development and validation of models; 3) development of
measurement-based source-pathway-exposure-dose models; and 4) research'to improve
risk assessment techniques, databases, and models. This research seeks to
improve the core .science in this area and will do so by focusing on multimedia,
multipathway exposures to pesticides and other consumer products and major
exposure venues, including residential.
Methods and indicators research will develop and demonstrate methods for
measuring total human exposure: immunoassay methods,- dermal, oral, and dietary
methods; and phase-distributed semivolatile organic compounds and aerosols. Of
these, methods for measuring the low levels of pesticides and toxics in foods are
especially needed to perform measurement studies in support of the Food Quality
Protection Act.
Surveillance, measurement and epidemiologic research will focus on
developing, demonstrating, and evaluating human exposure measurement and
surveillance/assessment protocols through evaluation of the National 'Human
Exposure Assessment Survey (NHEXAS) program, research under the Border XXI
program, and improving protocols to communicate exposure risk and exposure
mitigation data at community to regional scales. The latter will include
extension of pollution prevention options driven by the surveillance and
assessment data. Part of this effort will involve collaboration with local, state
and federal agencies to identify, prioritize and address environmental
health-risk problems in communities along the U.S.-Mexico Border.
Exposure models research will focus on developing, demonstrating, and
evaluating measurement-based models that represent exposure-biomarker-dose
relationships and the physical and chemical factors that affect doses to the
target, and developing, demonstrating, and evaluating measurement-based models
that represent prospective and retrospective source-pathway-e.xposure-.dose
relationships. For example, if unacceptable exposures -are detected, it is
important to be able to identify the source to enable effective mitigation.
Also., it is essential to be able to predict whether a regulatory-induced change
in a source would likely have the desired outcome of actually reducing human
exposure. This area of research will also develop and demonstrate statistical
techniques for investigating exposures and time-activity patterns.
Research to improve risk assessment techniques, data bases, and models will
1} analyze exposure information developed by the NHEXAS survey, and 2) analyze
data and develop risk assessment approaches to address variation in human
susceptibility to pollutants caused by various factors (e.g., gender, age,
ethnicity, genetic polymorphism, activity patterns,- concentration-time
relationships).
VIII-23
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Biologically Defensible Health Assessments
By FY 2008, EPA is committed to reducing reliance on current methodologies
that rely on .default assumptions by providing mechanistically-based data, tools
and approaches for more quantitative and biologically defensible human health
risk -assessments. EPA will achieve this objective through research in areas that
collectively represent a focused program to reduce significant uncertainties in
EPA's ability to 1) identify and characterize health hazards and 2) subsequently
quantify, model and assess exposure-dose-response relationships.
Hazard identification/characterization research will develop and validate
tests for hazard identification and characterization that have a .stronger
mechanistic foundation with a special emphasis on noncancer end points. Advances
in molecular biology and in vitro cell culture" techniques will be used to
establish laboratory models for examining selective biological events that may
serve as the substrates for specific, adverse health outcomes. Other approaches,
such as computational chemistry and structure-activity relationships (SAR) will
improve the ability to conduct screening on a large number of agents for which
there is little or no health effects information. The computational chemistry
and SAR approaches will complement ongoing experimental studies involving hazard
identification and mechanisms-of-action for important pollutant classes. ORD
will use this research information to support the process of guideline
development, especially for emerging areas of health risk assessment (e.g.,
health risks associated with short-term exposures and complex mixtures).
Moreover, validation of these "cutting edge" approaches will provide the agency
with a new generation of test methods that are more accurate and cost-effective
and greatly reduce the time required currently for most testing regimes.'
Although benchmark dose and other empirical approaches are seen as
improvements over traditional noncancer risk assessment approaches through the
use of more of the dose-response data, these approaches do not fully incorporate
mechanism-of-action data. The continued development of biologically-based dose-
response models is needed to support extrapolation of laboratory data to humans.
Research on dose-response models will include elucidating underlying mechanisms
of pollutant toxicity and the repair or adaptation of damaged tissues using
animal models and human studies. Special attention will be placed on elucidating
the role of receptor-mediated events in the expression of toxicity, especially
as applied to deriving the dose-response of related toxic chemicals and mixtures.
Research will include evaluating the utility of the toxic equivalency factor
(TEF) technology to predict biochemical and toxicologic responses for mixtures
in animal models. The receptor-mediated approach will also be applied in human
studies to delineate the contribution of genetic background and age in the
expression of adverse health effects. The research in this area will also shift
the focus from risks associated with chronic exposures to addressing less-than-
life-time exposures; a paradigm that is especially appropriate for many noncancer
health effects. Data from these methodologies will contribute to the development
and demonstration of more biologically defensible models that represent more
accurately the exposure-dose-effect relationships' upon which risk assessments are
based.
VIII-24
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Hesearch on Susceptible Subpopulations
By 2008, EPA is committed under the Government Performance and Results Act
(GPRA) to developing and verifying innovative methods and models for assessing
the susceptibilities of populations to environmental agents, aimed at enhancing
current risk assessment and management strategies and guidance. The research
described below is essential to successfully meeting this GPRA commitment.
Research on susceptible subpopulations, particularly infants and children,
has strong support from national scientific advisory organizations, the
Administration, and Congress,. In 1993, the National Academy of Science (NAS)
issued its report, Pesticides in the .Diets of Infants and Children, which drew
attention to health effects and exposure research needed to improve our
understanding of the impact of pesticides on children's development and overall
health. In 1996, Congress enacted the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). Among
its many provisions the Act mandates a single, health-based standard for all
pesticides in all foods and provides special protections for infants and
children;. Also in 1996, the Administrator issued a report entitled Environmental
.Health Threats to Children and established a children's Agenda for EPA, calling
for consideration of children's risks in all Agency actions and a greater
emphasis on research to support children's risk assessments. In 1997, the
President issued an Executive Order addressing protection of children from
environmental health risks.
In response to the heightened awareness and concern over children's health
risks and the provisions of the new legislation on food safety, EPA established
the Children's Health Research Program and a research program to support
implementation of FQPA..
Ciiildren'.s Health Research Program
Much of the effort under the Children's program is based on the Risks to
Children Research Strategy, which provides the framework for working toward a
risk assessment methodology for children that will address age-related exposures,
physiology, and biological responses that result in increased risks, and provides
a framework for improved risk characterization and identification of
Opportunities for risk management and reduction. In FY 1999, Children's Health
Research will continue providing the data to strengthen Agency risk assessments
for children, both in the near and long term. The program will emphasize:
1) child-centered research applicable to a broad range of programs that
will contribute to the development of more accurate risk assessments
throughout all EPA Program Offices and Regions;
2} development of methods for assessing and characterizing children's
risks that can be used as a framework for coordinating risk
assessment research both in the Children's risk program and in other
ORD research programs with the objective of providing consistent
methods for EPA risk assessors, and developing data and methods for
risk assessment with wide application in Agency Program Offices and
Regions;
VIII-25
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3) development of improved testing guidelines for predicting the effects
of pre- and perinatal exposures on development in infants and
children;
4) investigation of not only how children are different from adults, but
also why they are different, including -studies of mechanisms of
action for effects in children and quantification of biological and
physiological characteristics of different age groups, investigation
of activity patterns and pathways of exposure specific to children,
and identification of sources of exposure that are of particular
concern for children;
5) development of exposure, physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK)
.and biologically-based dose response (BBDR) models for quantitative
risk assessment with the objective of developing improved risk
assessments methods for application on a routine basis in EPA
programs ;
6) aggregate exposure and cumulative risks for children experiencing
multiple chemical and multiple pathway exposures;
7) variability within an age group because of differences in exposures
and susceptibilities compared to differences between age groups;
8) better communication of risk assessment information.to stakeholders,
including parents, schools, medical personnel and other members of
the community,- and
9) identification, development, and communication of risk reduction and
risk prevention measures.
In collaboration with the National Institute for Environmental Health
Sciences (NIEHS), EPA will continue to support specialized academic centers of
research in pediatric environmental health. These centers emphasize coordinated
programs that incorporate exposure assessment and health effects research with
development and validation of risk management and outreach, prevention, and
intervention strategies. EPA will also continue to participate in the National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES-4) . This study, conducted by the
National Center for Health Statistics, involves collecting information on health,
nutrition, and exposure, in a nationally representative sample, in which certain
groups and age ranges of children are oversampled: EPA is supporting studies to
obtain blood and urine levels representative of age ranges in the national
population for selected pesticides, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and metals,
and in the results of accompanying questionnaire items aimed at potential sources
of exposure. These data will be used to characterize and quantify national
exposure levels in children, to supplement and interpret the special exposure
studies ORD is currently conducting, and to provide information on trends in
exposures.
FQPA Implementation
As previously noted, Congress enacted the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA)
in 1996, mandating a single, health-based standard for all pesticides in all
VIII-26
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foods and providing special protections for sensitive subpopulations,
particularly infants and children. Titles III and IV of the Act identify clear
.science needs consistent with evaluation of all potential routes and pathways of
exposures and effects to pesticides, inclusive of aggregate exposures to
pesticides, and the need to review more complex factors (e.g. , cumulative effects
and exposures). Uncertainties associated with our ability to assess risks from
aggregate/cumulative exposure to mixtures of chemicals can be articulated in such
scientific questions as: What are the human health effects associated with
multiple, short-term exposures to pesticides and other toxic chemicals that
differ from those resulting from chronic exposures? What are the human health
effects associated with exposures to mixtures of pesticides and other toxic
chemicals with similar modes of action that differ from those associated with the
individual chemicals? What cumulative exposures result from multiple, short-term
exposures from various sources? What are the characteristics of toxic chemical
mixtures in the environment that are important for assessing risks to humans?
What are the dose-response characteristics of low-concentrations of mixtures
found in the environment? Will a Toxicity Equivalency Factor (TEF) approach be
applicable? How can unreasonable risks associated with multiple, short-term
exposures and multiple chemical exposures (mixtures) be effectively managed?
To address these and other issues of cumulative risk, research in 1999 will
focus on: 1) development of methods to evaluate the human health effects of
cumulative exposure to pesticides and other toxic substances including multiple
acute exposures, mixtures of chemicals with similar modes of action from the same
source, mixtures of chemicals with similar modes of action from different
sources; and 2) development of methods to enable measurement of pesticides and
toxics in food, the conduct of targeted field studies, and models to evaluate and
assess cumulative/aggregate exposures to pesticides and toxic chemicals including
multiple acute exposures, mixtures and multiple chemicals from common and
different sources.
The major uncertainties in the area of sensitive subpopulations (such as
infants and children and the elderly) relate to the degree to which current risk
assessment practices provide them .adequate protection. Estimates of variability
in human susceptibility to cancer range from a factor of 36 to a factor of 50,000
(Hattis, 1986 and Finkel, 1987). This wide range introduces a great deal of
uncertainty in our risk assessments, making it very difficult for risk assessors
to establish susceptibility factors for subpopulations such as children, the
elderly, and persons with pre-existing disease.
To address risks to sensitive subpopulations under FQ'PA, research in 1999
will focus on: 1) improved and validated methods and measurements to detect/
characterize/quantify pesticide exposures in infants and children (including age^
related differences and activity patterns/behavior unique to children) and other
susceptible .subpopulations (elderly, predisposition to disease, and high-end
exposure groups; 2) development of exposure models for children that include all
relevant pathways and media (especially those related to child behaviors and
activity patterns) and are capable of source-pathway-exposure-dose modeling in
a predictive and diagnostic way; and 3) using existing exposure, effects, dose-
response, and physiological data to assess exposures, doses, and risks to infants
and children, including developing risk assessment tools and communication of
children's risk that will directly support implementation of FQPA.,
VIII-.27
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The President's Budget Request includes a total of 50 work years to be used
for 3-year term appointments of postdoctoral candidates to work at ORD
laboratories.
1998Annual Performance Goals
• Research to .assess the susceptibilities of populations to environmental
agents by developing methods and models to enhance risk assessment and
management strategies.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars
FTE
02 Obj. Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$(1,388.4)
$1.3
$(1,083.6)
$(306.1)
17.1
0.0
17.1
0.0
(-$1,777,300) Research priorities under the Human Health Objective are
based on the objectives of the Human Health Risk Assessment Research
Strategy and decisions resulting from ORD's annual risk-based planning
process. Within the overall dollar reduction, research on
multimedia/multipathway exposure modeling will decrease by $1,777,300 in
total dollars. Part of this reduction (-$750,000) results from a scaling
back of efforts under the U.S. Mexico Border Program (a.k.a. NAFTA),
reducing our efforts in exposure surveillance, measurement, and
epidemiologic research in Border communities, such as the ability to
conduct concurrently research in more than one community or support
multiple border institutions in implementing education and training
activities. Resources will remain to continue support for most of the
Agency's primary NAFTA research .needs. Another part of the reduction to
the multimedia/multipathway exposure modeling research (-$1,042,500
extramural) will impact work on exposure methods and indicators designed
to .develop models and protocols for reducing uncertainty in determining
total human exposure. While this will have some impact on our ability to
develop improved methods for ascertaining routes of total exposure, the
Agency will continue to support a strong program of human exposure
research in closely related areas, such as cumulative exposure.
The pilot ORD portion of the Agriculture-Health Study, which focuses on
measuring and evaluating exposures of farm families to pesticides, will be
completed in FY 1998. However, ORD will continue the main epidemiological
portion (under National Cancer Institute and. National Institute for
"Environmental Health Sciences) .
(+$750,000) ORD will provide increased support to investigator-initiated
research, focusing on priority issues in human exposure as determined
VIII-28
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through the Agency's risk-based planning process, such as exposure to
complex chemical mixtures.
(+13.7 workyears) The increase in workyears includes a request for 13.7
workyears for postdoctoral scientists and engineers to enhance the
intramural research program. These 3-year term appointments will provide
a constant stream of highly-trained postdoctoral candidates who can apply
state-of-the-science training to EPA research issues.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Award up to 10 peer reviewed STAR 09/30/98 09/30/99
research grants that support
studies to quantify the exposure
of children -to organophoss,
trazines and pyrethroids that
treat children as unique and
sensitive subpopulations.
In partnership with NIEHS, award 09/30/98
up to five peer -reviewed STAR
research grants to centers that
will study the causes and
mechanisms of children's
disorders having an environmental
etilogy.
Development of a pharmacokinetic 09/30/99
model for YOG's alone and in
combination.
Complete preliminary analysis of 09/30/99
pilot scale multipathway NHEXAS
studies.
Develop first generation multi- 09/30/00
route human exposure-dose models.
Develop First Generation 09/30/99
Residential Exposure Models.
Develop pharmacokinetic model for 09/30/99
dioxin that can cross species,
sex, and address C x T.
Conclusion
During much of its history, EPA has focused its risk assessments, risk
management decisions, and regulations on individual po'llutants and single
environmental pathways. In recent years, increasingly complex environmental and
human health issues have challenged EPA to pursue a more relevant, multi-
pollutant, multi pathway approach and to develop more sophisticated tools and
VIII-29
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scientifically defensible models for human health risk assessment. Recent
changes in EPA's national regulatory agenda -- from the historic "one size fits
all" command and control approach to population-specific approaches wherein risk
assessments may be needed for the general populations as well as susceptible
subpopulations -- have also underscored the need for such research.
Successfully accomplishing the research described in this plan will produce
products that will dramatically alter the way in which the Agency conducts human
health risk assessments. As part of this undertaking, it is anticipated that the
data, methods and modeling approaches from these efforts will be fed into either
"prototypic" risk assessment exercises on pollutants of broad Agency interest,
or ongoing program-specific risk assessments. As such, the efforts under this
objective will advance the overall science of human risk assessment and
contribute to high priority risk assessment activities of client offices. The
feedback from those efforts will serve to guide future directions.
Key Performance Measures Verification
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of environmental science and research. The Agency has implemented a
risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and risk management
as principal priority-setting criteria.. EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its research and
determine planning priorities. To better draw upon the expertise of the
environmental academic community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants,- the Agency is
also working with the National Research Council to identify emerging
environmental issues for which we must begin planning the necessary research.
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator states that peer review will be expanded "to include both the manor
work products provided in the pas.t and. . ..all scientific and technical products
supporting Agency decisions..." This expanded and strengthened focus on peer
review will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are verified
and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer review
throughout the research planning and implementation process, both to ensure that
planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EPA's mission, and
to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products, and proposals.
This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as the Science
Advisory Board (SAB)and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC). The BOSC,
established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine the way
the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of its research and
development laboratories.
EPA's external research program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
selected for funding through grants or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
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The Office .of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures* The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
Statutory Authority
CWA Title I :(33 U.S.C. 1251-1271)
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective #3: Research to Detect Emerging Risk Issues
By 2008, establish capability and mechanisms within EPA to anticipate and
identify environmental or other changes that may portend future risk, integrate
futures planning into ongoing programs, and promote 'coordinated preparation for
and response to change.
*
Overview
A clear vision of future environmental risk will enable EPA to manage
strategically for tomorrow and tactically for today. Benefits will include an
improved framework for decision-making, increased ability to anticipate and
perhaps deter serious environmental risks, and enhanced communication with•the
public and other stakeholders. This objective responds directly to
recommendations of numerous external advisory panels, including the Committee on
Research Opportunities and Priorities for EPA tinder the National Research
Council, the Carnegie •Commission, the National Academy of Public Administration,
and EPA's Science Advisory Board, that EPA improve its capacity to identify
emerging -environmental risks, the respective long-term trends that would shape
such environmental risks, and major planning and policy issues related to
associated research, monitoring, and intervention. This objective provides the
basis to:
« stretch existing institutional capacity by using current work on a number
of complex, multi-pathway problems to learn how to identify and assess
risks across, species, time, and space. Lessons from these efforts .will
have broad and significant impacts on the conduct of risk assessments in
all media and in all EPA programs, as well as inform our understanding of
potential future risks;
• enhance the Agency's capacity to report on the economic costs and benefits
of environmental policies and effectively communicate the economic
implications of regulatory programs. Economic analyses will become a
regular component of the AgencyJs efforts to fully describe the
consequences of changes in human as well as ecological risks attributable
to programs. Economic information will be one of the several risk
management inputs used to identify priorities, assess programs, and
evaluate the efficiency of Agency and social resources devoted to the
protection of the environment. Economic tools will themselves be assessed
and continuously improved, so as to enable the Agency to provide the best
available information on economic questions that arise within the
regulatory, legislative and other policy development processes that
involve Agency concerns..
VIII-32
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Once established, the mechanisms to identify and respond to changes that
indicate future environmental risk must be maintained and used. This objective
is not one that will be "achieved" in the sense that there is no residual risk
remaining to address. The entire objective is early identification of unknown
areas requiring attention. To benefit, EPA will need tp retain this future-
oriented capacity as the future continues to unfold.
Risk reduction is also facilitated by expanding the limited information on
cumulative exposures of multiple pollutants from multiple sources to different
demographic groups. There is a .need to use existing data and methods to estimate
a national distribution of cumulative exposures across communities and
demographic groups for air, food and drinking water exposure. The. end product
of such activities will enable EPA to consider other important factors in
development of policy issues, including: 1) strategies to target environmental
policies at populations experiencing the greatest exposures; 2) national
•distribution of cumulative exposures and data to support community-based
environmental protection; and 3) go a step beyond previous analyses of pollution
and demographics by incorporating more sources and more pollutants. The specific
sensitive populations that will .be addressed are children, minorities and low
income populations. The Science Advisory Board (SAB) has indicated that the
conceptual framework for the Agency's efforts on cumulative exposure is
scientifically sound and provides a strong basis for a more .integrated assessment
of population exposures to toxic pollutants, the underlying contributors to
exposure and ultimately .a basis -for comparisons of exposures across geographic
and demographic groups.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
199B Pres Bud 199B Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 03 Emerging Risk Issues $56,414.1 $47,744.4 $55,387.0
Environmental Program & $5,854.5 $5,299.6 $5,760.9
Management
Science and Technology $50,559.6 $42,444.8 $49,591.1
Hazardous Substance Superfund $ $ $35.0
Total FTE 128.5 143.5 184.7
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• By 1999., initiate field exposure study of children to 2 Endocrine Disruptor
Chemicals (EDCs).
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• By 1999 and beyond produce data, models, technical information which can be
used by Federal, state and local air pollution regulatory officials to
understand the processes which lead to the formation of organic and metal
compounds in combustion systems and to quantitatively evaluate the
viability (cost and performance) of various technologies to control or
prevent these emissions.
• .By 2005, provide a strong scientific basis for understanding the health
effects of air pollutant mixtures.
• In 2000, complete the carbon monoxide Air Quality Criteria Document (AQCD)
as the basis for the OAR carbon monoxide staff paper risk assessment which
supports the carbon monoxide .NAAQS.
• Integrate air toxics modeling into Air Office programs. Complete update of,
air toxics modeling to take into account changes in emissions since 1990.
• In 1999, complete and submit external review draft of the Air Quality
Criteria Document for carbon monoxide.
This objective contributes to EPA's capability to identify and address
emerging -environmental issues. Tasks related specifically to capacity-building
and mechanism-development are contained in this objective. Substantial
capability to discern "early warnings" and patterns of change will !be developed
through work undertaken on endocrine disrupters and the investigation of the
effects of multiple pollutants in the atmosphere. This new understanding will
help to develop a process for identifying and conveying recommendations
concerning potential risks in the future.
The President's Budget Request includes a total of 50 workyears to be used
for three-year term appointments of postdoctoral candidates to work at the Office
of Research and Development laboratories.
A blue ribbon panel of the Science Advisory Board recommended that EPA
enhance its environmental education programs for training the next generation of
scientists and engineers (Fellowships/Environmental Education. - The graduate
fellowship program ($10,076,800 and 1 total workyear) was initiated in 1995 for
that purpose. This graduate fellowship program, competitive and peer-reviewed,
is designed to attract some of the brightest and most dedicated students in the
Nation to take advanced training in scientific and engineering disciplines
relevant to protection of public health and the environment and, ultimately to
careers in environmental science and engineering -- not only for EPA, but for
states, localities, and industry. Thus, by providing support for masters and
doctoral students in environmental sciences and engineering, EPA helps to develop
the Nation's environmental and technology base for addressing the environmental
concerns into the next century.
Beyond developing young minds for future needs, fellowship studies bring
fresh ideas to bear on EPA science issues. Also, the work done under the
fellowship program helps resolve uncertainties associated with particular
environmental problems and focuses graduate research on priority research areas.
VITI-34
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Fellowships are announced nationally, allowing many opportunities for
applicants to apply. The applicants are judged by external peer reviewers, and
are selected according to specific criteria: 1) evaluation of the applicant's
demonstrated dedication to their career goals; 2} evaluation of the student's
organizational, analytical, and written skills; 3) evaluation of the proposed
course of study or curriculum; and 4) how the proposed research can be applied
to technical environmental problems. The spread of awards is calculated
carefully by EPA to students of various graduate experience. In 1999, the Agency
expects to support fellowships across multiple disciplines, including the
biological and physical sciences, mathematics and computer science, and
engineering.
In 1999, the Exploratory Grants research program ($14,674,200 and 3 total
workyears) will generate new ideas and produce new scientific information by
encouraging creativity and innovation in scientific research. Through
publication of an annual general solicitation, the -program .defines general areas
in which there exist significant gaps in scientific knowledge and understanding,
and allows individual investigators from the academic research community to
conceive, define, and propose research projects- Topics from a broad variety of
areas, such as environmental chemistry and physics, health and ecological effects
of pollution can receive attention under the Exploratory Grants program.
Proposals are competitively reviewed by peer panels of predominantly outside
Agency researchers, with only the most scientifically sound proposals ultimately
receiving support. The major program outputs are scientific articles published
in the peer literature •. The scientific information shared through such
publications is intended to broaden and enhance scientific knowledge and
understanding and to .be used as inputs into more targeted, more applied
environmental research programs.
Research on endocrine disrupters chemicals (EDCs) ($14,336,600 and 70.8
total workyears in 1999) is being -conducted according to priorities described in
the Endocrine Disrupters Research Strategy, which is targeted at addressing the
major uncertainties in this important area. The Agency is committed to
identifying and evaluating strategies to manage risks from exposure to endocrine
disrupting chemicals capable of inducing adverse reproductive and other effects
in humans and wildlife.
In moving toward fulfilling this commitment, for 1999, developing screening
and testing protocols, research needs have been identified for each of the four
areas of the risk assessment paradigm (i.e., effects, exposure, risk assessment,
and risk management) . Research in the area of effects is needed to determine the
nature and extent to which environmentally relevant exposures to chemicals are
producing adverse effects in humans and wildlife species. Efforts will focus on:
1) conducting integrated toxicology and exposure .studies in ecological systems
or human populations with suspected contamination or exposure to EDCs (joint
effort with exposure) ; 2) assessing the effects of E'DC exposure on
neuroendocrine, immunological, and reproductive function in developing and adult
animals in support of pharmacokinetic and biologically based dose-response
models, with emphasis on animal models of EDC-induced diseases in wildlife and
humans; and 3) translating results from measurement end points at lower levels
of biological organization to impacts on populations and communities through the
use of microcosms and mesocosms.
yin-35
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Exposure research is needed to identify and understand major exposure
routes and processes and develop predictive models for estimating the extent and
magnitude of exposures of humans and ecosystems to endocrine disrupters.
Research-will focus on developing new methods, and refining existing ones (e.g.,
analytical chemistry, sample extraction, biomarkers) to acquire data for
compartmental models, with emphasis on the transport and transformation in
sediments and tools for assessing exposure in individuals. (A joint effort with
risk ..assessment researchers) .
Risk assessment research will develop an analytical framework for evaluating
impacts of reported endocrine disrupters phenomena from a risk assessment
perspective. Research is needed to construct a framework to identify,
characterize, and prioritize potential exposure to EDCs and provide a database
for preliminary risk characterization (joint effort with exposure).
As specific EDCs are clearly identified and their potential environmental
and human health consequences are quantified, research will be needed to identify
major sources of EDCs entering the environment; and to develop tools for 'risk
management such as biodegradation processes or pollution prevention strategies.
The development of new and improved methods and models to assess exposure and
effects will lay the groundwork for effective and reliable risk assessment and
risk management decisions. In support of finding solutions to identified EDC
problems, risk management research will also begin to examine technologies and
approaches to prevent, control, and, if appropriate," remediate EDCs.
Regulators and scientists are realizing that preventing risks from air
pollution using a one-pollutant-at-a-time approach is inefficient and 'raises
frequent questions on effects of mixtures and co-pollutant control impacts 'which
cannot be answered. For example, we cannot characterize the synergistic or
additive (or antagonistic) health effects of hazardous air pollutants in
combination with ozone, nor can we compare the benefits of reducing nitrogen
oxide emissions to meet both tropospheric ozone and PM goals. To date* EPA has
been successful in protecting public health and the environment from the most
serious risks of air pollution by" focusing on individual pollutants, e.g., ozone,
sulfur dioxide, particulates, and a limited number of toxic chemicals. While
there is still a lot of work to be done to solve these problems, as proposed
under their research plans, even more must be done to cost-effectively achieve
current air quality goals and to be sure they are sufficiently protective in the
future. Three concerns in particular need to be addressed in addition to ongoing
work: (I) the health and ecological effects of air pollutants mixtures, (2)
integrated modeling and measurement of exposure,- air quality characterization,
and fate-transport-and-transformation of pollutants, and (3) optimization of
tnulti-pollutant risk management approaches.
To assess and prevent risks from air pollution present in mixtures, the way
people and ecosystems commonly experience it, we must look beyond single
pollutants. We must understand the health and ecological effects associated with
exposures to air pollutants in combination, without emphasis on a particular
constituent. We -must look at multiple scales and at all environments combined,
outdoors and indoors, in cities and industrial areas, and over sensitive forests
and watersheds. To achieve balance in pollution control, and avoid costs that
are unnecessary, we must understand the interplay .of source emissions
transformation, transport and fate, and the impacts of mult.i-pollutant controls.
VIII-36
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The research in this initiative will focus on what scientists and regulators are
truly attempting to deal with - the fact that all air pollution merges in "one
atmosphere". Specifically, in 1999, EPA will initiate the following research to
support the One Atmosphere Research Program ($5,470,000; 47.7 total workyears).
Researchers will initiate clinical and animal studies to determine the
health effects of exposure to combinations of pollutants, especially those common
to urban environments (e.g. PM exposure simultaneously with ozone, volatile
organic compounds simultaneously with particulate and ozone) . This research will
allow for a better understanding of the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects
of combined exposures to air pollutants. The data -will help risk assessors to
better assess the effects observed in epidemiological studies. The results from
this research will be very helpful in providing an understanding of the
mechanisms by which mixtures .of priority air pollutants produce adverse health
effects. Since lack of understanding of biological mechanisms has been a
critical uncertainty with respect to the current PM review, this work will help
address these uncertainties and be highly complementary to the ongoing work
specific to .PM.
Health endpoint.s, such as respiratory toxicity, immunotoxicity,
neurotoxicity and reproductive toxicity, will be evaluated, as well as chronic
mortality and morbidity. Risks to potential sensitive sub-populations will be
evaluated to determine if urban mixtures induce or exacerbate sensitivity.. The
biological processes underlying the health effects of combined exposures and the
dependance of these effects on exposure dynamics, such as timing, frequency, and
magnitude, will be studied. Since epidemiological research, by .its nature, must
consider important co-pollutants, this research will allow for coherent
evaluation of the combined influence of criteria and air pollutants on human
health. The results of this research may provide an improved understanding of the
observations that air pollution is associated with increased illness and death
in humans.
Integrated air quality assessments', specialized field studies, and review
of measurement improvements will determine the capability of current monitoring
approaches to fully characterize ambient constituents, transformation products
and 'precursor species on all scales of importance. Understanding of the
relationship between environmental monitors and actual human exposure, especially
for mixtures (e.g., urban toxics in the presence of criteria pollutants) and the
spatial relationships (e.g. indoor-outdoor, inner city-suburban-rural) of
susceptible sub-populations will be increased. Continuous ntulti-pollutant in-
stack monitoring and multi-pollutant source modeling will be developed for use
by the regulatory community in allowance and trading programs.
The Risk Assessment Guidelines will be updated for air pollutant mixtures.
Regression models will be used to study the interaction of PM and other
pollutants with regard to mortality and morbidity. Comprehensive environmental
impact assessment approaches will be developed and applied to incomplete
combustion products from incinerators. AQCDs to support the development of other
NAAQS ( S02,~ CO, and NOx) will be completed as required by the appropriate 5-year
NAAQS cycle. In 1999, the Agency will support the development of other AQCDs
other than PM and ozone (e.g., S02, CO, and NOx), but completion will not be
realized until future years.
VIII-37
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Integrated control and pollution prevention approaches will be developed for
source categories (e.g. utilities/ chemical manufacturing facilities, various
industrial production processes, waste corabustors and industrial boilers) which
are having the greatest impact on air quality. All the technologies chosen for
investigation will have the potential to simultaneously reduce multiple air
pollutants. Examples of technologies include new coating processes which
simultaneously reduce ozone precursors and toxic air pollutants and sorbents
which can simultaneously capture criteria air pollutants and toxic compounds
emitted from combustion systems. The ultimate goal of this research is to ensure
future air pollution emission reduction systems used to comply with EPA
regulations provide the maximum risk reduction possible while minimizing
compliance costs and multi-media impacts. This research directly supports
efforts by EPA, state and local regulatory officials and industry to develop
integrated strategies to comply with the PM and ozone NAAQS. .In addition,
outputs from this research would support EPA efforts to develop strategies which
will .reduce the risks posed by the multitude of air pollutants present in many
urban areas across the U.S.
Empirical analyses of the costs and benefits of regulatory programs will be
conducted, and advancements in economic benefit and cost assessment methods
across the Agency will be supported. Research on benefit-cost techniques and
analyses on the benefits and costs o.f proposed environmental legislation and
regulations, with emphasis placed on assessing cumulative sets of regulations or
total programs, will assist in-planning for ongoing programs. The Agency will
support economic analyses on the effects of environmental regulations on the
size, structure, and performance of domestic and international economic markets.
Projects will be conducted to measure the influence of environmental costs on
individual plant and industrial sector performance, and develop national and
regional economic models to measure the relationships between economic and
environmental policies on economic performance measures.. The research and
analyses will advance the state of knowledge in benefit estimation and valuation,
and aid in the cost-effective use of Agency and societal resources. The analytic
capacity of program offices will be augmented by focusing on applied research,
information provision and technical assistance. Centralizing the management of
economic analyses will achieve economies of scale. The Agency will act as a
.clearinghouse and technical assistance service, including assistance in the
coordination .and adoption of technical peer reviews of social science products.
The cumulative exposure project will continue previous work on estimating
cumulative exposures from air, food and drinking water. The project will
finalize -the .exposure estimates for each pathway for the baseline year of 1990,
provide a public release of the data, and focus on integrating exposures from
food and drinking water. .Following peer-review of these products, the exposure
estimates will be updated to include exposure estimates for the years 1990-2000,
and protocols for annualized updates and public release of data will be
established. Results of the cumulative exposure project will further the
objective to establish the capability and mechanisms within EPA to anticipate and
identify environmental changes that may pose future risks, and provide solutions
for change.
VIII-38
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1998 Annual Performance Goals
* Investigate molecular and genetic methods as part of a new screening
battery to detect compounds that interact with the endocrine system.
• Improve consistency and quality of technical analyses and policy guidance
on economic benefits and costs of EPA programs.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars
FTE
03 Obj . Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$7,642.6
$461.3
$7,146.3
$35.0
41.2
0.0
40.9
0.3
This request includes 0.7 total workyears for postdoctoral scientists and
engineers to enhance the intramural research program. These three-year
term appointments will provide a constant stream of highly-trained
postdoctoral candidates who .can apply state-of-the-science training to EPA
research issues.
Increasing resources ($2,22.2,800) in the Exploratory Grants program will
focus on producing new scientific information by encouraging creativity
and innovation in scientific research.
Research priorities under the Endocrine Disrupters (ED) program, such as
assessing the effects of exposure on immune and reproductive functions in
developing and adult animals, are based on the Federal Research Strategy
on Endocrine Disrupters, and decisions resulting from ORD's annual
planning process, in which ORD has developed a high priority program for
FY 1999 based on human health and ecological risk. Additional efforts
will be enhanced slightly 'to identify, characterize, and evaluate risks
from exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals capable of inducing
adverse effects in humans.
There are also some significant shifts for FY 1999 ($5,127,640 and 32.3
workyears), reflecting a combination of planned coordination between the
effects and exposure components of the program and completed work.
Ongoing effects research focuses on the development of hazard
identification and characterization methods will be integrated with
efforts to develop exposure methods and- models. This proposed shift
($977,560 and 3.7 workyears) will meld these projects, resulting in more
valuable outputs and outcomes, and is consistent with the guidance
provided in the Endocrine Disrupters Research Strategy.
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Another part of the proposed shift ($4,150,080 and 28.6 workyears)
represents a progression of research that reflects the success of the
initial research to enhance existing test methods. In accordance with the
Endocrine Disrupters Research Strategy, more emphasis will now be given to
the effects of EDCs on adult and developing animals. As a planned follow-
up to an initial evaluation of available methods to detect and assess
activity of endocrine disrupters, this research will focus on the
evaluation of specific endpoints of toxicity and the relationship between
physical maturation of the exposed organism and magnitude of effect.
Another shift ($3,119,500 and 26.7 workyears) will initiate the One
Atmosphere research program, which will initially focus on integrated
systems for controlling multiple air pollutants and studies to determine
the effects of .air pollutant mixtures.
A total of $408,600 and 4.0 workyears under the One Atmosphere Research
program will augment EPA's ability to meet the statutory mandate in the
Clean Air Act that requires periodic revision (every five years) of the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The Office of Research and
Development will prepare and have peer reviewed Carbon Monoxide Air
Quality Criteria Document.
Key Performance Measures
1993
1999
Provide information on integrated
technologies which have the
capability to control multiple
air •pollutants from combustion
systems (industrial and utility).
9/30/99
.By 1999, produce a report
defining research approaches
•needed to define the effects of
combined air pollution exposures
on human health.
Submit carbon monoxide AQCD
external review .draft to CASAC.
1 Report
9/30/9.9
Integrate methodologies into
Agency practices
- complete work
with OAR to
integrate air
modeling into
performance
evaluation for air
toxics.
- initiate
collaborations
with the OW and
OPPTS.
VIII-40
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Conclusion
The programs under this objective contribute to EPA'3 capability to
identify and address emerging environmental issues. We expect that substantial
capability to discern "early warnings" and patterns of change will be developed
through work undertaken on endocrine disrupters and the investigation of the
effects of multiple pollutants in the atmosphere. This new understanding will
help to develop a process for identifying and conveying recommendations
conce.ming potential risks in the future.
The various Science Quality and Infrastructure programs within this
Objective allow for science to be done in order to better anticipate various
changes that portend future risk. For example, Fellowships and Exploratory Grants
seek to perform both basic and applied science to various unknown issues in order
to identify environmental problems posing risks to both humans and the
environment.
Evidence is accumulating in relation to the hypothesis that humans may
experience adverse health and reproductive consequences from exposure to
environmental chemicals that .interact with the endocrine system. Research is
needed to determine the .nature and extent to which environmentally-relevant
exposures to chemicals may produce adverse effects in humans and animal species,
to identify and understand major exposure routes and processes and to develop
predictive models for estimating the extent and magnitude of human and ecosystem
exposures, to develop an analytical framework for evaluating the impacts of
endocrine disrupters from a risk assessment perspective, to understand the
synergistic effects of EDCs when exposure to multiple chemicals occurs, to
understand the shape of the dose-response curve in the low-dose region, and to
identify effective risk management strategies.
Research under the One Atmosphere program supports the Agency's goal of
providing sound science to improve our understanding of environmental risk and
develop and implement innovative approaches for current and future environmental
problems. Under this goal, multi-pollutant air research supports the objective
of establishing capability and mechanisms within EPA to anticipate and identify
environmental or other changes that may portend future risk, integrating futures
planning into ongoing programs, and promoting coordinated preparation for and
response to change.
The research supports achievement of this objective by setting up a program
to assess and prevent risk from air pollutants present in mixtures - the way
people and ecosystems experience it. Specifically, this program calls for EPA,
by 2005, to provide a strong scientific basis for understanding of the health and
ecological effects of air pollutant mixtures, and develop measurement, modeling,
source emissions, and control information to guide integrated risk management
options for multipo Hut ants regulated under the CAAA.
The health and ecological effects research will evaluate the degree to
which synergistic, additive and separable health and ecological effects occur for
air pollutants taken in combinations typical of total urban and rural exposures.
For example, results of studies continue to identify -air pollution as a
significant factor in mortality and morbidity in this country and suggest that
VIII-41
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the cause and effect circumstances are more complex than those associated with
exposures to single pollutants. .Advances in toxicology/ epidemiology, and
computational power have made it possible to develop new methods that can enable
EPA to address air pollution problems in an integrated, multi-pollutant manner.
Ecological effects research will address uncertainties such as interaction of the
harm due to elevated ozone exposures to trees and nutrient effects from nitrogen
deposition to soils.
Risk assessment research will work to develop AQCDs to support revision of
other NAAQS {e.g., S02, CO, NOx).
Exposure, modeling, and risk management research will work to develop
measurement and observation approaches to characterize urban and rural
atmospheres and exposures to air pollutant mixtures. Emission inventory and
modeling approaches will be developed to tie observed mixture levels to their
contributing sources and allow'the projection of changes in exposures to mixtures
resulting from source controls. Risk management research will also work to
address the need for cost-effective emission reduction approaches that are
demonstrated for multiple pollutants. Addressing such uncertainties is important
at multiple scales, from national to regional to urban area to an individual
source. Pollutant control optimization is currently limited by the demonstration
of cost-effect multi-pollutant approaches and the availability of multi-pollutant
in-stack emissions monitors.
The ability to anticipate, identify, and propose solutions for possible
environmental risks is facilitated by the Agency's capacity to provide credible
reports on the costs and benefits of environmental policies. At present, most
economic analyses produced by EPA exhibit a mixed degree of consistency in
content and format of presentation. To achieve a greater degree of consistency
in format and effectiveness of presentation, OPPE will be more involved in the
development of Agency economic work products. Important motivating factors
behind this action include requirements and policies to submit more materials to
a wider and more sophisticated review of economic information used to support
Agency decisions. Failure to attain an acceptable degree of consistency will
subject EPA regulatory actions to critical negative challenges in legal and
public spheres, either of which may constrain EPA's ability to achieve its
environmental goals and objectives. The use of economic tools in the design and
assessment of management solutions to environmental issues will aid in the cost-
effective use of Agency and societal resources. The cumulative exposure project
will provide the first national estimates of cumulative exposures from air, food
and drinking water. In addition, this will be the first comprehensive
information on cumulative exposures to different demographic groups, including
children and minorities.
Key IPerformaiiee Measures Verification
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of" environmental science and research. The .Agency has implemented a
risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and risk management
as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its research and
determine planning priorities. To better draw upon the expertise of the
VIII-42
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environmental academic community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants. The Agency
is also working with various professional societies on research issues-
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator states that peer review will be expanded "to include both the major
work products provided in the past, and...all scientific, and technical products
supporting Agency decisions..." This expanded and strengthened focus on peer
review will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are verified
and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer review
throughout the research planning and implementation process, both to ensure that
planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EpA's mission, and
to assess the quality of scientific -research plans, products, and proposals.
This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as the Science
Advisory Board (SAB) and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC). The BOSC,
established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine the way
the Agency uses -peer review, as well as the management of its research and
development laboratories.
EPA's external research program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
.selected for funding through grants or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be .-another .accountability tool used to verify and -validate performance
measures. The recently developed Government Performance Results Act (GPRA)
structure will be incorporated into OMIS to ensure consistent maintenance and
reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and consistency of information to users.
Performance will also be verified by identifying customer usage of economic
.resources within OPPE and by surveying customers to determine their satisfaction
with and the adequacy of economic information available and provided; the number
of economic issue papers produced; economic analysis assisting the regulatory
development process; improved economic models, analytic methods, and databases;
completion of paper outlining 5-year social science research agenda; and
development of new methods to assess demographic distribution of exposures.
.Statutory•Authority
TSCA sections 4, 5, and 6 (15 U.S.C. 2603, 2604, and 2605)
CWA sections 304 and 308 (33 U.S.C. 1314, 1318)
Safe prinking Water Act (SDWA) section 1412 (42 U.S.C.. 300g-l)
PPA (42 tT.S.C. 13101-13109)
Federal Technology Transfer Act
Patent Statute
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Request to Congress
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective #4: Pollution Prevention and New Technology for Environmental
Protection
By 2006, develop and verify improved tools, methodologies, and technologies
for modeling, measuring, characterizing, preventing, controlling, and cleaning
up contaminants associated with high priority human health and environmental
problems.
Overview
Pollution prevention has been widely recognized (by EPA, Congress, and the
Science Advisory Board (SAB) as the preferred option for reducing risk. In a
preventive approach to protecting both human and ecosystem health, it is critical
to detect, describe, evaluate, and mitigate or eliminate stressors before damage
occurs. For pollution prevention to be a success, EPA must address three key
areas.
First, adequate systems must be in place for gathering and managing
necessary monitoring and modeling information, particularly on large temporal and
spatial scales, to deliver critical data for risk assessment and risk management
in real time or near-real time. In addressing this area, EPA research will work
to: 1) improve capacity and technology for broad scale monitoring and modeling
of stressors and effects, both temporally and geographically; 2) manage and use
multimedia, multipollutant information and models to improve risk
characterization and emergency response capabilities; and 3) improve results of
risk .management actions by enhancing our ability to measure changes in the
environment and make information widely available.
Second, all stakeholders must have access to scientifically sound pollution
prevention technologies and approaches. Also, credible techniques must be
available to measure and objectively evaluate the viability -and comparative
environmental performance of these technologies and approaches. Currently there
is a need for proven pollution prevention technologies and approaches to prevent
pollution from many pollutant sources in a number of economic sectors. There is
also a need for user-friendly tools and methods to assess and design pollution
prevent ion solutions as alternatives to end-of-pipe treatment. Research must
be undertaken to address fundamental knowledge gaps in both of the above areas.
Third, EPA must facilitate the development of independent, credible
performance data, which is a major impediment 'to the development and use of
innovative environmental technologies. Without credible performance data, the
producers of innovative environmental technologies find it difficult to enter
into and compete in the environmental marketplace. If these data and competitive
opportunities are not provided, the U.S. runs the risk of missed opportunities
for advancing environmental protection. Evaluation of environmental technologies
is needed to determine the effectiveness of their performance in monitoring,
preventing, controlling, and cleaning up pollution. Similarly, objective,
VIII-44
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authoritative information on the cost-effectiveness of prevention, control,
mitigation, and remediation methods is needed to determine preferred choices for
risk management options.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
; 1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 04 Pollution Prevention $51,435.0 $69,919.2 $46,387.8
and New Technology
Environmental Program & $373.6 $847.9 $374.2
Management
Science and Technology $49,74.9.5 $65,682.1 $44,657.0
Hazardous Substance Superfund $1,311.9 $3,389.2 $1,356.6
Total FTE 132.3 185.1 187.8
Although pollution prevention is 'now recognized as a logical response to
high-risk human health and environmental problems, its adoption and
implementation have reached a point where the next advances will represent
fundamental changes in lifestyle, industrial process design, consumer products •,
and land uses. A new generation of tools and technologies that are more
quantitative in nature and easier to use need to be developed to provide
stakeholders with the information they need to make decisions about the cost and
variability of future pollution prevention options. Therefore., EPA research in
the area .of Pollution Prevention and New Technology for Environmental Protection•
will.:
• Enable decision makers to incorporate risk and pollution avoidance as
quantifiable, measurable components of alternative management scenarios.-
• Develop, test, and demonstrate technologies and approaches applicable
across economic sectors, especially those involving chemical science and
engineering or characterized by high TRI releases or low regulatory
compliance.
« Develop measurement, computing, modeling, and data management technologies,
and integrate them into an effective system for real-time delivery of
multi-media, multi-scale, multi-parameter information on environmental
status and risk.
• Provide a comprehensive assessment of 12 environmental technology
verification projects and make recommendations .for institutionalizing a
long-term public-private capacity' for technology performance and cost
verification.
• Develop and apply engineering economic principles to guide research
investments in technology and- to_ improve public and private sector
decisions on prevention, control, and remediation technologies and
approaches.
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The following Annual Performance Goals will allow the Agency to achieve the
ends listed above, ultimately leading to accomplishment -of the long-term
objective.
199 9 Annual Pjerfgrmance Goals
• By 2003, provide a full range of multimedia pollution prevention decision-
support tools to regional, state, tribal and community decision-makers..
• In FY 2000, develop computer-based tools for process and product designs..
• By 1999 and beyond, produce data, models and technical information which
can be used by other researchers; federal, state, and local government
officials; and private industry to quantify emissions of Indoor pollutants
from building materials and products used indoors and to evaluate
potent ial.
•9 By 1999, implement two beneficial measurement technologies developed in
1997 and 1998.
• By FY 1999, improve computational efficiency of fine particulate model by
• 25%>
9 In FY 1999, use a pilot program to 'verify environmental technologies...
» By 2004., provide improved engineering cost assessment models for air,
water, waste management and control, remediation, ecosystem restoration,
and pollution prevention technologies.
• In FY 2001, provide ,a generic clean oxidation technology for the synthesis
of organic chemicals
Pollution prevention is specifically designed to seek risk management
alternatives that prevent rather than create pollution. By not creating human
health or environmental problems in the first place, there are both short-term
and long-term cost savings and an increased likelihood that environmental
sustainability will be realized in the future. In many cases, pollution
prevention tools and methodologies that would assist individuals and
organizations in making decisions on various pollution prevention options, and
other options as well, are lacking or in a rudimentary state. This situation
prevents the broader adoption of pollution prevention in a number of economic
sectors. Also, there are situations where the champion of a pollution prevention
technology or approach does not exist. Small companies do not have the resources
to address pollution prevention research and development in a material way, and
large companies, unless offered incentives, prefer to keep their pollution
prevention approaches proprietary to gain a competitive advantage. In these
cases it is .necessary fox government to verify the .environmental performance
characteristics of commercial-ready technology through the evaluation of
objective and quality assured- data, so that potential purchasers and .state
environmental officials who review permit applications are provided with an
-independent and credible assessment of what they are buying and permitting.
yiii-46
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Tools and Methodologies for Pollution Prevention Decision Making
Attributes of such advanced tools 'an technologies for future pollution
prevention include the ability to characterize and compare the environmental
impacts of alternative processes and decisions and to measure the benefits of up-
front interventions. Currently, there are few tools that provide these
capabilities.
EPA will work to critically examine the efficacy and effectiveness of using
pollution prevention alternatives at an early stage when addressing emerging
human health or environmental problems. If less polluting or non-polluting
alternatives .(i.e., pollution prevention) are available and make sense both
environmentally and economically, then prevention can be employed and scarce risk
assessment resources can be focused on other pressing human health and
environmental problems.
EPA will also develop tools and methodologies to support quantitative risk
management decisions about the most preferred pollution prevention options. This
research will accelerate the use of pollution prevention alternatives by enabling
decision makers to quantify the relative benefits of using these alternative
pollutant management scenarios. Research will focus on providing quantitative
information for selecting preferred pollution prevention options, with emphasis
on: (l) utility and ease of use of life cycle assessments and process
simulations; (2) ability to measure and objectively evaluate the viability .and
comparative environmental performance of alternative technologies; and (3) impact
assessment tools, including tools to address such non-chemical impacts as
resource depletion, habitat alteration, and lessened biodiversity.
The types of research to be conducted include:
» Improving Life Cycle Assessment Tools,
* Developing and enhancing computerized databases on less-polluting
alternatives,
* Developing a framework for life cycle design and framework testing,
» Developing computerized decision tools for process simulation and chemical
replacements,
* Creating tools for the assessment and reduction of chemical impacts,
• Enhancing and refining tools for measuring pollution prevention progress,
« Developing decision tools associated with sustainable development (e.g.,
industrial ecology decision making tools).
In 1999, EPA is launching an initiative to address problems associated with
persistent, bioaecumulative, and toxic pollutants (PBTs), which cause adverse
health effects in unborn children and sensitive populations, such as the urban
poor, tribes, and some ethnic groups. These PBTs can have detrimental effects
on the environment as well as effects on human health. To protect public health,
especially children's health, and the environment, aggressive and coordinated
actions will be taken, using the most effective tools in a systematic way across
the Agency.' This initiative will target risks of greatest concern to create
strong programmatic and compliance incentives for pollution prevention at several
levels -<- international, .domestic, and regional. The targeting will be done as
a collaborative effort among multiple EPA offices and their Regional components.
Work under this objective will improve decision making using pollution
prevention tools (e.g., Life Cycle Assessment, measuring pollution prevented,
VIII-47
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cost assessments). This effort will be targeted at industrial sectors that are
identified as producing PBTs. EPA will also investigate improved methods to
prevent, and if not preventable, to control releases of PBTs (including metals)
from combustion and other high temperature industrial sources. Under this
effort, work will focus on low cost options for reducing mercury emissions from
industrial sources including utilities and understanding how organic PBTs and
metals (e.g., PAHs, mercury) are formed in combustion systems. An effort will
also be undertaken to establish atmospheric deposition monitoring sites to obtain
a spatial pattern, distribution of mercury deposition, and measure deposition
patterns on long range mercury transport to fully .quantify the contributions of
mercury to surface waters at distant sites.
EPA will also organize and conduct a multi-day "State-of-Science" Workshop
to address the current knowledge and future research needs relating to targeted
PBTs. The meeting will focus on .recent and ongoing research conducted by EPA,
but RBT research activities by others in academia, government, and the private
sector will also be presented,
Technologies and Approaches for Pollution Prevention
Few resources currently are devoted to improving generic chemical design
processes or developing methods to measure and assess pollution prevention in
process operations. To promote environmentally benign technology, research is
needed to identify .and test' new industrial manufacturing and processing
technologies capable of enhancing productivity without sacrificing long-term
resource viability.
EPA will target a number of economic sectors where research and development
is needed on pollution prevention technologies and approaches. This research
will accelerate the adoption and incorporation of pollution prevention by
developing, testing, and demonstrating technologies and approaches applicable
across economic sectors, especially those involving chemical science and
engineering or characterized by high risk Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) releases
or low regulatory compliance. Research will focus on: (1) improving chemical
design practices to reduce negative impacts on human health; (2) testing improved
•oxidation pathways; (3) identifying, novel engineering approaches for equipment
modifications, product redesign, material substitutions, and in-process changes;
and (4) predicting the performance of "intelligent" controls for process
operations.
Under this research area, EPA will work cooperatively-with other government
agencies, academia, and the private sector to:
• Develop improved separations techniques for the removal and reuse of
chemicals,
• Assess and evaluate alternatives which significantly reduce or eliminate
the amount of toxic or volatile organic compounds used in solvents and
coatings,
• Assess and evaluate reductions in releases of halogenated compounds and
metals (e.g., persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic materials) in
processing and use,
• Assess releases to the indoor environment from building materials and
consumer products and identify potential source management (P2) options,
• Improve process controls to enhance efficiency and reduce wastes,
VIII-48
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• Examine and develop green chemistry and green engineering approaches to
prevent pollution,
* Support Agency-wide initiatives in pollution prevention (e.g., Common Sense
Initiative), and
* Support research on pollution prevention technologies under the Small
Business Innovative Research Program .(SBIR) .
Advanced Monitoring and Modeling Technologies
The Advanced Monitoring and Modeling Technologies program is the EPA's
program to facilitate the identification, research, and application of advanced
environmental monitoring .and modeling tools and enabling technologies needed to
support the Agency's mission to protect the environment and public health. The
primary objective of this program is to develop and demonstrate scientifically
defensible environmental monitoring and modeling tools and to facilitate their
eventual use by the broader environmental management community. The research
leverages technology advancements from other agencies and research institutions
with EPA leadership to develop a framework for multimedia environmental
monitoring, modeling, and assessment at community-to-regional scales.
The Advanced Monitoring and Modeling Technology program is comprised of two
primary research areas: High Performance Computing and Communication (HPCC) and
the Advanced Measurement Initiative (AMI). Each of these programs contributes
to the .overall objectives of the program which include: (1) development of new
measurement tools and techniques, particularly for measuring pollutants and
subsequent environmental changes remotely and in real time or near-real time; .(2)
improved modeling, data analysis, data management, and telecommunication
capabilities; and (3) improved scientific understanding of the multi-media,
multi-scaled and cross-disciplinary approaches required for environmental
monitoring and modeling (4) facilitating the effective adoption and utilization
of technologies and tools for operational use,
Technologies such as remote sensing, data analysis and telecommunications
have created new opportunities for approaching the management of environmental
threats to public health and to natural resources. The focus of AMI is to
facilitate the application of these technologies to enhance individual monitoring
and measurement technologies, as well as to improve coordination of existing
monitoring research and programs such as the mapping of waste sites, the
development of ground water and surface water transport models and the
characterization of soils and vegetation quality and land use. AMI will develop
working partnerships between technology developers, environmental policy makers,
and environmental managers -- to ensure that advanced monitoring technologies
will meet the needs of EPA, the regulated community, and the public.
Under AMI, EPA will establish effective working partnerships with technology
developers to identify and develop, and test new monitoring technologies. EPA
will partner with NASA and DOE to further develop and apply remote sensing and
in-situ technologies for environmental measurements. EPA will conduct pilot
projects to demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of advanced monitoring
technologies .for a range of environmental applications, such as air and water
quality monitoring, ecosystem evaluation, and site assessment. EPA will involve
federal agencies other than NASA and DOE and will work,with private sector
technology developers. This will not only validate the use of the technology for
EPA and the Federal government, but will facilitate adoption by private industry
as well.
VIII-49
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.AMI research will:
• develop and adapt selected methods and measurements (synoptic and .sampled)
for chemical, radiological, physical and biological measurements in water,
.soils, and air for specific Agency needs;
• identify and prioritize the Agency's measurement and monitoring needs to
ensure that AMI supported research is relevant to Agency needs and mission;
• participate with other EPA Offices to identify and address technology
policy and institutional barriers to the application and acceptance of
advanced measurement technologies; and,
• support the application of remote sensing technologies to improve
monitoring and measurement capabilities.
Currently, AMI is focusing on a set of demonstration projects to provide a
vehicle to evaluate the utility of several technologies, their potential
application in an operational setting and address the technology policy barriers
to their use by EPA and our partners. These projects include: Open-path Fourier
Transform Infrared Technology for Air Quality; Thermal Remote Sensing of Water
Temperature; Predictive Emissions Development and Testing in Lime Kilns; Landsat
Thematic Mapper Data for Wetlands Change Detection; and Hyper spectral and
Thermal Imaging for Mine waste Characterization.
HPCC work will respond to the need for research that will enhance the
scientific credibility of predictive exposure models by improvements in
computational efficiency. Such improvements will enable incorporation of better
science into practical assessment tools. In order to address this need, EPA will
develop efficient scalable high performance computational methods to: 1) handle
the complex non-uniform grid meshes required in water body simulations; and 2)
keep pace with increasing computational demands necessary to resolve multimedia
scale and resolution mismatches. In addition, research will focus on the
development of high performance data assimilation methods supported by scalable
parallel I/O for incorporation of remotely-sensed data into predictive models.
These models will reduce uncertainty in predictions and will facilitate the
diagnosis of model inaccuracies.
EPA will extend fundamental modeling framework technologies to enable
integration of multi disciplinary science and risk components to form a more
comprehensive multimedia, multi pollutant risk assessment framework. The Agency
will develop a robust data model that encompasses geo-spatial information and
complex topologies of irregular data structures prevalent in hydrology/ water,
sedimentation , and ecosystem models. Research will also focus on the
development of methods for intercommunicating, interchangeable software modules
across key multimedia scientific disciplines to facilitate incorporation of
community developed science improvements for integrated assessments.
Additional work under the HPCC Program will improve the environmental
management community's ability to access and use data, environmental models, and
graphical/analytical tools for informed decision making on environmental
problems. Numerous independent models and software tools are available to
separate aspects of environmental assessments, such as air or water quality,
hydrology, hydrodynamics, sedimentation, bioaccumulation, and risk assessment.
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This research will facilitate the development of more comprehensive, cross-media
assessment tools made of integrated and interoperable components. Research will
focus in three areas: 1) Problem solving environments; 2) parallel algorithms;
and 3) data access and analysis techniques.
Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)
The Environmental technology Verification Program (ETV) is a five year
pilot program to determine if testing and verification of commercial ready
environmental technologies by EPA and its private sector verification partners
will speed the deployment of improved environmental protection technologies in
the United States and abroad. Under ETV, verification statements are issued by
EPA that outline the performance characteristics of evaluated monitoring,
prevention, and control technologies in all media. The pilot phase will
determine if these evaluations and public statements can make a difference in the
ability of improved environmental technologies to penetrate markets and gain
wider acceptability by stakeholders. The goal of the program is to make
objective performance information available to all of the stakeholders in" the
environmental marketplace for their consideration and decision making. In order
to test program effectiveness, twelve media and industry specific pilots,
operating under the guidance of individual stakeholder groups, develop protocols
and generic test plans, test technologies under quality controlled conditions,
and widely disseminate results. EPA will evaluate verification process
efficiency, and the effectiveness of each pilot on a yearly basis, and will use
this information to make recommendation to the Congress on program continuation
by 2001'.
By 1999, private sector verification partners will have been selected for
all twelve pilots and all will be in full scale operation. In 1999, several of
the older pilots (selected in 1995 and 1996) will have completed a substantial
number of tests and issued verification statements to a wide spectrum of
technology developers. Data can be collected in this year on the effectiveness
of the EPA verification program in influencing states, consultants, and ultimate
purchasers to consider improved technologies. Also in 1999 development of the
outreach strategy will be underway. State permitter training, a national
conference, and Internet connectivity will be used to maximize the outreach
effort. Verified data on the performance of 50 technologies in a wide variety
of environmental areas will be provided under the ETV Pilot Program by the end
of 1999. Numerous consensus protocols and generic test plans will be added to
the environmental engineering field.
' The evaluation of various models for verification of environmental
technology under the pilot program will result in reports to the EPA
Administrator and a Report to Congress on the efficacy and effectiveness of the
EPA-sponsored ETV pilot program, along with recommendations on future directions
for a full-scale ETV program.
Risk Management Technology Costs
As long as EPA is charged with protecting public health and the
environment, -there will be a continuing Agency need to evaluate and reevaluate
environmental risks and develop and/or evaluate cost effective technologies or
pollution prevention alternatives to deal with those risks. EPA is frequently
called upon to provide cost-effectiveness information or cost-effective
technologies to be used in regulatory impact analysis, rulemaking, or
VIII-51
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negotiations with affected parties. The better the quality of the cost-
effectiveness information, the more help is available to the decision maker to
make informed regulatory and technology selection decisions. A strong
environmental engineering economic analysis program will also guide EPA's
internal research program to focus on the most cost effective areas for
technology advancement.
The types of research to be conducted include:
* . Improving life cycle assessment tools by integrating cost effectiveness
analysis and life cycle costing into the decision framework,
* Developing computerized decision tools for process simulation and chemical
replacements and incorporating technology and operating costs into the
simulation algorithms,
• Enhancing and refining tools for measuring pollution prevention progress
by 'incorporating total cost accounting,
• Working cooperatively with the in-house research staff to evaluate the
potential cost effectiveness of technologies under development and to
guide researchers in focusing on the most critical aspects impacting
economic viability,
• Conducting in-house training on engineering cost analysis so that the
research staff develops independent capabilities to evaluate technology
cost effectiveness,
* Actively work with the program and regional offices to provide needed cost
effective technologies, methodologies or information to be used in
negotiations, rule making, or regulatory impact analysis,
• Developing costing methodologies for the cost effective evaluation of
alternatives in high priority risk areas such as indoor air pollution
control.
The President's Budget Request also includes a total of 50 work years to
be used for 3-year term appointments of postdoctoral candidates to work at ORD
laboratories.
1998 Annual PerformanceGoals
• In 1998, use a pilot program to verify environmental technologies.
• . By 1999 and beyond, produce data, models and technical information which
can be used by other researchers; federal, state, and local government
officials; and private industry to quantify emissions of indoor pollutants
from building materials and products used indoors and to evaluate
potential.
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars , FTE
04 Obj. Total Change $(21,921.3) 2.7
Environmental 'Program & Management • ${473.7} 0.0
Science and Technology $(19,415.0) 2.7
Hazardous Substance Superfund $(2,032.6) 0.0
The redirections for 199.9 -are largely based on a risk-based priority
process and reflect a consideration of the Agency's statutory requirements,
technical assistance requirements., and the need for scientific and technical
transfer of knowledge and expertise. .Reductions related to the discontinuation
of the following Congressional earmarks accounted for the significant shift of
resources under this objective: 1) EPSCOR, 2) Louisiana Environmental Research
Center, 3) Center for Air Toxics Metals, 4) Mine Waste Technology, .5) Urban Waste
Management (U. Of New Orleans), 6) Integrated Petroleum Environmental Consortium
Project, 7) Texas Regional Institute of Environmental Studies, 8) Institute for
Environmental and Industrial Science, and the 9) Great Lakes Small Companies
Technology.
• (+$.930,0.00) In 1999, EPA is launching an initiative to address problems
associated with persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutants (PBTs),,
which cause adverse 'health effects in unborn children and sensitive
populations, such as the urban poor, tribes, and some ethnic groups.
Research will be in collaboration with, the private sector and other
stakeholders to reduce those PBTs that pose the greatest risk to human
health and the environment.
• (+$.2,000,000) An increase in AMI in 1999 will support three additional
demonstration projects, selected in response to the measurement and
monitoring needs identified and prioritized in 1998. The increase also
reflects additional efforts in the STAR program and .directly support
research and development of new and promising monitoring and measurement
technologies.
« EPA will increase its efforts associated with• the technology for
Sustainable Environment .grants program. The program supports research in
Green Chemistry, novel engineering for preventing or reducing pollution
from industrial manufacturing and processing activities, and measurement
and assessment techniques for pollution prevention.
• (+3.4 workyears) Additionally, this request includes 3.4 work years for
postdoctoral scientists and engineers to enhance the intramural research
program. These 3-year term appointments will provide a constant stream of
highly-trained postdoctoral candidates who can apply state-of-the-science
training to EPA issues.
• (-$2,400,000) As stated in the ETV Strategy sent to Congress in February
1997, ETV begins a gradual decline- in Federal funding. The reduction of
$2,400,000 to the Environmental Technology Verification Program (ETV) will
VI11-5.3
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mostly affect the newer ETV pilots. ETV currently operates twelve pilots
that are in various stages of the verification process. The reduction
will remove funds only from pilots that are in the organizational phase
and will be the least affected by the reduction. These pilots do not have
the same requirements as the other six pilots that are further along in
the verification process. Reducing ETV will lower the number of
technologies verified in out years by a small percentage.
(-$506,500) Advancements in technologies and methodologies which prevent
pollution will be delayed due to this reduction. Efforts to introduce new
pollution prevention approaches will be stretched out into future years
and the use of these new technologies to prevent air, water, and waste
pollution will not proceed as quickly.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Computerized tool to assist
industry with the replacement of
industrial solvents will be beta
tested and commercially available.
Produce a standard test method
which can be used to measure
emissions from office equipment
and provide results from an
evaluation which used this method
to estimate emissions from dry-
process photocopiers.
Establish a bench level proof of
principle for alternative
oxidation process.
Produce 12 verification pilots
that will be operational.for major
environmental technology sectors.
Prepare critical review of sources
of cost information for Superfund
remediation for submission to a
per-reviewed journal.
Develop computerized algorithm for
waste reduction including costs
and impact analysis developed for
commercial availability.
Complete prototype decision
support software for alternative
municipal solid waste management
options.
09/30/9B
09/30/98
09/30/98
09/30/98
09/30/98
09/30/99
09/30/99
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Computerized tool to assist 09/30/98
industry with the replacement of
industrial solvents will be beta
tested and commercially available.
Complete new emissions model which 09/30/99
can be used to predict indoor
emissions of volatile organic
compounds from solvent based
paints and coatings based on
formulation data.
Implement one or more new 09/30/99
measurement technologies.
Complete parallel algorithms for 09/30/99
aerosol dynamics.
Provide verification data on 50 or 09/30/99
more technologies.
Conclusion
In order to achieve this objective, EPA will develop tools and methods to
scientifically and systematically "assist in the assessment and design of
preferred pollution prevention options. EPA will target a number of economic
sectors where research and development is needed on pollution prevention
technologies and approaches, aiming to facilitate integration of pollution
prevention into regulatory decision-making for specific industries and
situations, and pursuing development of generic technologies applicable across
a number of industries and pollution problems.
Partnerships with other public (Federal, state and community) and private
organizations will advance the development of pollution prevention approaches and
engage in state-of-the-art electronic delivery of research information and
products related to pollution prevention. New approaches to link quantitative
risk assessment with risk management analysis will critically examine the
effectiveness of pollution prevention alternatives and the potential impacts of
using those alternatives early when addressing emerging human health or
environmental problems. Additional research will develop baseline information
on economic, social and behavioral reasons which lead individuals and
' organizations to use pollution prevention approaches as opposed to other risk
management alternatives.
EPA will develop methods for measuring, monitoring, and communicating real-
time information about major exposure routes and processes. Advanced monitoring
technologies will be evaluated and predictive models will be refined to estimate
the extent and magnitude of human and ecosystem exposures to stressors.
Increased computational capacity and efficiency will enhance the credibility of
the predictive models. 'Real-time exposure data, advanced monitoring information
systems, and predictive models will be integrated to enhance overall exposure
characterizations.
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Achievement of this objective will also develop capability to provide
objective and authoritative information on the cost-effectiveness of
environmental technologies and risk management methods. This information will
be used to provide critical support to EPA's Programs and Regions for
environmental cost-effectiveness analysis and to develop appropriate links to
benefit/cost analysis throughout the Agency.
Performance Measure Verification and Validation
EPA has several strategies to validate and verify performance measures in
the area of environmental science and research. The Agency has implemented a
risk-based research planning process to use risk assessment and risk management
as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA conducts annual research program
reviews to both evaluate the status and accomplishments of its research and
determine planning priorities. To better draw upon the expertise of the
environmental academic community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) program of peer-reviewed, mission-driven extramural grants; the Agency is
working with various professional societies to identify research needs.
Chief among the Agency's validation and verification mechanisms is a
rigorous peer review process. In a July 1997 memorandum, EPA's Deputy
Administrator states that peer review will be expanded "to include both the major
work products provided in the past and...all scientific 'and technical products
supporting Agency decisions..." This expanded and strengthened focus on peer
review -will help ensure that the performance measures listed here are verified
and validated by external organizations. The Agency utilizes peer review
throughout the research planning and implementation process, both to ensure that
planned research addresses critical knowledge issues within EPA's mission, and
to assess the quality of scientific research plans, products, and proposals.
This is accomplished through the use of independent entities such as the Science
Advisory Board (SAB) and the Board of Scientific Councilors (BOSC). The BOSC,
established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will even examine the way
the Agency uses peer review, as well as the management of its research and
development laboratories.
EPA's external research program undergoes extensive peer review. Proposals
from .the external scientific community are peer-reviewed and projects are then
selected for funding through grants or cooperative agreements. In addition,
Requests for Applications (RFAs) under the STAR program are often developed
jointly with outside partners such as the National Science Foundation. In this
way, EPA has developed a mechanism by which to check the quality and relevance
of its research program.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective #5: Enable Research on Innovative Approaches to Current and Future
Environmental Problems.
Provide services and capabilities, including appropriate equipment,
expertise, and intramural support necessary to enable ORD to research innovative
approaches to current and future environmental problems and improve tinderstanding
of environmental risks.
Overview
Sound management principles, fiscal accountability, quality customer
service, rational policy guidance and careful stewardship of our resources are
fundamental to the implementation of a strong science and engineering program at
EPA. It is critical the EPA scientist, engineers and operational staff ha.ve the
necessary support to accomplish the science mission of the Agency. The
effectiveness of the support provided in this objective is integral to the
achievement of numerous agency goals supported by this objective beyond Sound
Science as well: Clean Air; Clean and Safe Water; Decreased Pollution in
Communities, Homes, Workplaces and Ecosystems; Better Waste Management and
Restoration of Abandoned Waste Sites,- Reduction of Global and Cross-border
Environmental Risks; and Expansion of Americans' Right to .Know About their
Environment.
The support required to accomplish the science mission of the Agency
includes necessary infrastructure, operating expenses and other operational
resources, which provide facilities and other support to the overall science and
technology program at EPA. These staff support activities include program
review, health and safety, resource planning and execution, administrative,
financial contract and grant management, equipment and facilities maintenance and
automated data processing (ADP).
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 05 Enable Research on $120,875.0 $86,927.7 $88,745.5
Innovative Approaches to
Current and Future
Environmental Problems
Science and Technology $116,671.5 $85,013.4 $86,614.3
Leaking Underground Storage $6.5 ' $6.5 $6.5
Tanks
Oil Spill Response $2.1 $2.1 $2.1
Hazardous Substance Superfund $4,194.9 $1,905.7 $2,122.6
Total FTE 449.1 89.6 97.3
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• In FY 1999, to ensure adequate support staff and resources to support
implementation of a strong and vigorous science and engineering program at
EPA.
The Agency plans to support its research and development workforce through
such means as operating expenses and other .intramural costs. These operating
expense resources 'are for operational expense's pertaining to scientific and
technical equipment, automated data processing support and services, Agency-wide
data systems, facilities operating expenses, facilities repair and improvement
projects lander $75,000, human resources development training, training for
scientists and engineers, administrative printing and reproduction, and various
other miscellaneous support services.
Producing sound science requires an operations support staff. This staff
is .necessary to implement the Agency's research program. Staff support
activities include program review, resource planning and execution,
administrative, and financial contract and grant management, equipment and
facilities management and automated data processing (ADP)'.
The Agency will use these resources to fund data processing services. Data
•processing and telecornmunication services are classified into four cost centers,-
Enterprise Computing Services, Desktop Computing/Telecommunications Services,
Technical Support and Consulting Services, and Headquarters-Only Services.
Resources will provide the program's share of depreciation of capital assets,
increased service costs, additional mainframe capacity, investments in network
services, and investments in technical consulting services.
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1998 Annual Performance Goals
• In FY 1998, to ensure adequate support staff and resources to support
implementation of a strong and vigorous science and engineering program at
EPA.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
05 Obj . Total Change
Science and Technology
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Oil Spill Response
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$1,817,8
$1,600.9
$0.0
$0.0
$216.9
7.7
7.1
0.0
0.0
0.6
(+$599,600 S&T, +$216,900 SF) A marginal increase in operation expenses to
support scientific and technical equipment needs as well as support for
EPA's new Postdoctoral program.
Key Performance 'Measures 1998 1999
Perform an annual review of 9/30/98 9/30/99
programs and activities to
identify Presidential Material
Weaknesses under the Federal
managers' Financial Integrity Act
(FMFIA). In prior years,
resources associated with this
objective were identified as
Presidential Material Weaknesses,
further underscoring the
importance of these resources to
our program. Past examples
include inadequate funding for
operating expenses, capital
equipment, and supplies. Given
this past vulnerability,
continued vigilance and review in
this area are a high priority for
our research program managers.
Conclusion
. The resources in this objective are critical to the strong management
support of our science mission.. The"se resources provide EPA scientist.
VIII-59
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engineers, and technicians with the necessary infrastructure to support research
and development across the various goals.
Performance Measure Verification and Validation
The Agency has attempted to develop measures which adequately reflect
program goals and objectives. These measures emphasize quantifiable aspects of
the program processes, incorporating realistic program outputs and outcomes. The
Agency recognizes the importance of verifying the validity of performance
measures and indicators. Consequently, efforts are planned and currently
underway to ensure that these measures accurately reflect and support our
assumptions.
The Office of Research and Development uses management reviews,
organizational surveys, skip level meetings and etc... to evaluate the adequacy
of resources and the success of the program in utilizing resources to accomplish
the research and development mission throughout the various Agency goals.
The Office of Research and Development Management Information System (OMIS)
will be another accountability tool used to verify and validate performance
measures. The recently developed GPRA structure will be incorporated into OMIS
to ensure consistent maintenance and reporting, resulting in greater accuracy and
consistency of information to users.
Statutory Authority
Does not apply to this objective.
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective f6: Increase Use of Integrated, Holistic, Partnership Approaches
By 2'005, EPA will increase the number of places using integrated, holistic
partnership approaches, such as community-based environmental protection (CBEP) ,
and quantify their tangible and sustainable environmental results in places where
EPA is directly involved.
Qveirv'i.ew
Community Based Environmental Protection (CBEP), with a request of
$4,603,100, is a main tenet of the Agency's strategy for "reinventing" its
approach to environmental protection by addressing environmental problems
holistically. CBEP is a multimedia approach that furthers the identification of
environmental problems, sets priorities and forges solutions through an open and
inclusive process driven by places and people who live in them. The program
integrates environmental protection with human needs, considers long-term
ecosystem health, and fosters linkages between prosperity and environmental well-
being. •' CBEP encourages communities to create their vision of environmental
health and quality of life and to encourage human activity compatible with that
vision. The Agency will also implement CBEP in specific communities where risk
to human health is considered .high. CBEP fosters capacity building for Regions,
states and local communities and promotes entities to implement innovative,
cross-cutting approaches in high priority areas.
The Regional Geographic Initiatives (RGI), with a request of $12,045,000,
further CBEP-'s aim by providing resources to projects, identified as a high
priority by an EPA Region, state or locality that pose a high human or ecosystem
risk and have significant potential for risk reduction. RGI projects are
different from other traditional EPA activities in that they are designed for
particular places, in response to Regional comparative environmental risk
assessments and other Regional environmental problems. The projects are tailored
to: 1) implement Regionally unique multi-media geographic solutions using
integrated, holistic partnership approaches to 'air, water, toxics, community
involvement, and living resource protection, and 2) promote state-of-the-art
environmental management and serve to illustrate EPA's transition from a single-
media to a multi-media focus, based on consensus-building, science and risk.
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
pbj. 06 Increase Use of
Integrated, Holistic,
Partnership Approaches
Environmental Program &
Management
Total FTE
$18,049.3 $19,386.3 $16,810.5
$18,049.3 $19,386.3 $16,810.5
35.7
37.6
36.7
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• The Agency will implement CBEP strategy in 10 priority places that are
exceptional risk.
• Document and assess the progress, accomplishments, and effectiveness of
completed Regional Geographic Initiatives.
For 1998, the program's emphasis on developing a baseline of information,
infrastructure, and policy for CBEP will lay the groundwork for the Agency's
coordinated work in this cross-cutting strategic approach. Headquarters will
provide leadership as a change agent for CBEP work within EPA by coordinating
CBEP policy and planning, and improve local practitioners' ability to implement
CBEP through EPA's capacity-building work (tools, clearinghouse, etc.).
The CBEP framework will provide staff and management with a clearer
guidance on how to apply CBEP with the Agency's programs and policies.
Activities in 1999 will strengthen the analytical and scientific bases for CBEP
in several cross-media areas such as ecology, economics, socio-cultural aspects,
goal setting, indicators, etc. There will also be an emphasis on building
partnerships with other entities, such as national associations and agencies, to
advocate the CBEP approach and to learn from their CBEP experience.
Assessment of EPA's implementation of the CBEP approach will be another area
of the program's focus in 1999, providing a feedback loop to -EPA senior
management. The Agency will foster implementation of CBEP with its partners at
the federal, state and local levels, and will work directly with high priority
places to carry out the CBEP approach..
EPA Regional offices will continue to implement state-of-the-art, multi-
media, geographic-based solutions to specific priority environmental problems in
1999. Ongoing RGI projects and other efforts are scheduled to be completed in
1999 and new projects are expected to be started. The Agency plans to document
and assess the progress, accomplishments, and effectiveness of'the RGI.
1998 AnnualPerformance Goals
• The Agency will begin to identify priority places that face exceptional
environmental risk.
VIlI-62
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Document and assess the progress, accomplishments, and effectiveness of
completed regional geographic initiatives.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars
FTE
06 Obj. Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
$(2,575.8)
$(2,575.8)
(0.9)
(0.9)
(-$2,000,000 EPM) decrease to the 1998 Enacted budget level due to a
Congressional Add-on received for the Highland, California Environmental
Education Center during the appropriations process, but not part of the
1999 President's Request.
(-$709,700 EPM) will be reduced from the Regional Geographic
Initiatives.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Implement CBEP strategy
Identify priority places
Annual Regional Geographic
Initiative Report
Implement in
09/30/98
10 places
1 Report
10 places
10 places
1 Report
Conclusion
The work performed under this objective is a key piece of EPA's overall
effort in CBEP. The CBEP approach represents a major shift in the way EPA does
business: from the current, primarily single-media regulatory approach, to a
multi-media, .holistic, place-focused approach that considers a broad range of
environmental issues, as well as related economic and social issues leading to
sustainability. The achievement of annual performance goals will move the Agency
towards a community place-based, holistic approach to environmental protection.
Moreover, the regional geographic initiative provides multi-media funding so that
EPA Regions may have maximum flexibility in tackling unique environmental
problems that are not- adequately addressed by large national environmental
programs.
. EPA's goal in this program is to help states, local governments, and
communities protect and restore the environment by building capacity at the local
level in order to provide :sustainability beyond EPA involvement.. CB.EP's purpose
is to achieve environmental protection by distributing the responsibility evenly
across environmental, community, and economic interests and across all levels of
the government and the private sector. EPA's place-based environmental
protection approach tailors environmental programs to address problems of a
VIII-63
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particular locality, watershed, ecosystem, or other area. Place-based
initiatives are designed to achieve environmental protection by addressing high
risks to human health or ecosystems, maximize the use of scarce resources, foster
local cooperation, and consider the economic well-being of communities. The
achievement of objective depends on adoption and implementation of CBEP policies
and guidance by Regional, state, and local communities.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Regions will identify priority places for implementation of CBEB
approaches, delivery of tools and technical assistance. In 1999, the CBEB
strategy will be implemented in 10 priority places nationally.
Statutory Authority
The Economy Act of 1932
The National Environmental Policy Act
CWA Title I (33 U.S.C, 1251-1271)
Multi-media
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective #7: Increase Opportunities for Sector Based Approaches
By 2005, EPA will increase the number of opportunities for and applications
of sectors-based approaches to environmental management by 150 percent over 1996
levels.
Overview
Project XL, with a request of $2,664,100, was created in March 1995 as part
of President Clinton's Reinventing' Environmental Regulations. Under this
initiative, projects will provide regulated entities and other stakeholders with
the opportunity to develop and implement alternative environmental management
strategies that achieve superior environmental performance in lieu of otherwise
applicable rules and regulations. This objective also supports the Agency's
commitment to pursue common sense approaches and sector-based environmental
management. The Agency has called the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) the
centerpiece of a new generation of environmental protection. EPA's sustainable
industry programs provide a strong foundation for the Common Sense Initiative and
other programs similar in orientation and direction.
In the process o.f developing sectoral approaches,, EPA has added greatly to
the set of tools it uses to effectively and efficiently deliver environmental
quality, promote pollution prevention, and increase risk reduction. While EPA
continues to rely on standard setting, permitting and enforcement, these
traditional tools are now often augmented by compliance assurance, voluntary
programs, stakeholder involvement and many new sector based processes. Further,
many of the emerging environmental issues are simply not subject to or amenable
to traditional regulatory approaches (e.g. commuter choices for transportation).
Sector strategies, with a total request of $4,28:9,30Q, complement current
EPA activities by allowing the Agency to approach issues more holis.tically, with
integrated strategies for each sector; tailor efforts to the particular
characteristics of each sector; identify related groups of stakeholders with
interest in a set of issues; link EPA's efforts with those of other agencies; and
craft new approaches to environmental protection. Sector strategy groups relate
sets of economic activities together as a basis for solving environmental
problems which affords EPA the opportunity to examine an industry or sector of
the economy holistically. Sustainable industry programs serve as incubators and
developers of innovative approaches to environmental policy making, testing
alternative regulatory and programmatic approaches through regional projects, and
multi-stakeholder processes. Sustainable industry approaches will offer valuable
supplements to traditional environmental policy and may become the predominant
means for environmental protection in the 21st century.
EPA has made progress in reinventing its programs in recent years. It
continues to be critical for EPA to reform the environmental regulatory system,
VIII-65
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to achieve better results at less cost, and without sacrificing public health or
environmental protections. In order to have a consistent fo.cus on these efforts
and to achieve effective results across the entire Agency, the Administrator
created, in 1998, a new Office of Reinvention within the Office of the
Administrator. The new Office of Reinvention consolidated the full range of
Agency reinvention efforts within one office. It oversees Agency-wide
initiatives such .as the Common Sense Initiative and Project XL. The Office has
primary responsibility for meeting the commitments in the March 1995 Reinvention
Environmental Regulation report issued by President Clinton and Vice President
Gore. The new organization is available to assist regulated entities in seeking
innovative and flexible ways to meet strong environmental standards, and will
cooperate with the new Center for Environmental Information and Statistics to
meet the Agency's burden reduction goals.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 07 Increase Opportunities $10,342.7 $16,478.4 $11,496.8
for Sector Based Approaches
Environmental Program & $10,342.7 $16,478.4 $11,461.8
Management
Hazardous Substance Superfund $0.0 $0.0 $35.0
Total FTE 79.7 100.7 100.7 • )
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• Achieve approved environmental protection through sector based strategies.
• Initiate three sector based initiatives.
• By the of 1999 a total of 50 Project XL projects will be in development or
implemented, an increase of 15 over 1998.
• Adopt and implement CSI Council recommendations.
Meeting the 1999 annual performance goals will move the Agency towards
meeting the objective of developing new approaches to environmental management
and greater innovation in dealing with environmental problems. The Agency
proposes to expand its Sustainable Industry Program in FY 1999 beyond the six
industry sectors established in FJ 1997-1998, by adding three additional small
business-oriented industry sectors. Sustainable Industry selects, develops, and
implements industrial sector-based policies, programs, and reforms. The Program
has shown considerable success in sectors already underway, most notably the
Metal Finishing Sector. The Agency also has used the Sustainable Industry sector
"life-span" process successfully with other small business industries that are
not a part of CSi, such as the Batch Chemical Manufacturing Sector, the Photo
Imaging Sector, and the Thermoset Plastics Sector,
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Sustainable Industry sectors feed easily into larger Agency initiatives such
as C.SI and Project XL, because they benefit from a strong foundation of
analytical insight, stakeholder support, and project testing.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
.« Develop a pipeline for evaluating, developing, supporting and maintaining
a constant flow of sector-based initiatives for broad sectors of the
economy as well as narrow industrial sectors.
• Achieve approved environmental protection through sector .based strategies.
•• By the end of 1998 a total of 35 project XL projects will be in development
or implemented.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars
FTE
07 Obj. Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$(4,981.6)
$(5,016.6)
$35.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
(-$4,975,900 EPM) The 1999 request is below the 1998 Enacted budget level
due to a Congressional Add-on received during the appropriations process,
but not part of the 1999 President's Request.
Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Add sector based 3 sectors
initiatives
Add industrial sector 2 Partners
initiatives
Distribute tools to users 25 users
Implement proposals to
improve regulatory
flexibility
Adopt and implement CSI
Council recommendations
Complete XL project
agreements
Implement by 09/30/98
Adoption by 09/30/98
35 projects
cumulative
2 sectors
4 Partners
100 users
1 proposal
Implementation by
09/30/99
50 projects
cumulative
VIII-67
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Conclusion
EPA demonstrates four years of progress in this collaborative approach to
environmental protection. Many projects are based on the premise that
environmental policies in the next century must be developed from a thorough
understanding of the complex set of corporate traits and decision making factors
that are unique to individual industries, types of companies, or sectors.
Stakeholder involvement in concert with the leveraging of resources as well as
information on environmental and economic trends, drivers, barriers and leverage
points have yielded new Agency policies, programs and demonstration projects.
Efforts have led to new partnerships with industries, state and local
governments, and cultivated our relationships with other federal agencies,
fostering systemic and technological changes. Looking past the year 2000, these
activities will collectively yield a cultural change within, the Agency.
Sustainable industries will provide a constant "pipeline" of sectors .at different
stages of development.. Some sectors will be setting goals and objectives while
others will be in the midst of projects which test new ideas. Still others will
be evaluating successes and failures while some are in a maintenance phase.
Success in moving toward a more sector's based approach is clearly dependent upon
the Agency's commitment to the establishment of environmentally sustainable
industries.
Key.Performance Measures Verification
Performance targets for CSI -will be verified by actual completion of each
phase of CSI, development of national performance goals, and plans for
implementation of lessons learned from the Metal Finishing Sector. Selection of
additional sectors will validate expansion of sustainable industries program.
Statutory Authority
National Environmental Policy Act
.The Economy Act of 1932
TSCA sections 4, 5, and 6 (1.5 U-S.C. 2603, 2604, and 2605}
PPA (42 U.S.G. 13101-13109)
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to OMB
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective #8: Regional Enhancement of Ability to Quantify Environment
By 2005, Regions will have demonstrated capability to monitor and measure
environmental conditions in their Regions, compare the relative risk of health
and ecological problems, and assess the environmental effectiveness of management
actions in priority geographic areas.
Overview
The major activities within this objective are supplying field, analytical,
technical, quality assurance and data management support to base program needs;
developing and sharing new source sampling and analytical approaches; and
converting environmental data into useful decision-making information. The total
requested for this objective is $7,995,100 and 5 work years.
The Regional Science and Technology program functions are involved in
monitoring environmental data, responding to environmental emergencies, sample
collection, transport, laboratory analysis, and data review and evaluation.
Scientific and technical services provided-will include: improved state-of-the-
art sampling, analysis and assessment methods,- establishing networks with
private, .state, and .academic institutions; ecosystem and pollutant modeling
capabilities; as well as field investigations, quality assurance, and Geographic
Information Systems.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud1998 Enacted1999 Pres.Bud
Obj. 08 Regional Enhancement of $6,306.5 $5,969.0 $7,995.1
Ability to Quantify
Environmental Outcomes
Environmental Program & $2,925.8 $2,912.3 $4,613.7
Management
Hazardous Substance Superfund $3,380.7 $3,056.7 $3,381.4
Total FTE 4'.6 4.6 4.6
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• Upgrade regional scientific equipment and access to external peer review
services.
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The Regional Science and Technology programs will continue to supply field,
analytical, technical, and data management support to base program needs
operating within the Regions in 1999. Serious top-priority environmental
problems will be identified and risk-reduction solutions developed by the
Regions. The advanced field technology for the Regions and technology transfer
to the states will enable field components, within all ten EPA Regions, to make
"real time" decisions in field studies supporting assessments of human health and
environmental risk. The Regions will procure external peer review services and
enhance the science behind Regional geographic and site-specific projects.
1998 Annual PerformanceGoals
• Upgrade regional scientific equipment.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
08 Obj. Total Change $2,026.1 0.0
Environmental Program. & Management $1,701.4 0.0
Hazardous Substance Superfund $324.7 0.0
(+$1,701,400 EPM) Increase support for the acquisition of advanced field
technology for the Regions to enable field components within all ten EPA
Regions to make "real time" decisions in field studies supporting
assessments of human health and environmental risk. Regions will, in
turn, pass information concerning application of advanced field technology
to the states. Regions will procure external peer review services and
enhance the science behind Regional geographic and site-specific projects.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Scientific Equipment 100% inventory 100% inventory
and assessment and assessment
Conclusion
The Regional Science and Technology Programs will continue to support
national programs, including field, analytical, technical, quality assurance and
data management support. This support will include increased participation in
Regional geographic and site-specific projects and the-ability to quantify
environmental results. Development of data and information management systems
to allow access and sharing of environmental data among various federal, state,
and local entities will continue. Advanced technology will be applied to field
VIII-70
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measurements to support "real time" decisions in field studies assessing human
health and environmental risk across all ten Regions. Increased access to
external peer review services will further enhance the quality and recognition
of the scientific underpinnings of Regional decision-making.
KeyPerformance Measure Verification
Regional scientific equipment inventory will be maintained. Annual
assessment will be made to determine Regional needs to further upgrades and new
technologies.
Statutory Authority
Multi-media
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to OMB
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective #9: Science Advisory Board Peer Review
Conduct peer reviews and provide guidance on the .science underlying Agency
decisions.
Overview
The Science Advisory Board (SAB), with a request of $2,586,700 and 22.3
total workyears, provides independent expert advice to Congress, the
Administrator, and the Agency on scientific and engineering issues that serve as
the underpinnings for Agency regulatory decision making. Congress established
the SAB in 1978 and gave it a broad mandate to advise the Agency on technical
matters. The SAB'.s 100 members and more than 300 consultants include .scientists,
engineers, and other specialists drawn from a broad range of disciplines --
physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, engineering, ecology, economics,
medicine, and other fields. The men and women of the SAB come from a variety of
organizations doing scientific work -- academia, industry, and independent
laboratories. The variety of backgrounds in this diverse and technically well-
qualified group helps to ensure a balanced range of outside views on the Board.
Each year, the Administrator and EPA program offices nominate numerous
issues to the SAB for peer review. The SAB selects at least 30 of these issues
for review each year, culminating in reports that help the Agency make better use
o.f science in its decision-making process. The approximately 30 other issues
that are not selected for review can be nominated again the following year. The
SAB's broad, objective review of important .scientific and technical issues
promotes sound science within the Agency's scientific and technical programs.
In addition to peer reviews, the SAB is occasionally tasked with conducting
major studies (e.g., the 1995 "Beyond the Horizon" report which discusses the
importance of employing methods to anticipate environmental risks that might
emerge over the next 20 years). The timing of these studies is not predictable.
Major studies typically take multiple years to complete, and are extremely
resource intensive. For example, during the past two years, the SAB has been
conducting the Integrated Risk Project, a major study on ranking relative
environmental risks.
During years in which the SAB is not involved in a major study, the Board
is able to"dedicate more resources to peer reviews, and may complete up to 40
peer review reports.
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj
. 09 Science Advisory Board
Peer Review
Environmental Program &
Management
Total FTE
$2,418.
$2,418.
2.2.
3
3
5
$2,415.
$2,415.
22.
8
8
5
$2 , 586
$2,586
22
.7
.7
.5
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• The SAB will complete peer review reports within 4 months
• The SAB will conduct meeting and prepare reports
The SAB will peer review at least 30 issues. The SAB's long-term goal for
the year 2005 is 'to complete 75% of its peer review reports within four months
after the final peer review meeting is held. In 1999, we will hold 40 meetings
and produce 30 reports. The results of SAB peer reviews 'will help the Agency
make better use of science in its decision-making processes.
1998 .Annual Performance Goals
* The SAB will complete peer review reports • within 4 months
• The SAB will conduct meetings and prepare reports
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
09 Obj. Total Change $170.9
Environmental Program & Management $170.9
• Total payroll and travel costs for this objective will increase by
$170,900 to reflect increased workforce costs,
Key Performance .Measures 1998 1999
Report Time to Completion 40% in 4 months 50% in 4 months
Number of Reports 30 30
VI.II-73
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Conclusion
Congress established the SAB and gave it a broad mandate to advise the
Agency on technical matters. The Board consists of independent experts who
provide advice ,on scientific, economic, and engineering issues. For the most
part, the SAB^'s agenda is set by specific requests from EPA and by
recommendations of the members themselves. Some of the Board's activities are
specified in various environmental laws. For example, the Clean Air Act and the
Safe Drinking Water Act direct that the SAB review technical support documents
upon which EPA regulatory actions will be based. On occasion, Congress or the
Administrator asks for a special review by the Board (e.g., the Integrated Risk
Project). These special • reviews are unpredictable in timing and are very
resource intensive. Therefore, during a year when the Board is involved in a
special review, it is not able to conduct as many peer reviews as usual.
The Board's principal mission includes:
» Reviewing the quality and relevance of information being used or proposed
as the basis for Agency regulations.
• Reviewing research programs and the technical basis of applied programs.
• Reviewing generic approaches to regulatory science, including guidelines
governing the use of scientific information in regulatory decisions, and
critiquing such analytic methods as mathematical modeling.
• Advising the Agency on broad strategic matters in science and technology.
• Advising the Agency on emergency and other short-notice programs.
The variety of backgrounds found in the diverse and technically well-
qualif ied members and consultants of the SAB helps to ensure a balanced range of
dutside views in the Board's peer review products.
As an independent science advisory board, the SAB's value derives from its
independent, publicly stated support for the proper use of science by EPA, as
well as its independent, publicly stated concern over apparent deficiencies in
the Agency's use of science. An additional, but harder to quantify, value
provided by the SAB is that its findings assist-not only EPA, but also other
government and non-government organizations. The SAB will qualitatively document
its successes in this regard.
Key Performance Measures Verification
The SAB will maintain records on report time to completion and will
summarize its findings at the end of each fiscal year.
Statutory Authority
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)
VIII-74
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective #10: Improve the Agency's Core Business Practices
Incorporate innovative approaches to environmental management into EPA
programs, so that EPA and external partners achieve greater and more cost-
effective public health and environmental protection.
Overview
In 1998, the Administrator established a new Office of Reinvention within
the Office of the Administrator. The new office consolidated the full range of
Agency reinvention efforts within one office. The Office of Reinvention will
serve as .an important gateway for stakeholders/customers to interact with EPA on
reinvention. The office will build relationships needed to make reinvention
successful, broker participation in reinvention programs, and amass ideas on new
approaches to the way EPA does business.. The 1999 President's Budget request for
the Regulatory reinvention effort within the Office of the Administrator is
$4,334,100 and 20.0 total workyears.
The Office of Reinvention will track and measure reinvention progress and
ensure that reinvention activities are evaluated. The evaluation will look at
both what's working and what's not working, focusing on a wide range of criteria,
including: meeting goals and objectives, achieving environmental results more
efficiently and effectively, better serving customers and stakeholders, improving
the management of programs and resources, and fulfilling statutory mandates.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 .Pres Bud
Obj, 10 Incorporate Innovative
Approaches to Environmental
Management
Environmental Program &
Management
Total FTE
$6,161.0
$6,161.0
20.0
$4,334.1
$4,334.1
20.0
1999 Annual Performance Goals
* Implement proposals to improve regulatory flexibility.
VIII-75
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The Office of Reinvention will promote innovation within EPA to achieve
greater and more cost-effective public health and environmental protection. The
office's principal functions include:
• Serving as the primary gateway for stakeholders/customers to interact with
EPA on reinvention. This will be accomplished by building relationships
needed to make reinvention successful; brokering' participation in
reinvention programs inside and outside EPA; and gathering ideas on new
approaches to the way EPA does business.
• Defining the vision, strategy, ground rules, and principles for reinvention
by engaging stakeholders (e.g., EPA leadership, .management, and staff;
Congress,- organizations,- industry; and other external groups) .
« Ensuring new approaches are identified, designed and piloted by fostering
program-specific approaches in other EPA offices.
• 'Ensuring new approaches are identified, designed, and piloted by managing
Agency-wide approaches within the Office of Reinvention.
• Integrating and coordinating new approaches across the Agency into a
coherent strategy for change by:
• Setting priorities across reinvention activities.
• Coordinating reinvention activities in headquarters and regional
offices.
• Ensuring consistency/fostering synergy across reinvention activities .
• Establishing communication networks for reinvention activities.
• ' Tracking progress and evaluating 'Success;
• Tracking reinvention commitments.
• Evaluating new approaches, soliciting/collecting lessons learned
(both what has worked' and what hasn't) ,
• Measuring reinvention progress, sharing the results, and ensuring
results are used in making improvements.
• Ensuring that successful new approaches are incorporated into the way EPA
does business by promoting reinvention and building reinvention capacity
across the Agency.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• .Develop proposals to improve permitting, voluntary partnership/leadership
programs and regulatory flexibility.
VIII-16
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
10 Obj. Total Change $(1,826.9) 0.0
Environmental Program & Management $(1,826.9) 0.0
• (-$2,000,000 EPM)The 1999 request is $2,000,000 below the 1998 Enacted
budget level due to a Congressional Add-on received during the
appropriations process, but not part of the 1999 President's Request.
• (+$173,000 ,EPM)Total payroll, travel, and administrative expenses for this
objective will increase by $173,100 to reflect increased workforce costs.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Number of proposals developed 3 proposals
Number of proposals implemented 1 proposal
Conclusion
The Office of Reinvention will ensure reinvention progress is continuously
tracked, measured, and evaluated within the office itself, within other Agency
offices for their reinvention activities, and across EPA. The office will
communicate the results and ensure that action is taken within the Agency (e.g.,
changing direction where needed and adoption of new approaches) , based upon the
results.
Key Performance Measures .Verification
Records will be maintained on reinvention initiatives and changes to the
Agency's core busines.s practices. The results will be reported at the end of the
fiscal year.
Statutory Authority
Multi-media
VTII-77
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Goal 9: Credible Deterrent
-------
Goal 9: A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and Greater Compliance
with the Law IX-1
Enforcement Tools to Reduce Non-Corapliance IX-4
Increase Use of Auditing, Self-Policing Policies IX-11
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and Greater Compliance with the Law
Strategic Goal: EPA will ensure full compliance with laws intended to protect
public health and the environment.
Goal Summary
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 JPres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
A Credible Deterrent to Pollution $320,827.7 $315,828.2 $330,951.3
and Greater Compliance with
the Law
Obj. 01 Enforcement Tools to $275,311.8 $268,534.7 $281,743.1
Reduce Non-Compliance
Obj. 02 Increase Use of $45,515.9 $47,293.5 $49,208,2
Auditing, Self-Policing
Policies
Goal Total FTE: 2,538.3 2,537.8 -2,535,9
Protecting the public and -the environment from risks posed by violations of
environmental requirements is, and always has been, basic to EPA's mission. Many
of'America's environmental improvements over the last 25 years are attributable
to a strong set of environmental laws and an expectation of compliance with those
laws. EPA' s strong and aggressive enforcement program has been the centerpiece
of efforts to ensure compliance, and has achieved real and significant
improvements in public health and the environment. The Agency will continue to
aggressively punish violators and deter future violations, level the economic
playing field for law-abiding companies, and ensure that the price of goods and
services reflects true costs.
However, to meet the challenges presented by the continuing, serious, and
complex environmental problems and the changes in the types and scope of
activities and entities regulated, EPA must seek a broader range of solutions.
To this end, EPA is developing additional tools and capabilities for ensuring
compliance through assistance and incentives to the regulated community. By
ensuring compliance through an array of traditional and innovative approaches,
EPA is working to mitigate and avoid risks to human health and the environment.
The 1999 President's Budget requests $330,951,300 and 2535.9 workyears for
deterrence and compliance in this go.al, an increase of $15,123,100 and a decrease
of 1.9 workyears from 1998. These resources will support the use of enforcement
and compliance tools to ensure deterrence and compliance including inspections
IX-1
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to target violators, assistance to help the regulated community understand its
responsibilities, and incentives to make it economically beneficial to comply
with the law. EPA will also continue to provide technical assistance and grants
to states and Tribes to help them Build effective and well targeted compliance
and enforcement programs,. 'EPA will support international environmental
commitments, especially along U.S. borders, and work with other Federal agencies
to promote environmental protection abroad and encourage a level economic playing
field in an increasingly global trading system.
The resources requested in this budget will enable the Agency to meet a
number of important performance goals. The most significant of these are:
• Target high priority areas for enforcement and compliance assistance and
complete baseline data needed to measure changes in key indicators of
compliance- The Agency will identify five high priority areas and improve
3 of their data systems.
• Deter non-compliance by maintaining levels of field presence and
enforcement actions, particularly in high risk areas and/or where
populations are disproportionately exposed. In 1999, EPA will conduct
15,000 inspections and undertake 2,600 enforcement actions.
• Increase the regulated community's use of compliance incentives and their
understanding of, and ability to comply with, regulatory requirements. EPA
will offer 20 small entities relief under the Small Business Policy, an
increase of 100% over the 1998 levels, and obtain 400 self disclosures. The
Agency will also continue to operate 8 Compliance Assistance Centers, and
provide compliance assistance tools such as 7 sector notebooks and 4 sector
guides.
• Assist states and Tribes with their enforcement and compliance assurance
and incentive programs. EPA will provide specialized assistance and
training, including 100 courses, to state and tribal officials to enhance
the effectiveness of their programs.
• Review 100% of significant proposed Federal actions subject to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which require EPA follow-up to determine
their likely environmental effects and remedy 70%- of EPA'.s concerns with
these proposed actions.
HIGHLIGHTS:
TargetHigh Priority Areas for Enforcement:andCompliance Assistance
The 1999 President's Budget requests $281,743,100 and 2,055.6 workyears to
address the most significant environmental problems through improved targeting
of high-risk portions of the regulated community, and increased monitoring. The
foundation of this effort will be the completion by EPA's enforcement and
compliance assurance program of baseline data improvements that began in 1998,
the selection of the most appropriate compliance indicators and types of
facilities to be addressed, and the setting of challenging but realistic targets
for compliance.
IX-2
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ImproveCompliance by Providing Assistance andIncentivesto theRegulated
Community
The 1999 President's .Budget requests $49,208,200 and 480.3 workyears to
provide more sophisticated and targeted compliance assistance to the regulated
community using compliance baseline data developed for selected sectors, and the
Agency's analysis of the root causes of compliance problems. EPA will also
increase the regulated community's use of compliance incentives and programs by
10% over 1998 levels/ by encouraging communities to voluntarily discover,
disclose, and correct violations.
Assist States and Tribes withTheir Compliance Assurance and IncentivePrograms
Included in the 1999 President's Budget is $2,000,000 for Pesticides
Enforcement grants to help prevent future misuses of pesticides in communities
and workplaces. EPA also requests $500,000 to help states protect vulnerable
children from lead poisoning by increasing enforcement of the lead-based paint
provisions of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). A requested increase of
$100,000 will provide compliance assistance to Tribes.
IX-3
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and Greater Compliance with the Law
Objective #1: Enforcement Tools to Reduce Non-Compliance
Identify and reduce significant non-compliance in high priority program
areas, while maintaining a strong enforcement presence in all regulatory program
areas.
Overview
A strong and vital enforcement program is critical to the success of EPA's
environmental programs. By identifying and addressing violations of
environmental statutes and regulations, the enforcement program ensures
compliance with standards, permits and other requirements established by EPA to
mitigate and avoid environmental problems and the associated risks. A strong
enforcement program achieves environmental protection .by deterring potential
violators, bringing actual violators into compliance, rectifying damage to the
environment, and maintaining a level playing field by protecting companies that
comply with environmental retirements from being placed at an economic
disadvantage relative to those who do not. EPA's enforcement and compliance
responsibilities are outlined in the provisions of 15 environmental statutes and
seven international agreements.
EPA has a broad scope of responsibility and a large and diverse universe
of private, public and Federal facilities to regulate under the various statutes.
EPA will use the most appropriate approach -- whole facilities, industrial
sectors, geographic areas, or media-specific authorities --to ensure compliance
with environmental requirements and thus address environmental problems. EPA
uses inspections and civil and criminal enforcement actions to address a wide
range of environmental regulations. EPA maximizes its effectiveness by
strategically targeting its civil and criminal investigations and other
monitoring and enforcement activities to address the most significant risks to
human health and the environment and to address the disproportionate burden on
certain populations in keeping with its environmental justice responsibilities.
EPA relies to .-a large extent on the active involvement of all our partners and
a mix of tools to encourage appropriate behavior by the regulated community. EPA
supports the states in building effective and well-targeted compliance and
enforcement programs and uses prevention and deterrence as key criteria in
setting priorities and negotiating state grant programs. In addition to providing
specialized assistance and training, EPA will work with states to improve joint
planning and priority-setting processes and to better define and analyze results
of enforcement and compliance assurance efforts. Also, through implementation
of international commitments, particularly those with bordering countries, EPA
works with other Federal agencies to promote environmental protection abroad and
to ensure a level economic playing field in an increasingly global trading
system.
IX-4
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The Agency will use targeting tools for improving compliafi.ce including an
analysis of such information as base rates of significant noncompliance, repeat
violators, timely and appropriate enforcement actions, economic benefits
recovered, and pollution reduction in high risk areas. By 1999, EPA will use
information from risk models to target monitoring efforts. The Agency will also
complete baseline data for measuring changes in key indicators of compliance with
high priority regulations. EPA will use risk-based and related criteria,
including potential burden on specific populations, during program planning,
implementation and evaluation. EPA will consult with states on the portions of
the regulated program selected and the development of the baseline data. Ideas
'generated through EPA's National Performance Measures Strategy will be used to
assess the effectiveness of enforcement and compliance assurance efforts in
gaining compliance and attaining desired environmental results. Continued
improvements in the comprehensiveness and quality of information collected on the
environmental results of enforcement cases concluded will give EPA a clearer
picture of the relationship between enforcement efforts and environmental
results.
EPA also intends to increase the use of injunctiye relief provisions and
Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) to achieve environmental restoration
and cleanup. EPA has used SEPs to gain significant environmental benefits in
conjunction with the settlement of enforcement cases. The majority of the 266
SEPs finalized in 1997 addressed risks posed to humans in either a work-related
or non-occupational context (54%) or involved ecosystem protection (24%).
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 01 Enforcement Tools to
Reduce Non-Compliance
Environmental Program &
Management
Science and Technology
State and Tribal Assistance
Grants
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Total FTE:
$275,311.8 $268,534.7 $281,743.1
$185,047.7 $178,418.7 $189,300.0
$8,564.4
$65,698.5
$16,001.2
2,057.5
$8,116.8
$64,579.3
$17,419.9
2,052.5
$8,662.8
$67,079.3
$16,701.0
2,055.6
IX-.5
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1999 Annual PerformanceGoals
• Target high priority areas for enforcement and compliance assistance and
complete baseline data needed to measure changes in key indicators of
compliance. The Agency will identify five high priority areas and improve
3 of their data systems.
• Deter non-compliance by maintaining levels of field presence and
enforcement actions, particularly in high risk areas and/or where
populations are disproportionately exposed. In 1999, EPA will conduct
15,000 inspections and undertake 2,600 enforcement actions.
• Implement international commitments and U.S. Government priorities for
enforcement compliance cooperation with other countries, especially along
U.S. borders (Mexico and Canada).
• Assist states and Tribes with their enforcement and compliance assurance
and incentive programs. EPA will provide specialized assistance and
training, including 100 courses, to state and tribal officials to enhance
the effectiveness of their programs.
In 1999, the Agency will improve its ability to define high priority
segments of the regulated community, develop comprehensive baseline data on the
nature and extent of compliance problems in those portions of the regulated
community, and deter non-compliance by maintaining levels of field presence and
enforcement actions, particularly in high risk areas and/or where populations are
disproportionately exposed.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• Identify high priority areas for enforcement and compliance assistance and
begin development of baseline data to measure changes in compliance.
• Deter non-compliance by maintaining levels of field presence and
enforcement actions, particularly in high risk areas and/or where
populations are disproportionately exposed.
• Implement international commitments and U.S. Government priorities through
jointly-agreed upon annual workplans for enforcement and compliance
cooperation with other countries, especially along U.S. borders.
• Assist states and tribes with their enforcement and compliance programs.
IX-6
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
01
Obj . Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$13
$10
$2
,208
,881
$546
,500
$(718.
.4
.3
.0
.0
9)
3.
3.
0.
0.
1
1
0
0
(+3,1 FTE and +$250,000 EPM) Regional workyears shifted from Project XL
to support civil enforcement case development, settlement, and litigation.
(+$800,000 EPM) Reflects a partial restoration of reductions taken in
199.8 to the Regional programs that perform RCRA and Stationary Source
inspections and civil enforcement actions.
(+$400,000 EPM) Supports the Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic
Pollutant (PBT) Initiative for case development and enforcement targeting.
(+$100,000 EPM) Supports the Agency's tribal compliance assistance
efforts in the Regions.
(+$2,000,000 STAG) Pesticides state grants to support the prevention of
future misuses of pesticides in communities and workplaces, ,'
(+$500,000 STAG) Toxic state grants to enforce the lead provisions of
TSCA.
(+$9,148,700 EPM) Resources provided to support increased payroll-related
costs.
(+$540,000 S&T) Resources provided to support increased payroll-related
costs.
(-$707,000 SF) A reduction in systems development is due to the completion
of data systems enhancements.
IX-7
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Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Lab Integrity Inspections
Lab Integrity Audits
Import/Export Notifications
Multimedia Inspections - HQ
Multimedia Inspections - RT
Federal Facility Inspections
Mobile Sources Inspections
NPDES Inspections
UIC/PWSS Inspections
Stationary Source Inspections
FIFRA Inspections
TSCA Inspections
NPDES Civil Referrals
State Pesticides Inspections
State Toxics Inspections
Single Media Inspections •* FD
Multimedia inspections - FD
RCRA Inspections
Sector Inspections
Administrative Orders Issued
Administrative Cases Concluded
Civil Judicial Cases Concluded
Non-Penalty Actions
UIC/PWSS Civil Referrals
Stat. Source Civil Referrals
FIFRA Civil Referrals
Toxics Civil Referrals
RCRA Civil Referrals
NPDES APO Complaints
UIC/PWSS APO Complaints
Stat. Sources APO Complaints
FIFRA APO Complaints
Toxics APO Complaints
RCRA APO Complaints
NPDES Compliance Orders
UIC/PWSS Compliance Orders
Stat. Sources Compl. Orders
FIFRA Compliance Orders
RCRA Compliance Orders
Wetlands Compliance Orders
Criminal Cases Referred
Specialized Asst. & Training
Annual Wkplns under BorderXXI & CEC
High priority areas identified
Data systems improve. to capture
chgs to 98 base
86 Inspections 86 Inspections
230 Audits 230 Audits
2300 Notifications 2300 Notifications
15 Inspections 15 Inspections
120 Inspections 120 Inspections
28 Inspections 28 Inspections
2250 Inspections 2250 Inspections
2400 Inspections 2400 Inspections
5700 Inspections 5500 Inspections
2100 Inspections 2030 Inspections
125 Inspections 125 Inspections
1100 Inspections 1060 Inspections
50 Case Referrals 5.0 Case Referrals
53800 Inspections 60300 Inspections
1000 inspections 1000 inspections
14 Inspections 14 Inspections
15 Inspections 15 Inspections
1100 Inspections 1060 Inspections
390 Inspections
90 Admin.Orders 100 Admin.Orders
80 Admin.Cases 80 Admin.Cases
2 Civil Cases 3 Civil Cases
225 NONs/NOVs 250 NONs/NOVs
20 Case Referrals 20 Case Referrals
70 Case Referrals 70 Case Referrals
3 Case Referrals 3 Case Referrals
2 Case Referrals 2 Case Referrals
12 Case Referrals 13 Case Referrals
150 APO Complaints 150 APO Complaints
60 APO Complaints 60 APO Complaints
90 APO Complaints 90 APO Complaints
80 APO Complaints 80 APO Complaints
185 APO Complaints 185 APO Complaints
64 APO Complaints 72 APO Complaints
505 Compli.Orders 505 Compli.Orders
300 Compl.Orders 300 Compl.Orders
155 Compl.Orders 155 Compl.Orders
10 Compl.Orders 10 Compl.Orders
2 0 Compl.Orders 2 2 Compl.Orders
40 Compl.Orders 40 Compl.Orders
310 Cases 310 Cases
100 Courses
Agree. 2 Workplans 2 Workplans
5 Areas
3 Data System
IX -8
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Conclusion
In its commitment to enforcing compliance with environmental laws, EPA will
continue in its efforts to identify .and take action against environmental
violators, deter would-be violators, and ensure a level playing field so that
violators do not gain an unfair competitive advantage over law-abiding members
of the regulated community. EPA also will improve its effectiveness in
addressing the most significant environmental problems through improved targeting
of high-risk portions of the regulated community and increased monitoring. The
foundation of this effort will be the development of sound baseline data, the
selection of the most appropriate compliance indicators and types of facilities
to be regulated, and the setting of challenging but realistic targets for
compliance in 1999.
Key Performance Measures Verification
EPA's enforcement and compliance assurance data are contained in 14
database systems across the Agency. While specific data entry/quality control
practices may vary by individual system, each current system has been developed
in accordance with the Office Information Resources Management (OIRM) Life Cycle
Management Guidance which establishes the Agency's processes for development,
implementation and maintenance of the Agency's data systems throughout their life
cycle. The systems incorporate data validation processes and include internal
screen audit checks and verifications; development of detailed system and user
documentation (include training guides, data element dictionary, security plans);
data quality audit reports (available"to Regional and Headquarters staff); third
party testing protocols for system enhancements; and detailed report
specifications for showing how data are calculated.
EPA has prepared a Strategic and Tactical Automation Management Plan which
will significantly impact the quality and .reliability of nine of the Agency's
systems. This plan will integrate the Agency's enforcement and compliance
mission, priorities and goals into a comprehensive -strategy for improving
information management for the National Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
Program.
EPA is also developing and implementing detailed system specific .Quality
Management Plans for all systems it manages directly. These plans will include:
development of Data Quality Objectives (.establishing measurable criteria for data
quality); Quality Assurance Project Plans (to determine how QA activities will
be implemented through the system life cycle) ,- and Standard Operating Procedures
(to provide a consistent and routine process for assessing data quality
measurements).
IX-9
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Statutory Authority
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act sections 3007, 3008, 3013, and 7003 (42
U.S.C. 6927, 6928, 6934, 6973)
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act sections
106, 107, 109, and 122 (42 U.S.C. 9606, 9607, 9609, 9622)
Clean Water Act (CWA) sections 308, 309, and 311 (33 U.S.C. 1318, 1319, 1321)
Safe Drinking Water Act sections 1413, 1414, 1417, 1422, 1423, 1425, 1431, 1432,
1445 (42 U.S.C. 300g-2, 300g-3, 300g-6, 300h-l, 300h-2, 300h-4, 300i, 300i-l,
300J-4)
Clean Air Act sections 113, 114, and 303 (42 U.S.C. 7413, 7414, 7603)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) sections 11, 16, and 17 and TSCA Titles II
and IV (15 U.S.C. 2610, 2615, 2616, 2641-2656, 2681-2692)
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act sections 325 and 326 (42
U.S.C. 11045, 11046)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act sections 8, 9, 12, 13, and
14 (7 U.S.C. 136f, 136g, 136j, 136k, 1361)
Ocean Dumping Act sections 101, 104B, 105, and 107 (33 U.S.C. 1411, 1414B, 1415,
1417)
North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation
1983 La Paz Agreement on US/Mexico Border Region
IX-10
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and Greater Compliance with the Law
Objective #2: Promote Voluntary Compliance
Promote the regulated community's voluntary compliance with environmental
requirements through compliance incentives and assistance programs.
Overview . •
While much of the environmental improvement realized over the past several
years is attributable to the use of traditional civil and criminal enforcement
activities, the continuation of serious environmental problems and changes in the
scope and types of activities and entities regulated present new challenges. EPA
is working to integrate more traditional approaches with well-designed and
carefully-managed efforts to identify and implement new ways to achieve
compliance, environmental protection, and reduction in the risk to human .health.
EPA uses compliance assistance -to assure that the regulated community
understands its obligations by providing clear and consistent descriptions of
regulatory requirements. Compliance assistance can also help regulated industries
find cost-effective ways to comply through the use of pollution prevention and
innovative technologies. For 1998 and 1999, EPA will target its compliance
assistance to key program areas, sectors or geographic areas based on the nature
of the compliance problems noted, the newness or complexity of the regulations,
or other relevant factors.
EPA is also working to improve its effectiveness through compliance
incentives which motivate and enhance the capacity and the will of the regulated
community to promptly and fully comply with the law and to voluntarily and
promptly disclose violations before they come to the attention of the government.
This objective also addresses EPA's responsibilities under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA requires that Federal agencies consider
the environmental consequences of their activities. EPA' s NEPA program reviews
major actions taken by other Federal agencies and by EPA to ensure that adverse
effects are identified and are either eliminated or mitigated. The Agency's
efforts may include technical advice, participation in the development of Agency
actions, document reviews, and follow-up on comments.
The Agency's efforts in this objective will be supported through legal
counseling and advocacy. This may include advice, participation in the
development of Agency actions, document review, and the conduct of defensive
litigation.
IX-11
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 02 Increase Use of $45,515.9 $47,293.5 $49,208.2
Auditing, Self-Policing
Policies
Environmental Program & $42,592.3 $43,469.2 $45,388.3
Management
Science and Technology $328.7 $98.3 $97,9
State and Tribal Assistance $2,214.2 $3,333.4 $3,333.4
Grants
Hazardous Substance Superfund $380.7 $392.6 $388.6
Total FTE: 480.8 4.85.3 480,3
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• Increase the regulated community's use of compliance incentives and their
understanding of, and ability to comply with, regulatory requirements. EPA
will offer 20 small entities relief under the Small Business Policy, an
increase of 100% over the 1998 levels, and ^obtain 4.00 self disclosures. The
Agency will also continue to operate 8 Compliance Assistance Centers, and
provide compliance assistance tools such as 7 sector notebooks and 4 sector
guides.
• Review 100% of significant proposed Federal actions subject to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which require EPA follow-up to determine
their likely environmental effects and remedy 70% of EPA's concerns with
these proposed actions.
This objective will be met through the Agency's efforts to improve
compliance by using compliance incentives and the continuation of compliance
assistance activities. By providing incentives for companies to undertake
environmental audits or other environmental management practice, EPA encourages
internal corporate mechanisms to detect and prevent future violations. These
mechanisms could result in significant environmental improvements. The Agency
will encourage the regulated community to voluntarily discover, disclose, and
correct violations before they are discovered by the government for enforcement
investigation or response. In appropriate and specific situations-, the policy
provides incentives, such as reduced penalties and reduced criminal liability,
for companies meeting established conditions for finding, disclosing and fixing
violations.
EPA's small business policy is intended to promote compliance among small
businesses by providing incentives for participation in compliance assistance
IX-12
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programs and prompt correction of violations. In addition, the Agency will
provide compliance assistance to assure that environmental standards are clear
and understood by the regulated community. By defining compliance baseline
information for targeted sectors of the regulated community and continuing its
analysis of the root causes of compliance problems, the Agency will develop tools
appropriate to the particular circumstances of the regulated community. For
example, in partnership with industry, academic institutions, environmental
groups and other federal and state agencies, EPA is sponsoring national
compliance assistance centers for specific sectors. Centers are operational for
printing, automotive, metal finishing and agricultural services. Transportation,
municipalities, printing wiring board, and chemical industry sector centers will
be in place in 1999.
1998 Annual Performanee.Goals.
• Increase the regulated community' s understanding of regulatory requirements
and policies through training and outreach.
• Increase the regulated community's and Federal facilities use of incentive
policies and programs by 10% over 1997 levels.
• Review 100% .of major Federal actions subject to NEPA which require EPA
.follow-up to -determine their likely environmental effects and remedy 70% of
EPA's concerns with these proposed actions.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
02
Ob j . Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Science and Technology
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$1,914.7
$1,91.9.1
$(0.4)
$(4,0)
(5.0)
(5.0)
0.0
0.0
(-4.0 FTE and -$300,000 EPM) Regional resources shifted from Project XL to
support civil enforcement case development, settlement, and litigation in
Objective 1»
(-1.0 FTE and -$,81,600 EPM) Resources transferred to support the Agency's
Office of Reinvention.
(+$2,287,600 EPM) Increased payroll-related costs.
IX-13
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Key Performance Measures
1998
1999
Number of small entities receiving
relief under Small Business Policy
Compliance Assistance Centers in Operation
Compliance Tools Development
Compliance Tools Development
NEPA Compliance
EIS Filing and Data Reporting
Major Federal Actions Requiring Follow-up
Concerns Resolved on Major Federal Actions
Number of disclosures resulting from
targeted Agency action
10 Entities
8 Centers
7 Sector
Notebooks
4 Sector
Guides
30 Actions
650 Federal
Registers
300 Actions
294 Concerns
75 Disclosures
20 Entities
8 Centers
7 Sector
Notebooks
4 Sector
Guides
30 Actions
650 Federal
Registers
300 Actions
294 Concerns
75 Disclosures
Number of Self Disclosures
Federal Facilities Management Reviews
330 Disclosures 400 Disclosures
15 Reviews 15 Reviews
Conclusion
By supplementing traditional enforcement approaches with tools aimed at
improving the capacity and the willingness of the regulated community to comply
with environmental requirements, EPA will increase the rates of compliance and
the environmental performance of facilities. Compliance assistance will promote
greater understanding of regulatory requirements and help the regulated universe,
especially small businesses, achieve environmental compliance.
Compliance incentives will encourage the regulated community to take
responsibility for their compliance statutes and pollution practices. Further,
EPA work with the states to adopt policies that provide appropriate incentives
and require adequate safeguards for systematic discovery, prompt disclosure, and
timely correction of environmental violations.
Key Performance Measures Verification
Through the Agency's Enforcement and Compliance Assurance's National
Performance Measures Strategy and other efforts, EPA is improving its ability
IX-14
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to identify measures to assess the effectiveness of compliance assistance and
compliance incentives efforts. Compliance assistance data are or will be
collected through a number of sources, including the end-of-year reporting on
accomplishments under the Regional Memorandum of Agreement process, the Docket
(a national database for tracking EPA civil, judicial, and administrative
enforcement actions) , manual reporting by the regions and the. states, and through
OMB-approved surveys on the effectiveness of compliance assistance. Information
on the regulated communities' use of voluntary approaches, such as ithe
Environmental Leadership Program and Project XL, will be collected at the
Headquarters level, although as these programs mature over the next few years,
EPA regional offices will collect information on participation in these programs.
Regions and Headquarters' offices enter audit policy case data on self-
disclosures into the DOCKET database.
The Environmental Review Tracking System (ERTS) is the national database
that serves as the official filing system for environmental impact statements and
other actions, as required under regulations of the Council on Environmental
Quality implementing the National Environmental Policy Act. ERTS also tracks
EPA's review responsibilities under Section 309 of the Clean Air Act.
StatutoryAuthority
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act sections 3007, 3008, 3013, and 7003 (42
U.S.C. 6927, 6928, 6934, 6973)
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act sections
106, 107, 109, and 122 (42 U.S.C. 9606, 9607, 9609, 9622)
Clean Water Act (CWA) sections 308, 309, and 311 (33 U.S.C. 1318, 1319, 1321)
Safe Drinking Water Act sections 1413, 1414, 1417, 1422, 1423, 1425, 1431, 1432,
'1445 (42 U.S.C. 300g-2, 300g-3, 300g-6, 300h-l, 300h-2, 300h-4, 300i, 300i-l,
300j-4)
Clean Air Act sections 113, 114, and 303 (42 U.S.C. 7413, 7414, 7603)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) sections 11, 16, and 17 and TSCA Titles II
and IV (15 U.S.C. 2610, 2615, 2616, 2641-2656, 2681-2692)
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act sections 325 and 326 (42
U.S.C. 11045, 11046)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act sections 8, 9, 12, 13, and
14 (7 U.S.C. 1.36f, 136g, 136j, 136k, 1361)
Ocean Dumping Act sections 101, 104B, 105, and 107 (33 U.S.C. 1411, 1414B, 1415,
1417)
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
IX-15
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Goal 10: Effective Management
-------
10: Effective Management. - , X-l
Executive Leadership ... ......... X-6
Management Services, Administrative, and Stewardship X-12
Building Operations, Utilities and New Construction X-23
Regional Management .Services and Support ............ X-29
Provide Audit and Investigative Products and Services, .... X-.33
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Effective Management
Strategic Goal: EPA will establish a management infrastructure that will set
and implement the highest quality standards for effective internal management and
fiscal responsibility.
Goal Summary
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Effective Management
Obj. 01 Executive Leadership
Ob j . 02 Management Services,
Administrative, and
Stewardship
Obj. 03 Building Operations,
Utilities and New
Construction
Obj. 04 Regional Management
Services and Support
Obj. 05 Provide Audit and
Investigative Products and
Services
Goal Total FTE
$716,580.2 $668,857,3 $659,860.5
$26,003.4 $27,897.8 $30,895.9
$175,284.8 $165,331.7 $180,937.4
$367,90.5.0 $331,959.5 $299,921.3
$110,769.2 $107,103.7 $108,189.1
$36,617.8 $36,564.6 $39,916.8
2,927.9
2,919.6
2,974.7
Efforts under this goal support the full range of Agency activities for a
healthy and sustainable environment. Agency management provides vision and
leadership within the Agency, and conducts policy oversight for all Agency
programs. The effectiveness of EPA's management will determine, in large
measure, how successful we will be in pursuit of the other goals identified in
the Agency's annual plan. Sound management principles, practices, results-based
planning and budgeting, fiscal accountability, quality customer service, rational
policy guidance and careful 'Stewardship of our resources are the foundation for
everything EPA does to advance the protection of human health and the
environment. Agency management .systems and processes will be supported by
independent evaluations that promote efficient and effective programs, so that
we can obtain the greatest return on taxpayer investment.
The 1999 President's Budget requests $659.9 million and 2,975 workyears for
the Effective Management goal, a decrease of $9.0 million and increase of 55
workyears over 1998. Managerial accomplishments will include implementation of
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automated and streamlined human resources and financial management processes,
construction of new facilities, and establishment of state-of-the-art
laboratories. The Agency will also honor its obligations to protect children
from environmental hazards by working to make the protection of children's health
a fundamental goal of environmental protection in the United States.
The resources requested in this budget will enable the Agency to meet a
number of important performance goals. The most significant of these include:
• By the end of 1999, continue renovation of the new Headquarters complex by
completing 100% buildout of the Ariel Rios north building and 50% of the
Interstate Commerce Commission/Customs building, and moving 47% of EPA
personnel from vacated spaces to the new consolidated complex.
• By the end of 1999, complete at least 50% of construction of the
consolidated research lab at Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.
• By the end of 1999, implement performance-based contracting for 10% of EPA
contracts awarded to improve quality and timeliness.
• By the end of 1999, implement Phase I of the Integrated Grants Management
System (IGMS) award module in all regions.
• By the end of 1999, evaluate 5 EPA standards to ensure they are protective
of children's health.
• By March, 1999, 100% of EPA category 1 & 2 systems tested will calculate
the Year 2000 correctly.
• By the end of 1999, the Agency can plan and track performance against
annual goals and capture 100% of costs through the new PBAA structure,
based on modified budget and financial accounting systems, a new
accountability process and new cost accounting mechanisms.
• In 1999, the OIG will provide objective, timely, and independent auditing,
consulting, .and investigative services through such actions as completing
15 construction grant closeout audits.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Protecting Children'sHealth
The 1999 President's Budget requests $30,9 million and 265 workyears to
provide vision and leadership, as well as executive direction and policy
oversight, for all Agency programs, including Children's Health.
The Agency will honor its obligation to protect children from environmental
hazards by targeting resources toward the Agency's many diverse children's
activities. Children today face significant and unique health threats from a
range of environmental hazards. They are often more heavily exposed and more
vulnerable than adults to toxins in the environment, from asthma-exacerbating air
pollution and lead-based paint in older homes, to treatment-resistant microbes
X-2
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in drinking water, to persistent chemicals that may cause cancer or induce
reproductive or developmental changes. Children's developing immune and nervous
systems can be highly vulnerable to disruption by toxins in the environment, and
the consequences may be lifelong.
In 1999, major activities include establishing, with the Department of
Health and Human Services, six Children's Environmental Research Centers,
ensuring that EPA's public health regulations consider children's health, and
providing information to parents to better protect their children from
environmental hazards.
Improving Management Services, Administrative Support, and Stewardship
The 1.999 President's Budget requests $289.1 million and 2,154 workyears for
management services, administrative support, and stewardship. EPA will provide
the management services and administrative support to achieve its environmental
mission and to meet its fiduciary and workforce responsibilities.
The Agency wants to ensure that its workforce is of the highest caliber and
is fully prepared to deliver national leadership and expertise in environmental
protection. To do so, the Agency will invest in its employees through training
and education. The Agency is .also striving toward increasing ..efficiencies in
hiring and placement of staff with the necessary scientific and technical skills
to sustain effective environmental protection programs. By implementing an
automated and streamlined human resources process, the Agency will take major
steps toward achieving these goals.
Previously, the Agency has relied on cost-plus, level-of--effort contracting.
In an effort to enhance the timeliness and quality of contract products and
service, the Agency will be transitioning from this more costly and less
efficient method of contracting to the more programmatic and cost effective
method of performance-based service contracting. Furthermore, by improving the
Agency's contract management information systems, the Agency will improve the
quality and availability of information on the status and use of resources,
thereby assuring that the Agency acquires the best quality goods and services in
support of Agency objectives.
The Agency is also taking steps toward reducing reporting burdens by the
Agency's highest volume submitters by encouraging and supporting electronic
reporting. These efforts will facilitate EPA's acquisition of key information
about environmental conditions across the country.
In 1999, upon correction of grants management vulnerabilities, emphasis will
be placed on all aspects of post award grants management to ensure fiscal
integrity. This will be accomplished by supporting and maintaining an Agency-
wide Integrated Grants Management System that will provide for significant and
immediate customer service and communication, as well as substantial time and
resource savings, increased integrity of data quality, and post award
management/closeout support.
Improving the Agency's ability to focus on environmental results and
ensuring effective stewardship of Agency resources is a high priority for the
Agency. To strengthen the Agency's accountability through a performance-based
X-3
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management system, EPA will continue development of its integrated planning,
budgeting, and accountability process, and will further its achievement of the
substantive statutory requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act
(GPRA), Chief Financial Officers Act (CFO Act), and related legislation. The
Agency will also focus on development of effective financial management systems,
and greater efficiency through streamlining, customer service, and automated
sys terns development.
Maintaining and Improving Agency Infrastructure
The Agency is requesting a total of $299.9 million and 155 workyears to
provide a quality work environment that considers employee safety and security,
building operations, utilities, facilities repairs, new construction, and
pollution prevention throughout the Agency's ten Regional offices, research and
development laboratory complexes, field stations, and Headquarters locations.
In support of effective management, the Agency will provide for construction
and establishment of state-of-the-art laboratories, providing the tools essential
to researching innovative solutions to current and future environmental problems
and enhancing our understanding of environmental risks. The consolidated
laboratory office complex at Research Triangle Park, North Carolina is an
excellent example. For 1999, the Agency is requesting $32.0 million for the
continued construction of this complex. This facility will consolidate several
locations that .EPA currently leases, saving taxpayers over $100 million over the
facility's life. Also, EPA is requesting and advance appropriation of $40.7
million in fiscal year 2000 to .complete the project.
The Agency's goal of consolidating its Headquarters personnel into one
central location is closer to being realized. In 1999, EPA is requesting $16.0
million for relocation to and continued construction of the new Headquarters
buildings. The single largest component of this request is for the
telecommunication costs to conform to EPA's Integrated Services 'Digital Network
(ISDN) and local area network standards. Significant accomplishments for 1999
include completion of the buildout in the Ariel Rios North building, and 50%
completion of the Interstate Commerce Commission building. Furthermore, lab
construction at Ft, Meade, Maryland will be completed.
EPA's employees are a major asset and the Agency will continue to take steps
to provide a wide range of facilities management and safety, health and
environmental management policies, procedures aiid services. Facilities
operations include rent; preventive maintenance of existing space; security and
property management; printing services; postage and mail management services,-
transportation services,- Agency recycling; and health, safety and environmental
compliance activities, including medical monitoring and training.
X-4
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Assisting EPA inReaching1 ItsMissionby Providing Audit and Investigative
Products and Services
The Agency is requesting $39.9 million and 401 workyears to provide audits
and investigations of EPA's program, administrative, and financial activities by
the Office of Inspector General. This will ensure that the Agency's programs are
delivered in an effective, efficient, and economical manner and in compliance
with all applicable laws and regulations. Audits and investigations assist the
Agency in identifying areas of potential risk and necessary improvements that can
significantly contribute to EPA's fulfillment of its mission. Services also
include working in partnership with Agency management to find more effective and
efficient solutions to environmental problems.
X-5
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Effective Management
Objective #1: Executive Leadership
EPA will establish a management infrastructure that will set and implement
the highest quality standards for effective internal management and fiscal
responsibility.
Overview
To meet the challenges of the 2lst century, Americans are calling for a new
generation of environmental protection •-- one that is based on common sense and
partnership. They are challenging their leaders to adopt tough but achievable
goals for the environment and to offer people and institutions the -flexibility
to find cost-effective ways to achieve those goals.
Major activities within this objective are vision and leadership; children's
health protection; regional vision and leadership; EEO/.Civil Rights/Diversity
Policy Guidance; Environmental Appeals Board actions; and Administrative Law
Judge actions.
In 1999, the Agency will honor its obligations to protect children from
environmental hazards by targeting resources towards the Agency's many diverse
children's activities with a request of $6,716,200 and 15.5 total workyears for
the Office of Children's Health Protection. Children today face significant and
unique health threats from a range of environmental hazards. They are often more
heavily exposed and more vulnerable than adults to toxins in the environment,
.from asthma-exacerbating air pollution and lead-based paint in older homes, to
treatment-resistant microbes in drinking water, and to persistent chemicals that
may cause cancer or induce reproductive or developmental changes. Children's
developing immune and nervous systems can be highly vulnerable to disruption by
toxins in the environment and the consequences may be lifelong. EPA will
continue to work with all EPA headquarters and regional offices -- as well as
with Congress, other federal agencies, academic institutions, health
professionals, community groups, parents, and others --to implement the Agency's
Children's Agenda.
Policy direction and guidance will be provided within the Agency on equal
employment opportunity, civil rights and diversity issues with a request of
$4,104,700 and 41 total workyears. EPA will process discrimination complaints
and develop, administer and monitor the implementation of affirmative employment
programs. Furthermore, EPA will manage special emphasis programs designed to
improve the representation and utilization of minorities and women in the
Agency's workforce. Finally, administration of the external compliance program,
including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, will be conducted since it
requires nondiscrimination in programs and activities receiving financial
assistance from EPA.
X-6
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The Environmental Appeals Board (EAB), with a total request of $1,360,300
and 13 total workyears, will issue decisions on administrative environmental
matters. These decisions are the end point in the Agency's administrative
enforcement and permitting programs. The right of affected persons to appeal
these decisions to the Agency is conferred by various statutes, regulations and
constitutional due process rights.
The Administrative Law Judges (ALJs), with a request of $2,124,300 and 31
total workyears, will preside over and issue decisions in cases initiated by
administrative complaints filed under EPA's enforcement program. The ALJs
provide hearings to those accused of environmental violations under various
environmental statutes. In addition, the ALJs have increased use, in recent
years, of alternative dispute resolution techniques in bringing cases to
settlement and, thereby, avoiding more costly litigation.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj . 01 Executive Leadership $26,003.4 $27,897.8 $30,895.9
Environmental Program & $25,914.7 $27,809.7 $30,806.5
Management
Hazardous Substance Superfund $88.7 $88.1 $89.4
Total FTE: 257.0 268.8 265.0
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• Close EEO discrimination complaints.
» Evaluate existing EPA standards to ensure they are protective of children's
health.
• Resolve Title VI and other external compliance program complaints.
The Agency will engage in EEO/Civil Rights/workforce diversity activities
at both Headquarters and in the Regions. EPA will resolve 80 EEO discrimination
complaints. In addition, enhancements will be made to the Agency's external
civil rights compliance program, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964. These enhancements will enable the Agency to resolve 12 Title VI and other
external compliance program complaints. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the
basis of race, color, and national origin in any program or activity receiving
federal financial assistance. Since the fall of 1993, the Agency has received
41 Title VI complaints raising environmental justice claims. Of these, 21 are
still pending. Increased resources will be used to collect and analyze data
needed to make decisions on pending Title VI complaints.
X-7
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As a national policy, EPA will ensure that its standards address the
heightened risks faced by children. The most significant standards will be
reevaluated to provide greater prevention of environmental health threats to
children. In 1999, EPA will reevaluate up to five of its most significant public
health and environmental standards to be reissued on an expedited basis.
The EAB will issue administrative environmental decisions in a timely
manner. In 1999, the EAB will complete at least 80% of its active permit and
enforcement cases within 12 months of receipt. Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) section 106(b) petitions, on
the other hand, typically are more time consuming and resource intensive. In the
Year 2000, EPA will establish a baseline to determine the time frame in which
CERCLA section 106(b) petitions are completed. The EAB's long-term goal is to
complete 80% of its active CERCLA section 106(b) petitions within 18 months of
receipt. The EAB's disposition of cases serves an oversight function by
applying the environmental laws fairly to all parties.
The ALJs will adjudicate administrative complaints in a timely manner. In
1999, the Office of the Administrative Law Judges will identify opportunities for
improvements in their alternative dispute resolution program and case management
efforts, which will enable it to complete actions brought before them within 18
months of 'receipt. Completion of cases depends in large part upon the parties'
settlement efforts, and the ALJs are in the process of reducing a backlog of
cases. The disposition of cases serves an oversight function by encouraging the
Agency's programs to fairly apply the environmental laws to all parties.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• Close EEO discrimination complaints.
• Evaluate existing EPA standards to ensure they are protective of children's
health.
• Resolve Title VI and other external compliance program complaints.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
i Dollars FTE
01 Obj. Total Change $2,998.1 (3.8)
Environmental Program & Management $2,996.8 (3.8)
Hazardous Substance Superfund $1.3 0.0
• (+$2,460,000 EPM) Implement the Agency's Children's Health Initiative.
Additional funding will be used for programs to include development of
Risk Assessment Protocols for Children; Benefits Analysis for Preventing
Disease in Children from Environmental Toxins; and activities targeting
X-8
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communities where EPA can combine the expertise of other Agency programs
to eliminate and/or minimize health threats to children.
(+$500,000 EPM) Enhance the Agency's external civil rights compliance
program to resolve complaints, This investment would provide for
contractor support in four areas: guidance and technical assistance for
recipients of EPA assistance; develop and administer post-award compliance
reviews; assistance in investigating administrative complaints filed under
EPA's Title VI regulations; and to develop and conduct data gathering
analysis to investigate administrative complaints that raise environmental
justice issues.
(-$300,000 EPM, 3.0 total workyears) Reduction from the
Administrative Law Judges. The ALJs have been successful in
reducing their backlog of enforcement cases.
Based upon a review of actual workforce costs. Regional payroll and travel
was reduced by $241,300, and Headquarters payroll and travel was increased
$544,500 to more accurately reflect the cost of workyears.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Close EEO Discrimination 72 80
Complaints
Resolve Title VI and Other 10 12
Complaints
Select standards for evaluation 5
to ensure they consider the
children's special health needs.
Reevaluate standards to ensure " up to 5
they consider the children's
special health needs,
Conclusion
Within EPA high standards for effective internal management will be set
and implemented. The Agency's topmost managers will provide vision, leadership,
and direction to ensure that the Agency is able to provide better environmental
protection at less cost at the turn of the century and beyond. Resources will
be used for a 'wide variety of activities intended to ensure strong and effective
vision, leadership, and direction at the Agency.
The Agency will review and set in place systems to assure child-protective
environmental standards. It will support development of new policies on
children's unique susceptibility and exposure to pollutants by working with
researchers at other Federal agencies and academic institutions to identify and
expand research on children's health, and develop new, comprehensive policies
that address preventing children's simultaneous 'and cumulative exposures to
X-9
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environmental health threats. Finally, EPA will enhance community right-to-know
and education on children's health by expanding information for families, and
provide parents, teachers, and health practitioners with education and
information about protecting children from environmental health threats in their
homes, schools, and communities.
This mission will be accomplished by coordinating children's health
protection across the Agency, ensuring strong standards that protect children's
health, using the best scientific research to protect our children's futures, and
increasing public education and community outreach on children's issues. EPA and
its stakeholders will benefit from this coordinated approach to reducing
environmental risks to children, by making the reduction of environmental risks
to children a priority of our administrative, programmatic, and scientific
efforts; ensuring ,a central point of contact for our stakeholders on children's
environmental health issues; and increasing public awareness of children's
environmental health risks.
Policy direction and guidance on equal employment opportunity, civil
rights, and diversity issues will be provided within the Agency. EPA will
process discrimination complaints; develop, administer, and monitor the Agency's
affirmative employment program; manage the special emphasis programs; and
administer the Title VI external compliance program. The last of these efforts
is designed to help ensure nondiscrimination in programs and activities receiving
financial assistance from EPA.
The EAB and the ALJs will issue decisions on cases brought before them.
These decisions will ensure the impartial treatment of all parties by the
Agency's program offices by providing .a fair and independent review of
administrative environmental matters. These efforts will help ensure the fair
application of environmental laws, regulations, and programs to al.l parties.
KeyPerformance Measures Verification
EEO Complaints Closed: The Office of Civil Rights will maintain records
on the number of complaints closed during the year.
Title VI Complaints Closed: The Office of Civil Rights will maintain
records on the number of complaints closed during the year.
The Office of Children's Health Protection will select and evaluate up to
five standards to ensure they consider the special needs of children's health.
Records will be maintained.
The EAB will maintain records on the number of completed permit and
enforcement cases reviewed annually.
The Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will maintain records on the number of
completed actions brought before them.
X-10
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Statutory Authority
Administrative Procedures Act
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
X-ll
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Effective Management
Objective #2: Management Services, Administrative, and Stewardship
The Agency will provide the management services, administrative support and
operations to enable the Agency to achieve its environmental mission and to meet
its fiduciary and workforce responsibilities.
Overview
This objective provides for management of an integrated planning,
budgeting, financial management, and accountability process to ensure effective
stewardship of Agency resources. This process will, at a minimum, meet the
substantive statutory requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act
(GPRA), Chief Financial Officers Act (CFO), Clinger-Cohen Act and related
legislation.
Accomplishment of this objective will help to promote timely programmatic
and resource allocation decisions based on clearly articulated goals, priorities
and strategic approaches; instill the use of sound scientific, technical and
financial analyses in those decisions,- incorporate effective financial and
management integrity principles into the day-to-day operations of the Agency's
environmental programs; provide Agency managers and external customers with
information about program results and service quality; and support the workforce
with timely and high quality financial services.
The Agency will continue to implement a strategic planning process
including the development of long term goals and general strategies for attaining
these goals, and develop and manage the Agency's accountability system for
identifying and reporting performance and resource information. EPA will also
manage the Agency annual planning and budgeting process, which includes
overseeing the development of annual performance plans, budget formulation and
execution, and provide financial accounting and fiscal services to the Agency.
In addition, EPA will conduct analyses to incorporate scientific data and
information into the Agency's planning, budgeting, and accountability process.
The Agency will also coordinate the implementation and management of the Working
Capital Fund, support for the development of environmental financing
alternatives, and performance of all budgetary and administrative functions
specific to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO). EPA will also
support the resource management analysis, accountability and management integrity
responsibilities of the Senior Resource Official and Responsible Planning and
Implementation Officers; and provide required cost documentation of the Superfund
Cost Recovery program. The Agency is requesting a total of $74,567,100 for these
activities.
EPA's vision for the delivery of management services in this objective is
fundamentally simple but important -- providing environmental funds to people who
can turn it into environmental results in a straightforward and efficient manner.
X-12
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The Agency will accomplish this by: collaborating with the regions and states
on systems development through the Partnership 2000 team; aggressive streamlining
of processes; providing user-friendly, innovative technology; implementing the
General Accounting Office's information resources management's best practices in
support of the goals of the Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA)
(Clinger-Cohen Act); and strengthening post award and close-out management.
Specifically, EPA is committed in 1999 to improve performance in a number
of areas, and we have established specific performance goals for each of our
management services. EPA intends to speed up the contract processes through
fast-track system enhancements and automation efforts. For each contract action,
the Agency will have established stringent time frames for completing work. For
example, purchase orders will be processed in 20 working days versus a current
average of 45 days; work assignments and delivery orders will be processed in 7
working days versus a current average of 1.3 days; procurement packages will be
reviewed within 5 days; new procurements (less than $5 million) will be completed
within 11 months, versus a current average of 18 months. Within this objective,
the Agency is requesting $28,818,300 for Contracts Management.
For the first time, EPA will implement a new, integrated, automated
personnel management system (Peoplesoft) in the Human Resources and
Organizational Services area. This system will enable the Agency to manage
positions, recruit employees, track performance, log labor relation cases and
disputes, plan salaries, administer benefits, produce workforce demographics
reports, process automatic personnel actions and other functions, all within one
system. Processing time will be greatly reduced and paperwork eliminated. _ This
will allow the Agency to devote more resources to consultant-based services and
better assist managers in the recruitment, hiring and development of employees.
This will also provide the potential to reduce traditionally labor and time
intensive processes, such as recruitment, thereby improving the Agency's
capability to deliver services in a timely manner. Within this objective, the
Agency is requesting $28,3.60,400 Human Resources.
In the Information Resource Management area, EPA -will implement three of
GAO best practices for Information Resources Management (IRM) service and
stewardship. Completion of the remaining eight best practices is expected by
2003. Also, the Agency will improve the information technology capital planning
and review process, and reengineer and implement several automated systems. For
example, EPA intends to expand the electronic forms system from 6,000 users to
10,000 users (bringing the user total to 55%). Major improvements to Internet
searching will be implemented, improving service to an expanded customer base
exceeding 15 million queries per month (up from 12 million). Within this
objective, the Agency is requesting $25,731,400 for Information Management.
The Agency will correct current FMFIA material weaknesses by eliminating
100% of the closeout backlog for nonconstruction grants that ended between
October 1990 and September 1995. At the same time, the corrective action plan
to prevent backlogs will be followed. within this objective, the Agency is
requesting $10,079,600 million for Grants Management.
Agency-level efforts for addressing systems issues associated with the Year
2000 project will primarily focus on ensuring that mission critical systems meet
the government-wide goal of achieving Year 2000 compliancy by March, 1999. This
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activity will continue to provide guidance and policy for incorporating Year 2000
data changes, ensure effective oversight and contingency planning, and manage a
certification program to verify Year 2000 compliancy of mission critical assets.
Critical systems will be corrected by the end of 1998 to allow rigid testing and
implementation of the government-wide target of March, 1999,
Partnership 2000 (P2000) will automate the functions of the total grant
process, from policy, guidance, application, award, negotiation, tracking, and
reporting. it will eliminate the need for paper, include an electronic
signature, and promote information access.
Phase I of the Integrated Grant Management System (i.e. Partnership 2000)
will automate the functions of the state grant process, from policy, guidance,
application, award, workplan negotiation, tracking, and reporting. It will
eliminate the need for paper, include electronic signature, and promote
information access.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 02 Management Services, $175,284.8 $165,331.7 $180,937.4
Administrative, and
Stewardship
Environmental Program & $12:8,803.3 $121,918.5 $131,576.2
Management
Science and Technology $227.7 $35.0 $226.0
Leaking Underground Storage $1,014.0 $834.4 $1,047.6
Tanks
Oil Spill Response $3.3 $3.7 $3.3
Inspector General $72-2 $72.2 $72.1
Hazardous Substance Supexfund $45,164.3 $42,467.9 $48,012.2
Total FTE 1,502.3 1,521.2 1,551.8
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• By the end of 1999, the Agency can plan and track performance against
annual goals and capture 100% of costs through the new .PBAA structure,
based on modified budget and financial accounting systems, a new
accountability process and new cost accounting mechanisms..
• The Agency annual planning, budgeting, analysis, and accountability
processes link resources to environmental results.
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• The Agency financial resources are managed responsibly, assure quality
customer service, and promote cost-effective investment in environmental
protection.
* The Agency systems for planning, budgeting, financial management,
accountability, and program analysis provide timely, accurate, and useful
information to Agency and external customers.
• Develop a national workforce training and development program by the end of
1999.
* Implement an automated human resources management system.
• Meet customer service goals nearly 100% of time within the contracts
management program.
• Implement Electronic Commerce/Electronic Data Interchange Systems to comply
with the President's Executive Order.
• Implement performance-based contracting for 1-0% of EPA's contracts.
• Correct current EMFIA material weaknesses in grants management 'by
eliminating 100% of closeout backlog for non-construction grants between
October 1, 1990 and September 30, 1995.
• Implement Phase I - Integrated Grants -Management System award module in all
grants management offices.
• Implement a case management system for Suspension and Debarment cases.
• Implement QAO best practices for information resources management.
• Complete Agency wide Year 2000 corrective action plan on mission critical
systems ensuring EPA computer systems are in compliance by March, 1999'.
* Implement the Partnership 2000 electronic award in all Regions
• 100% of EPA category 1 and 2 systems tested will calculate to the Year 2000
correctly by March, 1999.
EPA's 1999 accomplishments are targeted toward an integrated planning,
budgeting and analysis process, and oversight of the Agency's strategic planning
process. This includes the development of long term goals and general strategies
for attaining these goals, and the development and implementation of the Agency
process for multi-year plans. This will provide a more detailed strategy for
attaining the objectives and sub-objectives.
Through close coordination among National Program Managers (NPMs) and
stakeholders, EPA will continue development of the Agency's integrated planning-
budgeting-accountability process to improve EPA's ability to focus on
environmental results and to ensure effective stewardship of Agency resources.
In 1999, the Agency will further EPA's achievement of the substantive statutory
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requirements of GPRA, CFO, and related legislation to strengthen Agency
accountability through a performance-based management system. OCFO will utilize
its resources in three principal areas: continued development of the integrated
Planning, Budgeting, Analysis and Accountability (PBAA) system that implements
the GPRA, development of effective financial management systems, and greater
efficiency through streamlining, customer service, and automated systems
development. Major activities associated with these areas in 1999 are
development of an Agency-wide accountability system, plans for major financial
systems upgrades, achievement of Agencywide cost accounting capability which
supports GPRA objectives and budget restructuring and automation.
The Agency will develop the first phase of an Agency-wide accountability
system to identify and report on performance and resource information as required
by GPRA and Agency managers. It is anticipated that this system will integrate
the many disparate accountability systems in the Agency and will include
Integrity Act reporting and material weakness identification. Further, OCFO will
continue to comply with the Inspector General Act, as amended in 1988, by
reporting semiannually to Congress on audits, as well as pursuing audit
resolution activities and training of audit coordinators.
Analyses will be conducted to incorporate scientific data and information
into the Agency's PBAA process, and work will begin on program evaluations
required under GPRA to assess progress toward strategic goals and objectives.
The Agency will prepare protocols and guidance for risk analysis of objectives
and sub-objectives across offices and programs, and develop the Agency's first
Annual Performance Progress Report.
The Agency will continue to streamline management procedures, strengthen its
use of information technology to improve services and enhance budget management
processes. EPA will provide executive direction for the Agency's budget,
financial, and resources management functions, and manage the annual planning and
budgeting process for the Agency. This includes overseeing the development of
annual performance plans, budget formulation and execution, as well as providing
financial accounting and fiscal services. These services include payroll, travel
and vendor payments to the Agency. EPA will also operate and maintain the
Agency's' financial management system, and provide support to the Agency's cost
recovery efforts. In addition, the Agency will coordinate the planning and
budgeting process for the Working Capital Fund, and provide leadership -for
implementing the Agency's environmental financing program.
Development and implementation of the budget and financial management
processes and information .systems needed to improve EPA's ability to manage for
results will also continue. Activities in 1999 include 1) development of Annual
Plans consistent with the Agency's Strategic Plan, multi-year actions plans and
EPA's annual budget; 2) automation and restructuring of the Agency's overall
budget process; and .3) development of cost accounting capability to enable Agency
managers and stakeholders to know the full cost of Agency programs and the
resources associated with achievement of environmental results.
EPA is committed in 1999 to improve performance in a number of management
services areas. Enhanced acquisition and contract management training will allow
EPA to comply with the Federal Acquisition Reform Act (FARA) of 1995 by providing
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competency-based training to contracting officers. In addition, performance-
based contracting will enhance the quality and timeliness of contract products
and services. For 1999, a goal that 10 percent of contracts will be performance
based has been established. Furthermore, with the Electronic Commerce/Electronic
Data Interchange (EC/EDI) system, data on business transactions between the
government and private sectors will be readily exchanged. Implementation of
EC/EDI is scheduled at all 27 Small Purchase Agreements (SPA) purchasing sites
by 1999.
Upon correction of grant management vulnerabilities, emphasis will be placed
on all aspects of post award management to ensure fiscal integrity. Supporting
and maintaining an Agency-wide Integrated Grants Management System will provide
for significant and immediate customer service and communication improvement as
well as substantial time and resource savings, increased integrity of data
quality and post award management/closeout support.
The improvement in service delivery, timeliness and overall quality in human
resource activities will enhance customer satisfaction and greatly reduce
processing time and eliminate paperwork, allowing us to devote more resources to
consultant-based services and, thereby, better assist managers in the
recruitment, hiring and development of employees. Levels of satisfaction should
increase by ten percent from 1998 through 1999.
Emphasis is placed on fostering ISM stewardship by. developing strategic
plans for IRM, implementing applicable legal mandates, defining EPA's information
architecture and setting IRM policy.
The Executive Steering Committee for Information Resources Management will
assist in the implementation of these efforts through the Year 2000 and P2000
activities. This will include providing Agency-level coordination and guidance
for addressing Year 2000, assistance with the promulgation of date standards, and
automated grant processing.
1998Annual Performance Goals
• The Agency annual planning, budgeting, analysis, and accountability
processes link resources to environmental results.
• The Agency financial resources are managed responsibly, assure quality
customer service, and promote cost-effective investment in environmental
protection.
• The Agency systems for planning, budgeting, financial management,
accountability, and program analysis provide timely, accurate, and useful
information to Agency and external customers.
• Improve customer service, enhance contract training opportunities and
implement performance-based contracting to enhance quality and timeliness
of contracts.
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Implement Electronic Commerce/Electronic Data Interchange systems to comply
with the President's order. Will support Agency's Integrated Contracts
Management System(ICMS).
Test .market electronic grant awards in five EPA regions and in five states.
Correct current FMPIA material weaknesses in grants management by providing
100% of EPA's program offices with required Agency certified assistance
project officer training.
Investigate 100% of Suspension and Debarment matters regarding waste,
fraud, abuse and environmental crimes for potential development of cases
for recommended action to the Agency's debarring Official.
Provide basic personnel services, training, outreach and recruitment and
employee services,.
Improve customer satisfaction with the delivery of human resources and
organizational services by 5% in 1998.
Develop IRM strategic plans, implement applicable legal mandates, define
EPA's architecture and set IRM policy, provide efficient and cost-effective
systems.
Establish a Year 2000 Center of Excellence.
Test the Partnership 2000 Prototype in 5 Regions and 5 States.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars
FTE
02 Obj . Total Change
Environmental Program & Management
Envir. Program & Mgmt - Reim
Science and Technology
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Oil Spill Response
Inspector General
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$15,605.7
$9,657.7
$0.0
$191.0
$213.2
$(0.4)
$(0.1)
$5,544.3
30.6
45.9
(1.0)
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
(14.3)
(+$1,300,000 EPM) The Agency will enhance and expand the Agency's existing
grants 'management systems. By linking electronic commerce, system
integration and programmatic accountability, we will increase the
efficiency of the grants and program management" processes, • improve
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customer service, expand our information sharing capacity, improve GPRA
tracking and enhance the Agency's ability to partner with our grantee
community.
(+$1,000,000 EPM) The Agency will focus on assessing and addressing the
issues facing the current workforce and on identifying and meeting the
workforce challenges of the future. The Agency will examine the skills
and competencies of the current workforce, the skill gaps that currently
exist, and the requirements of future jobs. EPA will also develop and
complete a nationwide workforce assessment and implement a workforce
training and development program.
(+$2,210,000 EPM, +$4,906,300 SF) The Agency will establish the new
Planning Analysis and Accountability (PBAA) system, streamline budget and
financial processes, and upgrade major financial systems. Also the Agency
will implement the first phase of the accountability process; conduct a
minimum of ten PBAA workshops to build Agency and stakeholder capacity;
collect and analyze comparative analyses of environmental programs;
enhance the Agency payroll system (EPAYS); enhance the Superfund Cost
Recovery Package and Imaging On-line System (SCORPIOS); and automate the
Bankcard payment system.
( + $2,390,600 and 33 FTE EPM) Reflects a shift, as a result of an OPPE
reorganization, from Goal 7, Expansion of Americans' Right to Know About
Their Environment, for GPRA and management accountability activities.
Key Performance Measure 1998 1999
Accountability system is developed and ready to 9/3098
implement
Accountability system.,captures 100% of key EPA - 9/30/99
performance measures
Agency payroll and related systems Year 2000 - 3/31/99
compliant
Implement Small Purchase Electronic Data - 27 sites
Interchange at purchasing sites
Eliminate close-out backlog of non-construction - 100%
grants that ended 10/1/90-9/30/95
EPA systems in compliance with Year 2000 100% 100%
corrective action plan
Electronic grant award available in all regions - 100%
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Conclusion
The Agency will manage an integrated planning, budgeting, financial
management, and accountability process to ensure effective stewardship of Agency
resources. This process will meet the statutory requirements of GPRA, CFO, and
related legislation and improve EPA's ability to manage, for results. In
addition, EPA will continue to provide core budget, financial, and resource
management services essential to the Agency's achievement of its environmental
goals and objectives.
EPA's strategic direction over the next five years is focused on improving
the products and services provided to our customers. In 1999 the Agency intends
to build on the accomplishments expected in 1998 and provide an improved level
of management services, administrative support and operations. Specifically,
expectations at the program level are:
Development of the first phase of an Agency-wide
accountability system to identify and report on performance and
resource information. Initiation of analyses to incorporate
.scientific data and information into the Agency's PBAA process and
program evaluations to assess progress toward strategic goals and
objectives. Preparation of protocols and guidance for risk analysis
of objectives and sub-objectives across offices and programs, and
.develop the Agency's first Annual Performance Progress Report.
The restructuring and automation of the Agency's overall
budget process. The development of cost accounting capability to
enable Agency managers and stakeholders to know the full cost of
Agency programs and the resources associated with achievement of
environmental results.
The implementation of an electronic commerce system to result
in reductions in purchasing lead time, as well as, labor and cost
savings. These efforts combined with the implementation of
performance-based contracting and enhanced training, will allow EPA
to significantly improve the quality and timeliness of the services
we provide.
Correction of grant management material weaknesses to allow
the Agency to strengthen and improve overall fiscal integrity.
Streamlining administrative responsibilities and redirecting
resources will enable EPA to operate in a more efficient manner. In
1999, the design and development of the Integrated Grants Management
System will be completed and ready for implementation in 2000.
These accomplishments highlight our efforts to provide the highest
quality of service and support to our customers.
To improve the services we provide our customers in order to
define our strategic direction for the next 5 years. This goal will
be achieved by identifying standards, measuring satisfaction and
delivering a high level of service. In addition, progress in
streamlining and automation will allow us to emphasize three key
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areas: human resource consulting; workforce development; and
organizational effectiveness.
The delivery of services in a more effective and efficient manner will be
achieved through implementation of the Information Technology Management Reform
Act (ITMRA/Clinger-Cohen Act). Implementation of the requirements outlined in
ITMRA/Clinger-Cohen Act, in hand with current reinvention activities, will lead
to a greater return on information resource management investments. Prudent
investments and more effective project oversight will provide a better level of
support to the Agency's environmental protection infrastructure. In addition,
benefits expected include the strengthening of records management, security and
other stewardship services. These efforts will ensure that we achieve an
improved level of timeliness and quality in the delivery of our products and
services.
The end result of the Year 2000 project will support Agency programs and
Regions to become Year 2000 compliant by developing or revising EPA guidance,
procedures, and an information exchange structure as well as by preparing
recommendations for addressing Year 2000 system analyses and modifications.
Additionally, the success of this program will be documented through a
certification process to ensure that mission critical assets are Year 2000
compliant... The P2000 project will advance Agency priorities such as Reinvention,
eliminate or greatly reduce the paper processing burden, provide accessible
information through the use of the "information highway," and enhance
accountability by measuring accomplishments.
Key Performance Measures .Verification
The Agency has attempted to develop measures which adequately reflect
program goals and objectives. These measures emphasize quantifiable aspects of
program processes, incorporating realistic program outputs and outcomes. The
Agency recognizes the importance of verifying the validity of performance
measures and indicators* Consequently, efforts are planned and currently
underway to ensure that measures accurately reflect and support our assumptions.
An important first step in this process has been the undertaking of a Customer
Service survey to measure customer satisfaction. The results of this survey will
provide us with a framework by which to validate and revise many of our
assumptions. As the process evolves, the program output and outcome data
provided will allow us to refine both our measures and our supporting information
management system. Many of the key measures are verifiable through quantitative
means. The measures are output oriented and actual outputs or products will be
•counted or verified.
The Office of the Chief Financial Officer has developed validation methods
for key performance measures for 1998 and 1999. One 1998 key performance measure
is that the "Accountability System is developed and ready to implement." To
verify whether this performance measure has been met, we will evaluate and
document whether all components of the Accountability System have been fully
developed and tested; whether all policies, procedures and guidance related to
use of the Accountability System have been developed, approved, and promulgated;
and whether all appropriate Agency personnel have been trained in policy,
procedures and processes related to use and application of the Accountability
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System. To validate the results.of this performance measure, we will evaluate and
document whether the Accountability System achieves all development standards
established in the planning phase. The other OCFO Fiscal Year 1998 key measure
relates to Year 2000 compliance. To validate the performance measure "Agency
financial management system is Year 2000 compliant in time to achieve invisible
processing of financial transactions," we will conduct independent testing and
evaluation to demonstrate results of systems programming changes on the
processing of financial transactions.
In 1999, the key Accountability System measure is that the "Accountability
System captures 100% of key EPA performance measures." To verify and validate
this measure, ~we will evaluate and document whether the Accountability system
contains a complete and accurate set of key EPA performance measures articulated
in the Agency's Annual Plan. There is also a key 1999 performance relating to
Year 2000 compliance: "Agency payroll and all related systems are Year 2000
compliant in time to achieve invisible processing of payroll transactions." To
validate this performance measure, we will conduct independent testing evaluation
to demonstrate results of systems programming changes on the processing of
payroll transactions.
StatutoryAuthority
Civil Service Reform Act of 1978
Clinger-Cohen Act
Chief 'Financial Officers Act
Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996
Federal Managers Financial integrity Act of 1982
Competition in Contracting Act
Contract Disputes Act
Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act
Federal Records Act
Federal Claims Collection Act
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
Government Performance and Results Act of 1993
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Effective Management
Objective #3: Building Operations, Utilities and New Construction
OARM will provide the Agency with a quality work environment that considers
employee safety and security, building operations, utilities, facilities, new
construction, repairs and pollution prevention within Headquarters as well as
nationwide.
Overview
This objective supports the Agency's goal for Effective Management through
the construction of new facilities, and the design and establishment of state-of-
the-art laboratories. These facilities provide the tools essential for
researching innovative solutions to current and future environmental problems and
enhancing our understanding of environmental risks.
The Agency provides a wide range of facilities management and safety,
health and environmental management policies, procedures and services to EPA
customers. The facilities operations include rent paid to GSA and others; space
utilization; preventive maintenance of existing space; security and property
management; printing services; postage and mail management services;
transportation services; Agency recycling; and health, safety and environmental
compliance activities, including medical monitoring, audits, and training. The
Agency is requesting $262,035,200 for these activities.
New construction activities include real property acquisition and
management, and modification of existing space. New construction also includes
project management of the Agency's major construction activities including the
new headquarters project and the consolidated laboratory at Research Triangle
Park, as well as design and construction of replacement laboratories. The Agency
is requesting $32,000,000 for the RTP project in 1999 and $40,700,000 in advanced
appropriations in 1999, and $15,945,300 for the new headquarters project in 1999.
The repairs and improvement request for 1999 is $15,428,000 to provide for
engineering studies, design, and construction costs related to the repair and
improvement of buildings occupied by the EPA. The Agency will address critical
repairs related to employee health and safety, and will ensure that the Agency's
facilities are in compliance with environmental statutes. EPA will also invest
in energy and water conservation improvement, and support alterations related to
moves and program required changes as well as emergency repairs and maintenance
for laboratory facilities. A major activity includes the decommissioning of the
Annapolis and Beltsville labs, an investment of $2,000,000. Decommissioning of
real property from EPA will assure EPA's compliance with prudent facilities
management practices, as well as meet our environmental liabilities by complying
with all requirements of the Community Environmental Response Facilitation Act
(CERFA) which assures the property is returned with no contaminants present-
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 03 Building Operations,
Utilities and New
Construction
Environmental Program &
Management
Building and Facilities
Leaking Underground Storage
Tanks
Oil Spill Response
inspector General
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Hazardous Substance SF-IG
Total FTE
$367,905.0 $331,959.5 $299,921.3
$184,611.4 $180,174.4
$202,350.0
$141,420.0
$723.3
$511.7
$1,967.6
$37,186.8
$1,484.2
155.4
$109,420.0
$711.1
$511,7
$1,977.8
$37,680.3
$1,4.84.2
1.55.4
$52,948.0
$723.3
$511.7
$1,955.4
$39,948.7
$1,484.2
154.9
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• Continue renovation of the new Headquarters complex by completing 100%
buildout of the Ariel Rios north building and 50% of the Interstate
Commerce Commission/Customs building, and move 47% of EPA personnel from
vacated spaces to the new consolidated complex.
• Complete at least 50% of construction of the consolidated research lab at
Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.
» Improve space management by vacating 41,463 square feet of surplus space in
1999.
• Ensure that adjusted office space utilization rate is in compliance with
OMB Directive of 135 square feet per person.
• Conduct health and safety audits at 13 EPA facilities to ensure facility
compliance with standards.
• Implement energy conservation and pollution prevention at three EPA labs.
• Occupy new consolidated laboratory in Fort Meade.
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In 1999, the Agency will continue to provide the best service possible to
EPA customers including real property acquisition and management; security
services; postage and mail management services,- and other operational support
that will ensure a quality work environment. Additionally, EPA will develop and
implement internal safety, health and environmental management policies and
program models, and provide technical assistance and training to EPA field
employees to ensure the Agency meets all statutory and regulatory requirements.
The Agency will ensure employee safety at our federal facilities by
maintaining the security standards set by the President's Memorandum on Security
Standards. EPA's laboratory construction, office renovation, and repair and
improvement projects support pollution prevention and energy efficiencies that
will lead to a safe, quality work environment. EPA will make capital investments
in two major construction projects -- the new Headquarters Project and the
Consolidated Laboratory at Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina. It is
essential to the Agency's mission that our infrastructure be maintained to
provide a safe, environmentally efficient workplace.
In keeping with the Agency's efforts to provide all employees with a quality
work environment that is safe, healthy, and secure, our highest priority for 1999
is to continue progress on the renovation of nearly 750,000 square feet of space
in two buildings included in the Agency's housing plan -- the ICC-Customs and
Ariel Rios buildings. Adjacent to these buildings, the Agency will also be
moving into additional space as a result of the acquisition of the Wilson
Building.
To ensure the Agency's compliance with prudent facilities management
practices, as well as meet environmental liabilities, EPA will invest in the
decommissioning of real property at the Annapolis and Beltsville labs from the
Agency. By performing due diligence at sites that EPA will vacate, the Agency
removes any environmental liability that might have resulted from its operations.
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• Complete 50% buildout of the Ariel Rios phase of the new Headquarters
project, complete 90% of construction at Ft Meade, and complete 20% of
construction of the consolidated lab at Research Triangle Park.
•• Provide a healthy and safe workplace at the optimum utilization rate while
promoting better space management and environmental efficiencies.
• Complete 100% upgrade of security as required by the Department of Justice
to comply with the Presidential Memorandum on security at Federal
buildings.
« Conduct audits of Safety, Health and Environmental Management Programs at
thirteen EPA locations in 1998.
* Integrate energy conservation and pollution prevention into EPA's
facilities management practices to protect human health and the
environment. We will streamline purchases, minimize waste and maximize
usage. »
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1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
03 Obj. Total Change $(32,038.2) (0.5)
Environmental Program & Management $22,175.6 3.4
Building and Facilities $(56,472.0) 0.0
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks $12.2 0.0
Inspector General $(22.4) 0.0
Hazardous Substance Superfund $2,268.4 (3.9)
• (+$17,577,000 EPM, +$2,480,400 SF, +$12,200 LUST) New space which is
expected to come on line in 1999 in headquarters, regional, and field
offices. In addition, the funds will cover anticipated GSA and Direct
'Lease rate increases. The Agency has successfully curbed the rate of
growth in this account and will continue to aggressively pursue
opportunities to reconfigure space to reduce our inventory and to reduce
costs.
• (+$2,567,300 EPM, +$793,000 SF) The Agency will make an investment for the
relocation to the New Headquarters buildings. The single largest
component of this request is for the telecommunication costs to conform to
EPA's ISDN and local area network standards. As is the case with any
consolidation, telecommunications costs are the Agency's responsibility.
• ( + $2,500,000 B&F) An investment will allow the agency to complete the
tenant alterations in the renovated buildings at the new Headquarters
complex which are necessary to accommodate the "special spaces" such as
computer rooms, telecommunication center, education center, hearing rooms,
cafeteria, public dockets, and other agency specific needs necessary to
effectively use the space.
• (+1,770,700 EPM, +$97,000 SF) Additional resources needed for utility rate
increases in remote laboratory locations and to cover security contract
rate increases.
• (-$58,000,000 B&F) Funding for the RTP project will be reduced from
$90,000,000 in 1998 to $32,000,000 in 1999 allowing the construction of
the main facility to stay on schedule. This phase includes the main
laboratory and office complex, as well as site utilities and roadways.
This level of funding also provides start-up funds to begin construction
of the second phase of the High Bay Building (HBB), the National Computer
Center (NCC) and the Child Care Center (CCC) . Construction of the HBB
will begin early in 1999, and procurement of the NCC and CCC will
commence.
$40,700,000 is requested in advanced appropriations -for 2000 to complete
the main facility, and to complete the construction of the HBB, CCC and
NCC.
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(-$700,000 EPM) A disinvestment of the one time costs associated with the
completion of the President's Security Enhancement Initiative resulting
from the Oklahoma City bombing.
(+$2,000,000 B&F) An investment for the decommissioning pf the Annapolis
and Beltsville labs. Funds are needed to ensure compliance with prudent
facilities management practices, as well as to meet our environmental
liabilities.
(-$2,000,000 B&F) A disinvestment (one time cost) as a result of
completion of the alternative fuels dispensing project in Ann Arbor, MI.
Key Performance Measures 1998 1999
Provide additional security enhancements at - 10 regions
regional facilities
Agency adjusted office space utilization rate - 135 sq
does not exceed: ft/person
Evaluate facilities for weakness reducing - 30% reduction
health & safety audit findings & lost time
due to accidents
Improve efficiency & reduce energy - 3 labs
consumption in EPA labs
Complete Lab Construction at Ft. Meade 80,100 Sq Ft 89,000 Sq Ft
Construction of new RTP building 20% 50%
Complete buildout of Ariel Rios building 130,000 Sq Ft 260,000 Sq Ft
Continue buildout of ICC building 10% 50%
Comply with Presidential Memo-Security level 100%
II & III
Conclusion
EPA continues major initiatives to correct deficiencies in the Agency's
infrastructure as well as deliver a wide range of quality services designed to
enhance our employees' working environment. Ongoing and proposed new
construction includes the renovation of two historical buildings in the EPA
headquarters housing plan and the construction of the consolidated facility at
RTP. The ,RTP main facility construction is scheduled for completion by January,
2001. With 1999 funding to start the remaining phase of the campus, and
continuation in 2000, the High Bay Building will be completed concurrently with
the main facility. The National Computer Center and Child Care Center are
targeted for completion by mid 2001. Additionally, EPA will continue the repair
and improvement programs at our existing laboratories which, in 1999, will
include the decommissioning of two laboratory facilities. The program also
provides a safe and healthy work environment for EPA employees by upgrading and
modifying current facilities to more adequately .and efficiently address the
Agency's changing programs.
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Key Performance Measures Verification
The Agency has attempted to develop measures which adequately reflect
program goals and objectives. These measures emphasize quantifiable aspects of
program processes, incorporating realistic program outputs and outcomes. The
Agency recognizes the importance of verifying the validity of performance
measures and indicators. Consequently, efforts are planned and currently
underway to ensure that measures accurately reflect and support our assumptions.
As the process evolves, the program output and outcome data provided will allow
us to refine both our measures and our supporting information management system.
Statutory Authority
Public Buildings Act
Federal Property and Administrative Services Act
V.A., H.TJ.D., and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Effective Management
Objective #4: Regional Management Services and Support
The Regions will continue to provide the management services,
infrastructure support and facility operations necessary for the Agency to
achieve its .environmental mission, and meet its fiduciary and workforce
responsibilities.
Overview
This objective provides the means and capability for the Regions to
accomplish their mission and carry out their responsibilities. It includes the
resources needed to select and train the workforce; provide for the physical
space they work in and tools necessary to perform their jobs; and manage the.
Regions' resources. The Agency will accomplish the goals of this objective
through aggressive streamlining of processes; providing user-friendly,
innovative technology; and implementing the General Accounting Office's (GAO)
information resources management's best practices in support of the goals of the
Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA). The Agency is requesting
$108,189,100 in 1999 for this objective.
EPA is committed in 1999 to improve performance in a number of areas and
we have established specific performance goals for each of the management and
facilities services. The Regions need the right people with the right skills and
experiences to successfully accomplish its mission. This workforce needs basic
support as well as training to maintain and enhance job skills. This objective
includes management services such as recruitment, training, employee services,
and organizational consulting and advising.
Resources are essential to both the Regions 'and our partners in the States
and Tribes in accomplishing the Agency's mission. This objective also includes
the proper and effective management of these contracts and grants resources. To
be effective and efficient, the regional workforce needs a wide range of
infrastructure tools and services, including support for telecommunications and
mission-critical information systems.
The Agency will ensure a safe and effective work environment and provide
for records management, library services, copying, mailroom services, and general
office and safety supplies. Management of the Regions' physical space, tools,
and administrative services is also accounted for in this objective.
These activities are vital to the operation of the Regional offices, and
consequently, to the Agency's ability to achieve its mission and to meet its
statutory and fiduciary responsibilities.
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Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 04 Regional Management $110,769.2 $107,103.7 $108,189.1
Services and Support:
Environmental Program & $80,167.9 $75,359.0 $77,208.2
Management
.Leaking Underground Storage $310.4 $296.7 $310,4
Tanks
Oil Spill Response $27.9 $35.8 $26,2
Inspector General $619.2 $619.2 $582.5
Hazardous Substance Supexfund $29,643.8 $30,593.0 $30,061.8
Total FTE 610.8 596.8 601.8
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• Implement an automated human resources management system.
• Implement the Phase I - integrated Grants Management System (IGMS) award
module in all grants management offices.
« Implement GAO best practices for information resources management.
The Agency's goal to achieve the requirements of the Government Performance
and Results Act (GPRA) and to strengthen accountability through performance-based
management systems will put increasing demands on the program managers to have
the right people with the right skills and experiences. The Regional human
resources offices intend to. meet this challenge and develop measures to determine
customer satisfaction with human resources services. The other key piece in this
effort will be to clearly understand customer service values and expectations,
and the human resources offices in the Regions intend to undertake efforts to
identify and define these.
The Agency maintains the quality and timeliness of the Regional human
resources services while increasing the usefulness of human resources (HR)
consulting and advisory services, innovation, and support for organizational
change. Human resource processes will be streamlined and strengthened through
automation initiatives as established by the Agency and implemented in the
regions. These improvements will permit a shift of emphasis towards a proactive,
consultative role that supports EPA programs ($12,046,200).
The Agency will maintain effective contracts management while improving
contracts tracking, information dissemination, analysis and records management
through the use of functional data systems enhancement. Performance Partnership
Grants will be awarded to states that want to participate and grants staff will
continue to provide technical assistance through the Management Assistance
Program (MAP) review process, as well as participate with program staff in the
formulation of Regional/State priorities and result-based measures. Grants staff
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will utilize available information systems and electronic grant processes, as
development of these systems come on-line ($18,045,500).
By the year 2003, the Agency will satisfy all relevant GAO best practices
for IRM services and stewardship through the implementation of Agency processes,
procedures, best practices, benchmark studies, performance measurement reviews,
tools and service standards. The Agency has a significant effort underway to
streamline and automate work processes--Regional IRM services will coordinate the
implementation of these projects.
Efforts will be supported to improve the Agency's mission-critical
environmental information systems, to include more information (such as
ecosystems assessment, and ambient environmental data) needed by citizens and
regional, state, tribal and local governments to make informed decisions.
Approaches to application improvement will include Rapid Applications Development
and Deployment (RADD) and data warehousing. The Regional IRM offices will also
be undertaking efforts to clearly understand customer service expectations and
will be developing standards and using them to measure effectiveness.
Continued support will be provided for a wide range of facility and
administrative services needed to support the Agency's mission and programs.
These include; library services, records management, copy center, mail room,
safety and health services; GSA fleet and property management; and other
facilities management services ($78,097,400).
1998 Annual Performance Goals
• Establish baseline measures for EPA employee customer satisfaction with
administrative management services.
• Establish baseline measures for EPA employee customer satisfaction with IRM
services.
• Develop Regional human resources EPA employee customer service survey.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars FTE
04 Obj. Total Change $1,085.4 5.0
Environmental Program & Management $1,649.2 ' 5.0
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks $13.7 0.0
Oil Spill Response $(9.. 6) 0.0
Inspector General $(36.7) 0.0
Hazardous Substance Superfund $(531,2) 0.0
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(+$1,748,200 EPM, +$13,700 LUST, -$854,800 SF, -$36,700 IG, -$9,600 OIL)
Additional resources of $860,800 will be used in support of regional
infrastructure, such as utilities, security, and regional moves, and ADP
infrastructure.
($335,600 EPM and 5 FTE) The Agency will invest in grants management
assistance to tribes to protect the fiscal integrity of grant resources
and meet Tribal requests for training and technical and program
assistance. These resources will help address high-priority environmental
problems where Tribes have not yet built the capacity to address these
problems themselves.
Conclusion
The Regions will operate management activities in a way that addresses the
high-priority needs of program operations. Well-run, effective human resources
management; contracts and grants management; and infrastructure will assist the
Regions in meeting their program obligations and responsibilities.
Key Performance Measures Verification
The Agency has attempted to develop measures which adequately reflect
program goals and objectives. These measures emphasize quantifiable aspects of
program processes, incorporating realistic program outputs and outcomes. The
Agency recognizes the importance of verifying the validity of performance
measures and indicators. Consequently, efforts are' planned and currently
underway to ensure that measures accurately reflect and support our assumptions.
An important first step in this process has been the 'undertaking of a Customer
Service survey to measure customer satisfaction. The results of this survey will
provide us with a framework by which to validate and revise many of our
assumptions. As the process evolves, the program output and outcome data
provided will allow us to refine both our measures and our supporting information
management system.
StatutoryAuthority
Civil Service Reform Act of 1978
V.A., H.U.D., and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act
Clinger-Cohen Act
Paperwork Reduction Act Amendments of 1995
Federal Records Act
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Plan Request to Congress
Effective Management
Objective #5: Provide Audit and Investigative Products and Services
Provide audit and investigative products and services all of which can help
EPA accomplish its mission.
Overview
The Federal Government's Inspectors General developed an Inspector General
Vision Statement which the Inspector General (IG) has adopted as its own: "We are
agents of positive change striving for continuous improvement in our Agency's
management and program operations, and in our own offices." The IG's mission is
prescribed in the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, which requires the
Inspector General to: (1) conduct and supervise audits and investigations
relating to programs and operations in the Agency; (2) provide leadership and
make recommendations designed to (I) promote economy, efficiency, and
effectiveness and (ii) prevent and detect fraud and abuse in Agency programs and
operations; and (3) fully inform the Agency Head and the Congress about problems
and deficiencies identified by the Office of Inspector General (DIG) relating to
the administration of .Agency programs and operations. The OIG's general .goals
are to: (D help EPA achieve its environmental goals by improving the performance
and integrity of EPA programs and operations, by safeguarding and protecting the
Agency's resources, and by clearly reporting the results of our work; (2) foster
strong working relationships; and (3) operate at the highest performance level.
In carrying out its environmental mission, EPA administers billions of
dollars of government programs, making it vulnerable to various financial abuses.
The OIG's primary role is to independently and objectively review EPA's financial
transactions, program operations, contracts, and administrative activities;
investigate allegations and indications of criminal and civil violations; and
promote cost-effective Agency operations. A strong, effective OIG is an
essential partner 'with the Agency, helping identify needed improvements, prevent
waste of scarce resources, and maintain the integrity of the Agency's programs.
The total request for this objective is $39,916,800.
Through program, contract, assistance agreement, and financial statement
audits, the OIG provides the Agency with objective evaluations and constructive
advice and recommendations which 'reduce risk, improve service delivery, and
promote accountability. These audits allow the Agency to make better use of its
resources by ensuring it pays for only what it receives. Fraud and abuse weaken
Agency programs, erode public confidence in these programs, and subvert EPA's
mission. Investigations are vital in detecting and deterring fraud and abuse,
promoting cost-effective programs, and helping ensure the integrity of
contractors and employees, thereby 'reducing risk. Investigative results include
criminal prosecutions, civil actions, fines, civil recoveries, suspensions,
debarments, and systemic improvements. The OIG seeks the greatest return on its
investment for the Agency. Our reinvention initiatives and administrative
reforms are increasing our organizational performance, and our strategic work
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plans address the Agency's most significant risks, improve its accountability,
and assist Agency management in meeting its goals.
The OIG audits EPA's environmental programs to evaluate their economy,
efficiency, and effectiveness and to determine if they are operating in
accordance with applicable laws and. regulations. OIG's focus is primarily on
issues based on their relative risk, materiality, and importance to EPA's
mission; other audits are conducted in response to Congressional or Agency
requests.
Program Audits - Determine the extent to which the desired results
pr benefits envisioned by the Administration and Congress are being
achieved, reviews the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of
operations, and determines the extent of compliance with applicable
laws and regulations,
Financial Statement Audits - Review of the Agency's financial
• systems and statements to ensure that the Agency1s accounting
information is accurate, reliable and useful, and complies with
applicable laws and regulations. Our objective is to assist EPA in
making improvements in the financial management processes and
control^ which -will provide better information for decisions
promoting the greatest possible environmental results.
Assistance Agreement Audits - Audits of EPA's Construction Grant
Program, State Revolving Fund, Performance Partnership Grants,
Interagency • Agreements and Cooperative Agreements, which.
provide assistance to state, local and tribal governments,
Universities and nonprofit recipients accounting for about half
'of EPA's budget. The OIG will audit both the financial and
performance aspects, building on the Single Audit Act and focusing
on resource-intensive, high-risk programs.
Contract Audits - Audits of Agency indirect cost proposals-,
preaward, interim and final contracts. These audits determine the
eligibility, allocability, and reasonableness of costs claimed by
contractors and assure that EPA pays only for what it requests and
receives. EPA has assumed audit cognizance of ,15 major contractors
and will continue to monitor the contract universe to identify high-
risk contractors. In addition, the Defense Contract Audit Agency
provides contract audit services, on a reimbursable basis (paid for
with OIG funds), at the majority of EPA's contractors.
The OIG investigates alleged fraud, waste, abuse, or other illegal
activities by EPA employees, contractors, and grantees. A variety of
investigations are worked; they result in referrals for criminal prosecution and
civil actions, indictments, convictions, fines, restitutions, civil recoveries,
suspensions, debarments, other administrative actions, identification of systemic
vulnerabilities, improvements in programs and operations, and/or savings or
economic benefits. Fraud-awareness briefings are held to increase the awareness
of integrity issues throughout the Agency.
Program integrity Investigations - Investigations of activities that
could undermine the integrity of Agency programs concerning safety
and public health, and erode public confidence in the Agency. These
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cases are initiated in response to allegations or may be self-
initiated in high-risk areas where there is reasonable suspicion of
fraud.
Assistance Agreement Investigations - Investigations of criminal
activities related to Agency grants. State Revolving Fund,
Interagency Agreements and Cooperative Agreements, which provide
assistance to state, local and tribal governments, universities and
nonprofit recipients. Collectively these programs account for
.about half of EPA's budget.
Contract and Procurement Investigations -< Investigations involving
acquisition management, contracts and procurement practices. The
OIG will specifically focus on cost mischarging, defective pricing,
and collusion on EPA contracts. The decentralized nature of EPA
contracting, the complexity of Agency contracting 'and the lack of a
central vendor and subcontractor data base increases the Agency's
vulnerability to fraud.
Employee Integrity Investigations - Investigations involving
allegations against EPA employees that could threaten the
.credibility of the Agency. Employee integrity investigations are
conducted to maintain the integrity of EPA personnel.
The OIG will plan, control and report on the use of available resources,
prepare clear, accurate, timely, and independent reports to the Administrator,
Congress and the public to provide better accountability for the Agency,
information for policy and action, and a factual summary of the OIG's work and
its value to the Agency and taxpayers. The OIG will develop computer
applications to provide fast, economical information to reduce OIG costs and
increase our value; technology is one the OIG's primary means to implement
administrative reforms and apply a greater percentage of staff to direct mission
objectives. The OIG will help the Agency prevent and reduce the risk of loss and
impropriety through timely and responsive reviews of personnel backgrounds and
employment suitability, employee complaints, and legislation and regulations.
Strategic Planning, Execution and Reporting - Develop strategic and
'performance plans, budgets, and-reports in compliance with the GPRA
that clearly link all resources to organizational objectives and
results. Provide sound fiscal controllership to ensure
accountability for effective decision making and the best
application of resources to meet mission objectives. Also, the OIG
will perform activities relating to the IG Act reporting
requirements and communication with Congress and the Administrator,
and leadership activities of the Immediate Office of the IG.
Program Management, Fraud Prevention and Personnel Security -
Provide a fully-staffed, highly-qualified, and culturally^diverse
workforce supported by appropriate and efficient administrative
services to maximize application of OIG staff time on direct mission
work. Promote employee and contractor awareness to improprieties
and deter possible fraud and wrongdoing, and encourage-employees and
the public to report possible instances of fraud, waste and
mismanagement. Review and evaluate Agency and related legislation
and regulations to identify possible weakness, duplications, risks
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and opportunities for improvements and savings, and initiating
background investigations and National Agency Checks of current and
prospective EPA employees and contractors to determine if security
requirements are met to protect the integrity of the EPA programs
and operations.
Information Resources Management - Ensure development, acquisition,
implementation, application and management of comprehensive
technical information resources providing better, cheaper and faster
communications and product quality, improving DIG efficiency and its
value to the Agency.
Working Capital Fund - Provide the necessary computing,
communications and postage services to OIG staff.
Overall, the OIG sees its mission as identifying not only problems, but
also solutions. The OIG will do this through its audits and investigations, as
well as by providing advisory and .assistance services at the request of Agency
management. The OIG is developing strong partnerships with EPA managers in
working toward the common goals of improving the efficiency of EPA operations and
providing more effective delivery of environmental programs. The OIG is working
closely with the Agency's partners, such as state agencies, to ensure proper
implementation of major assistance programs. With Congressional and
Administration emphasis on operating with fewer resources, the OIG will continue
to increase our efficiency/ effectiveness, and accountability.
Objective by Appropriation
(Dollars in Thousands)
1998 Pres Bud 1998 Enacted 1999 Pres Bud
Obj. 05 Provide Audit and
Investigative Products and
Services
Environmental Program &
Management
Inspector General
Hazardous Substance SF-IG
Total FTE
$36,617.8
$619.7
$36,564.6
$576.0
$39,916.8
$619.7
$25,841.0
$10,157.1
402.4
$25,831.8
$10,156.8
377.4
$28,544.0
$10,753.1
401.2
1999 Annual Performance Goals
• In 19.99, the Office of Audit will provide objective, timely, independent
auditing and consulting services by completing and initiating more audit
assignments, such as .15 construction grant closeout audits, reducing the
average time of assignments, and dedicating more resources to consulting
services.
• In 1999, the Office of Investigations will increase its effectiveness in
detecting and deterring fraud and other improprieties by increasing the
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number of assistance agreement and contract cases, improving the percentage
of cases resulting in referrals for action, reducing the average time for
case completion, and conducting more fraud awareness briefings.
• In 1999, the Program Support Staff will support DIG performance by
effectively planning, applying and reporting to Congress fiscal, human and
technical resources use, and by facilitating the redirection of two OIG-
wide FTE to direct mission objectives.
Agency program audits will be performed to determine the extent to which
desired results or benefits envisioned by the Administration and Congress are
being achieved. The OIG will audit areas of high risk, materiality/ and
importance in accomplishing the EPA mission, and ensure adequate safeguards over
Agency resources. Specifically, the OIG will focus on the following areas.
Superfund - Legislative audit requirements include an annual trust
fund audit, an annual audit of response claims, audits of a sample
of state cooperative agreements, and technical reviews of cleanup
decisions. In addition to the mandatory financial audits, the OIG
will audit the Agency's management of the Superfund program.
Further, as the Agency expands Superfund activities to carry out the
President's -commitment to accelerate cleanups, the OIG will review
EPA's Superfund efforts to accelerate cleanup of the Nation's worst
toxic waste sites.
Hazardous Waste - The OIG will audit the success of the program to
date and seek improvements which could make the program more
effective.
Information Resources Management (IRM) - The OIG will continue to
audit the IRM program because it utilizes a significant part of
EPA's budget and plays a major role in tracking the Agency's
resources.
Water Quality - The OIG will audit the clean water program because
of continued water pollution problems and the significant resources
that are being expended to improve pollution control in this area.
Performance Measures - The OIG will audit performance measures to
determine if controls are in place to ensure that the Agency
accurately reports its expenditures and related accomplishments.
Toxic Substances - The OIG will determine if the Agency is
adequately protecting the public and the environment from the risks
associated with the manufacture, use and disposal of all commercial
toxic chemicals.
The OIG will audit EPA's financial statements as required by the Government
Management and Reform Act, and Trust Funds such as Superfund and LUST as required
by the Chief Financial Officers Act. These audits test the accuracy of the
Agency's financial systems and statements to ensure that EPA's accounting
information is reliable and useful, and complies with applicable laws and
regulations,- and evaluate internal and management controls. Our objective is to
assist EPA to improve financial information which managers use to make
environmental program decisions.
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The OIG's assistance agreement audits will focus on EPA's Performance
Partnership Grants, State Revolving Funds, Construction Grants Program,
Interagency Agreements and Cooperative Agreements. These agreements, which
provide assistance to state., local, and tribal governments as well as
universities and nonprofit recipients, account for about half of EPA's budget.
The OIG will audit both the financial and performance aspects, building on the
Single Audit Act and focusing on resource intensive, higher risk programs which
constitute approximately 70 percent of the total funds for assistance programs.
The OIG will continue to audit contracts to determine the eligibility,
allocability, and reasonableness of costs claimed by a contractor and assure that
EPA pays only for what it requests and receives. The OIG has assumed audit
cognizance of 15 major contractors, and will provide contract services for all
Federal contracts at these companies. In addition, the Defense Contract Audit
Agency provides contract audit services, on a reimbursable basis (paid for with
IG funds), for the majority of EPA's contractors. GAO issued a report in
February 1997 concluding that the Agency remains vulnerable to overpaying its
contractors and not achieving the maximum cleanup work with its limited resources
and that it needs to increase the timeliness of audits. GAO specifically
recommended that EPA and the OIG identify and request the resources required to
reduce the large backlog of contract audits within a reasonable time and improve
the timeliness of audits.
Program and employee integrity investigations will focus on Agency
environmental program and employee activities that could undermine the integrity
of Agency programs concerning safety and public health, and erode public
confidence in the Agency. Program integrity cases are initiated in response to
allegations or are self-initiated in high-risk areas where there is reasonable
suspicion of fraud. Employee integrity cases involve allegations against EPA
employees for illegal, unethical, or other conduct which could threaten the
credibility of the Agency.
As part of a new initiative to uncover criminal activity in the awarding
and delivery of EPA assistance agreements-, the OIG will increase investigations
of criminal activities related to Agency grants. State Revolving Funds,
Interagency agreements and cooperative agreements. These programs, which provide
assistance to state, local and tribal governments, universities and nonprofit
recipients, collectively account for about half of EPA''s budget.
The OIG will continue to investigate contract and procurement practices.
Specifically, the OIG will focus on cost mischarging, defective pricing, and
collusion on EPA contracts. The decentralized nature and complexity of EPA
contracting and the lack of a central vendor and subcontractor data base
increases the Agency's vulnerability to fraud.
The OIG will increase its efforts to establish strong working relationships
with state and local law enforcement officials and environmental program
officials. In addition, the OIG will provide fraud awareness briefings to Agency
staff as well as state, local, and other Federal officials to foster strong
working relationships and a customer-oriented organization.
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1998 Annual PerformanceGoals
• In 1998, the Office of Audit will provide objective, timely, independent
auditing and consulting services by completing and initiating more audit
assignments, such as 15 construction grant closeout audits, reducing the
average time of assignments, and dedicating more resources to consulting
services.
• In 1998, the Office of Investigations will increase its effectiveness in
detecting and deterring fraud and other improprieties by increasing the
number of assistance agreement and contract cases, improving the
percentage of cases resulting in referrals for action, reducing the
average time for case completion, and conducting more fraud awareness
briefings.
• In 1998, the Program Support Staff will support OIG performance by
effectively planning, applying and reporting to Congress fiscal, human and
technical resources use., and by facilitating the redirection of one QIG-
wide FTE to direct mission objectives.
1999 Change from 1998 Enacted
(Dollars in Thousands)
Dollars
FTE
05
Ob j . Total
Change
Environmental Program & Management
Inspector
Hazardous
General
Substance SF-IG
$3,352
$43
$2,712
$596
.2
.7
.2
.3
23.
0.
15.
8.
8
0
6
2
($2,712,000 IG, $596,300,00 SF, 24 FTE) Total payroll costs for this
objective will increase to fully fund the workforce.
Key Performance Measures
1938
1999
Potential monetary value of
recommendations, questioned
costs, savings and recoveries as
resulting from audits.
More timely IG recommendations
made and actions taken to improve
economy, efficiency and
effectiveness of operations and
environmental programs resulting
from audits.
$138.5M
57
. Recommendations
$118.5M
57
Recommendat ions
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Monetary-value of fines, ,$4.0M $4.2M
recoveries, judgments,
settlements, restitutions and
savings resulting from
investigations.
Judicial, administrative and 51 actions 52 actions
other actions taken to enforce
law, reduce or avoid risk
resulting from investigations.
Complete construction grants 15 audits , 15 audits
closeout audits
Conelusion
The OIG has adopted the Federal Government's Inspectors General March 1994
Vision Statement which states, "We are agents of positive change striving for
continuous improvement in our agency's management and program operations, and in
our own .of fices." The OIG is a key component of achieving the Agency's Effective
Management goal, by continuing to focus on promoting economy, efficiency, and
effectiveness and identifying and preventing fraud, waste, abuse, and
mismanagement in EPA programs and operations. The OIG is finding new ways to
work more cost-effectively, and the work of the OIG is also becoming less
compliance-oriented and more directed toward helping the Agency meet its
environmental goals using sound and economical approaches. These changes will
increase the QIC's value to the Agency in accomplishing its goal of Effective
Management. Ultimately, this will help EPA achieve its mission; increase the
economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of EPA operations; and reduce the risk
of fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement.
Key Performance Measures Verification
The primary source of key performance measure data for the Office of Audit
(PA) is the Prime Audit Tracking System (PATS). The reports generated by PATS
are used .by OA management to monitor progress, workload assignments, and the
general productivity of the office. Specifically, PATS provides detailed
listings of audits and reports, personnel time data, summary financial
information, and quantifiable results. Headquarters and divisional OA personnel
are the users of PATS and are responsible for entering data in accordance with
the PATS Handbook. Each user must verify that the data has been accurately
'reported in the system. System security is maintained by limiting access through
the use of passwords. The accuracy of data in PATS is subject to daily internal
management review and independent reviews by the Management Assessment Review
team (within the Program Support Staff) and a peer review team from another
Federal Office of Inspector General.
The primary source of 'key performance measure data for the Office of
Investigations (OI) is the OI Management Information System. The reports
generated by this system are used by management to evaluate productivity by
tracking the number of cases open and closed, personnel time charges, judicial
and administrative actions (such as indictments, convictions, suspensions and
debarments, sentencing or personnel actions), and financial information to
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include fines, recoveries, judgments, settlements, restitutions, and savings.,
Divisional personnel are responsible for entering data on personnel time charges
and verifying that these charges are accurately reflected in the system. An
investigative information specialist in Headquarters monitors data entered by
divisional personnel and enters information on case openings and closings,
judicial and administrative actions, and financial information. Management
accountability reports are prepared and sent to Headquarters desk officers and
divisional personnel for review and verification. System security is maintained
by limiting access through the use of passwords. The accuracy of data in the OI
system is also subject to independent review by the Management Assessment Review
team (within the Program Support staff).
The primary sources of key performance measure data within the Program
Support Staff are the EPA Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS)and the
EPA Budget Planning System. The IFMS generates the information necessary to
prepare annual operating plans and monthly status of funds reports which are used
by management to effectively and efficiently use available resources. This
system provides detailed information on operating plan projections as well as
expenditures and remaining balances by account and budget object class. The EPS
contains budget development information which is used by management to estimate
future budget needs and to implement the requirements of the Government
Performance and Results Act. Data is entered in IFMS and BPS by both OIG -and
Agency personnel who are responsible for verifying that the information is
accurately reflected. System security is maintained through the use of
passwords. The accuracy of data in the IFMS and BPS are subject to audit by the
EPA Office of Inspector General and the General Accounting Office.
The Office of Inspector General is currently developing an integrated
management information system called the Inspector General Operations and
Reporting System (IGOR) in conjunction with correcting the Year 2000 problem to
recognize four-digit dates, IGOR will consolidate and upgrade the functions of
several existing systems and integrate management and performance data, including
project cost accounting.
StatutoryAuthority
Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended
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Special Analysis
-------
Special Analysis SA-1
EPA User Fees Program SA-1
Non-Appropriated Funds ... SA-3
Working Capital Fund ,.-... SA-5
The Customer Service Program and its Goals SA-6
Costs and Benefits for Economically Significant Rule in 1998
Or 1999 . < . ., SA-9
Funds for America Chart SA-18
Appropriations by Object Class ..... SA-19
STAG State and Tribal Assistance Grants , . . . , SA-24
State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) SA-25
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EPA USER FEE PROGRAM
In 1999, EPA has five {5} user fee programs in operation and is proposing
four (4) additional user fee programs. These user fee programs are as follows.
USER FEES CURRENTLY BEING COLUBCTED
o Motor Vehicle and Engine Compliance Program Fee
This fee is authorized by the Clean Air Act of 1990 and is managed by the
Office of Air and Radiation. Fee collections began in August 1992, This
fee is imposed on manufacturers of light-duty vehicles, light and heavy
trucks, and motorcycles. It covers the cost of certifying new engines and
vehicles and monitoring compliance of in-use engines and vehicles. In
1999, EPA expects to collect over $8.8 million from this fee.
o Radon Proficiency and Testing Fee
In 1994, the Office of Radon Programs developed two fees, one for
training radon abatement contractors and the other for certifying radon
measurement devices. These two fees are specifically authorized by the
Indoor Radon Abatement Act and are designed to recover EPA's cost of its
radon training and certification programs. In 1999, EPA expects to
collect $.3 million from these two fees.
t
o Pesticide Reregistration Maintenance Fee
The 1998 amendments to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodent'icide
Act (FIFRA) mandated accelerated reregistration of all pesticide products
registered prior to November 1984. Congress authorized the Agency to
collect two kinds of fees - Pesticide .Reregistration Fees and annual
Pesticide Maintenance Fees. The Pesticide Reregistration Fee expired in
1992. The Agency continues to collect Pesticide Maintenance Fees, which
are deposited into the non-appropriated Reregistration and Expedited
Processing Revolving Fund (FIFRA Fund). Pesticide Maintenance Fees are
assessed on the manufacturers of active ingredients used in pesticide
products based on the manufacturer's market share. The Food Quality
Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA) extended Pesticide Maintenance Fees through
2001 and increased the cap on fees by $2.0 million. EPA expects to
collect $16.0 million from this fee in 1999.
o Pesticide Tolerance Fee
A tolerance is the maximum legal limit of a pesticide residue in and on
food commodities and animal feed. In 1954, the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) authorized the collection of fees for the
establishment of tolerances on raw agricultural commodities and in food
commodities. These fees supplement annual appropriated funds for EPA's
Tolerance Program and are also deposited into the FIFRA Fund. Annually
the fees are adjusted by the percentage change in the Federal employee
General Schedule (GS) pay scale. EPA expects to collect $2.0 million from
these fees in 1999. The FQPA mandates that EPA must require the payment
of such fees as will in the aggregate, be sufficient to provide, equip,
and maintain an adequate service for establishing tolerances. The Agency
plans to reevaluate fees to recover the full cost of tolerance
determinations as directed by the FQPA. In 1999, EPA'will promulgate the
needed rules to increase tolerance fees to ensure that the tolerance
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setting process will be as self-supporting as possible. EPA expects these
rules to take effect in FY 2000.
o Pre-manufactaire Notice Fee
Since 1989, this fee has been collected for the review and processing of
new chemical Pre-Manufacture Notices (PMN) submitted to EPA by the
chemical industry. They are paid at the time of submission of the .PMN -for
review by EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances.
PMN fees are authorized by the Toxic .Substances Control Act and contain a
cap on the amount the Agency may charge for a PMN review. EPA expects to
collect $3.0 million in PMN fees in 1999.
USER FEE PROPOSALS
o Pesticide Registration Fee
The Agency will work to implement the Pesticide Registration Fees
authorized by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) and U.S.C. 9701 "Fees and Charges for Government Services and
Things of Value." The Agency expects to collect $16 million in 1999 from
the reinstatement of pesticide registration fees that Congress suspended
through 2001.. Under this proposal, the Agency would collect $16,000,000
in 1999. Through such fees, manufacturers of new pesticide products share
the cost of ensuring that authorized uses of these products do not pose an
unreasonable risk to human health or the environment. Pesticides
registration fees will be deposited into a special fund in the U.S.
Treasury to be available to the Agency, subject to appropriation, to cover
the cost-of issuing the registrations.
o Resource Conservation and Recovery Act(RCRA) Fees
The Agency will work to implement the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1990 which requires EPA to assess fees for services. Among the potential
fees being reviewed, EPA is assessing the feasibility of requiring a fee
for processing hazardous waste export notifications and RCRA handler
notifications. Initial revenue projections from these fees by the
Administration have totaled approximately $3.0 million annually.
o National Pollution Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) Fee
EPA will finalize a regulation to collect non-refundable fees for
developing, issuing, and modifying NPDES permits. These fees will be
collected for selected EPA-issued NPDES permits and will be charged when
a draft permit .is issued for new facilities and modified permits are
issued for existing -facilities.
o Pre-aanufacture Notice Fee
The Agency is proposing appropriations language to raise the existing Pre-
manufacture Notice (PMN) fees to allow the Agency to cover the full cost
of the PMN program. This language would modify the current statutory cap
in the Toxic Substances Control Act on the total fee that EPA is allowed
to charge. Under the current .fee structure, the Agency will collect
$3,000,000 in FY 1999. The Agency expects to collect an additional
$8,000,000 in FY 1999 from this increase. The increase in PMN fees will
be deposited into a special fund in the U.S. Treasury, available to the
Agency, subject to appropriation.
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NON-APPROPRIATED FUNDS
Non-appropriated funds are monies which pay for discreet Agency activities
supported by fees which do not require an appropriation. •• The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has two accounts for such non-appropriated funds-. These
are 1) the Reregistration and Expedited Processing Revolving Fund and 2) the
'Revolving Fund for Certification and Other Services.
The 1988 amendments to FIFRA required the Agency to review and reregister
all pesticides that were registered before .November 1984. To supplement
appropriated funding for the Pesticide Registration Program, two types of fees
were established on the pesticide industry, Federal, state and local governments:
(1) a Reregistration Fee and (2) an annual Maintenance Fee. Fee receipts are
deposited into the Reregistration and Expedited Processing Revolving Fund
available to EPA without annual appropriation. For this reason, EPA does not
request dollars from this fund, commonly called the "FIFRA Fund", in the annual
President's Budget. The Reregistration Fee expired in 1992, but Maintenance Fees
will continue until 2001. From 1999 to the year 2000, $16,000,000 in annual
Maintenance Fees will be collected and in the year 2001, $14,000,000 will be
collected. EPA continues to fund part of the Pesticide Reregistration Program
through its annual appropriations.
The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) of 1-963 requires EPA to
establish tolerance levels and exemptions for pesticide residues on raw
agricultural commodities. Under section 408 of FFDCA, the Agency is authorized
to collect fees to recover the costs of processing petitions for these pesticide
tolerances. The fees are paid by companies/registrants requesting establishment
of a permanent or temporary pesticide tolerance at the time of the request and
work is not begun until 'verification of the fees receipt is made. Fee receipts,
until 1997, were deposited into the Revolving Fund for Certification and Other
Services, commonly called the "Tolerance Fund" which are available to EPA without
an annual appropriation. With enactment of the Food Quality Protection Act of
1996, fee receipts are now deposited into the Reregistration and Expedited
Processing Revolving Fund. These fees are increased annually based on the pay
raise increase for Federal General Service (GS) employees. In 1999, the Agency
expects to collect $2,000,500 in Tolerance Fees.
PROGRAM AND ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS
Reregistration and Expedited Proce ssing Revplyinq Fund
In 1999, estimated fee collections will be $18,000,000.. Beginning in 1997,
this non-appropriated revolving fund includes $2,000,000 in new tolerance fees
collected under the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996, plus the collection of
the annual Pesticide Maintenance Fees. In 1999, EPA will promulgate the heeded
rules to increase tolerance fees to ensure that the tolerance setting process
will be as self-supporting as possible* EPA expects these rules to take effect
in FY 2000.
The Agency's emphasis on pesticide reregistrations will continue in 1999
and is reflected in the appropriated budget request to complete forty-two (42)
Reregistration Eligibility Decisions. As information gathered through the
reregistration process continues to be reviewed, EPA expects that some pesticides
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will meet the triggers for Special Reviews. The projected number of Special
Reviews for 1999 is eight.
The Agency continues to establish tolerances for pesticide residues in or
on food for feed crops in the United States under The Food Quality Protection Act
of 1986. The Agency expects to conduct 95 tolerance petition actions in 1999.
Reyol yincr Fund for Certi f i.cation and Other Services
The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 requires new tolerance fees be
deposited into the Registration and Expedited Processing Revolving (FIFRA) Fund.
In 1999, tolerance fees are no longer deposited in the Revolving Fund for
Certification and Other Services. The Agency expects to outlay the remaining
fund balance in FY98.
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WORKING CAPITAL FUND
In 1999, the Agency begins its third year of operation of the Working
Capital Fund (WCF). A WCF is a revolving fund authorized by law to finance a
cycle of operations, where the costs of goods and services provided are charged
to the users on a fee-for-service basis. The funds received are available
without fiscal year limitation, to continue operations and to replace capital
equipment, EPA's WCF was implemented under the authority of Section 40:3 of the
Government Management Reform Act of 1994 and EPA's FY97 Appropriations Act.
Permanent WCF authority was contained in the FY98 Appropriations Act.
The Chief Financial Officer and the Office of the Comptroller initiated the
WCF in FY97 as part of their effort to: (1) be accountable to Agency offices,
the Office of Management and Budget, and the Congress; (2) increase the
efficiency of the administrative services provided to program offices; and (3)
increase customer service and responsiveness. The Agency has a WCF Board which
provides policy and planning oversight and advises the CEO regarding the WCF
financial position. The Board is chaired by the Deputy CFO.
Two Agency services, begun in FY97, will continue into FY99. These are the
Agency's computer center and telecommunications operations, managed by the
Enterprise Technology Services Division (ETSD), Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina and Agency postage costs, managed by•the Office of Administration,
Washington, DC. The Agency's 1999 budget request includes resources for these
two activities in each National Program Manager's submission, totaling
approximately $119 million. These estimated resources may be increased to
incorporate program office's additional service needs during the operating year.
To the extent that these increases are subject to Congressional reprogramtaing
notifications, the Agency will comply.
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THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM AND ITS GOALS
EPA .has been seeking ways to provide better customer service for several
years, and developed a formal centralized activity after President Clinton signed
Executive Order 12862, '"Setting Customer Service Standards," in 1993. The Office
of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation provides staff support and chairs EPA's
Customer Service Steering Committee (CSSC) , the management group that provides
policy guidance and leadership for the Customer Service Program (CSP). The goal
of the CSP is to improve the Agency's ability to achieve its mission of
protecting public health and the environment by more efficiently and effectively
serving the public, industry, state and local agencies, and other customers.
To guide the Agency in achieving this goal, EPA developed a Customer
Service Plan in September 1995, and adopted Six Rules of Customer Service that
apply to all the work of the Agency as well as eight sets of process-specific
customer service standards to cover the activities that provide the majority of
services to EPA customers. The different services are permitting, rulemaking,
enforcement & compliance assistance, partnership programs, public access,
research grants, state/tribal and local grants, and pesticides registration. The
Six Rules address professionalism (courtesy, flexibility, honesty, and active
listening leading to improved services), telephone service (respond by close of
business the next day, and/or give an accurate referrals), correspondence
response (within 10 work days or provide an interim response), public involvement
(seek ideas from customers on our policies, rules and programs), information
access and clarity (provide information that is clear, easy to access and
understand, in formats that meet customers needs), and dealing with partners in
service delivery (relationships of cooperation, helpfulness and flexibility) .
By 2003, if the CSP is fully successful, all EPA .staff should be meeting the
customer service /standards that apply to their work and have received any
training necessary to assist them to achieve the standards.
The Importance of Improving Customer Service
Achieving improved customer service is central to reinventing government.
Customer focused agencies will better meet the needs of those they serve, EPA's
Customer Service work will establish stronger connections between our employees
and their customers, encourage and gather customer input on what our customers
need and value, and how to do our work better. Listening to customers articulate
their needs and opinions will help us shift our focus to products and services,
their outcomes and values to the public, away from the number of transactions and
activities to the quality and value produced by them. Over time, shifting to a
customer focus will help us reduce dissatisfaction with government and reduce
rework as we learn more about and then meet the needs of customers. With our
focus on customers, we will be able to better define what we can do best and what
others can do better to satisfy customers. In essence, good customer service is
important because it promotes activities that build efficiency in meeting
environmental goals and build public trust in government.
What: Improved Customer Service Will Achieve
When EPA becomes a more customer focused agency, staff will seek ways to
improve their personal skills such as pro-active listening, problem solving and
negotiation, we will have better personal and program evaluation and measurement
tools, and will recognize opportunities to learn from our partners and customers.
With customers as our focus, we can better plan for and execute improvements in
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communication and information access systems, and appropriately train EPA staff
to be fully responsive to customer needs. As we improve relationships with our
regulatory partners, the public, industry, states, recipients of permits and
registrations, and others, we can expect to reduce complaints, increase trust in
the Agency, and improve EPA staff moral. The CSP requires minimal resources to
produce measurable benefits.
Strategies for Accomplishing the Objectives
The Customer Service strategy is centered upon the five objectives:
o helping all EPA employees understand the importance and substantial
benefits of improving service to the public;
o providing employees with goals and guides for that improvement (the Six
Rules and eight sets of process standards) and involving them in
identifying and attempting to eliminate barriers to achieving standards
(core process improvement groups);
o providing training to build staff capacity to achieve the standards and
effectively apply customer service skills;
o .developing measurement and tracking systems to document improvements in
service; and
o learning what we need to do to increase satisfaction with our services and
improve our treatment of customers.
To achieve these five objectives, the CSP is working with many individuals
across the Agency and several contractors. Customer Service Coordinators in all
Regions and Offices are disseminating information about the standards, their
potential impact and the importance of their implementation and achievement. Many
Offices and Regions have established working groups to assist the Coordinators
to increase awareness of the standards, the potential for improvement, training
opportunities, and methods to measure improvement.
A customer service skills training program was launched in January 1998,
after EPA employees were trained to teach the course work. There is an overview
course called "Forging the Links" which provides the framework a-nd philosophy of
customer service excellence at EPA, and clearly connects providing excellent
service to achieving the Agency's mission of protecting public health and
safeguarding the natural environment, as it underscores the ties between EPA
employees and their customers — both external and internal. In addition, six
other customer service skills units are available through EPA trainers across the
Agency. These courses will provide helpful, hands-on tools for improving
customer service. Further, customer service video programs are available on loan
from the CSP, and several organizations are holding brown bag lunch sessions to
share the videos with interested staff.
Surveys will continue to be used to obtain customer feedback, and their
results will be widely shared with employees so they can better meet customer
needs. Offices and Regions plan to conduct over three hundred surveys of
external customers annually during the next three years. The responses should
be very useful to managers in their reinvention work. In addition, internal
surveys will continue to gather staff opinions and suggestions on how best to
improve service to employees- Survey software will assist more organizations to
do surveys and analyze and report results to managers so positive, customer
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driven changes can be made. A work group was formed late in 1997 and charged
with the development of Customer Satisfaction Feedback and Measurement Guidelines
for Agency wide use once approved by the CSSC.
Valuable feedback is also provided in customer complaints. Complaints
handling procedures across the Agency will be documented during FY 1998. Best
practices will be shared and recommendations for improvements will be provided
to the CSS.C and managers across the Agency.
In addition, through a network of other Federal agencies and outstanding
customer service organizations in the private sector, • the CSP will use
benchmarking to identify, adopt and adapt customer service best practices to
EPA's processes. Benchmarking has already proven to be useful to EPA in the
areas of training, survey development, telephone service and standards.
The CSP will periodically report progress in achieving customer service
standards to Agency senior managers.. Representatives of all eight processes and
coordinators for each Region and Headquarters Office may provide information for
use in the reports.
Ex|gected Results
Through the CSP, EPA expects to increase customer satisfaction with the
Agency's overall performance, build staff capacity to meet and exceed customer
service standards and .customers' expectations, build stronger partnerships, and
better achieve our mission. When they understand the needs of customers, EPA
employees will provide better services to the general public and their specific
customers, including each other. Service delivery improvements will translate
into a higher degree of public trust in EPA-
Performance Measures
The Agency is committed to meeting the Six Customer Service Standards and
the standards for the different core process within the agency. Performance
measures are being established, and Guidelines for Customer Satisfaction Feedback
and Measurement should help those planning surveys to improve their ability to
obtain comparable and actionable results. Over 40 customer service surveys have
been performed throughout the Agency and many more are planned. These surveys
provide those offices involved with the feedback on what is important to
customers and how work processes can be improved. The customer service staff,
with contractual support and cross-Agency groups, will establish a system to
effectively measure progress as the standards become an integral part of the
daily habits and activities of EPA staff.
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COSTS AND BENEFITS FOR ECONOMICALLY SIGNIFICANT RULES IN 1998 OR 1999
GOAL 1:CLEAN AIR
NSPS: Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Fossil-Fuel Fired Steam Generating
Units—Revision
Anticipated Costs and Benefits: We have not yet completed a cost/benefit
analysis; we have estimated costs at $81 million with the benefits only
qualitatively addressed. These benefit categories include acute and chronic
morbidity/ mortality, ecosystem damage, reductions in agricultural and forestry
yields, visibility degradation, and materials damage.
The current NSPS for electric utility and non-utility steam generating
units were promulgated in 1979 and 1986, respectively. A major feature of the
NSPS is NOx control through the use of low NOx burners or overtired air. Section
407 of the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to revise existing NS'PS for NOx
emissions from fossil-fuel fired steam generating units, including both electric
utility and non-utility units. These revised standards are to .reflect
improvements in methods for the reduction of NOx emissions.
EPA proposed revisions to the NSPS on July 9, 1997. The revision was based
on the performance of selective catalytic reduction for NOx control. For the
proposed rulemaking, the Agency estimated total annual costs of $81 million (1995
dollars).
Integra-ted NESHAP and Effluent Guidelines: Pulp and Paper
Anticipated Costs and Benefits-: The capital investment costs of complying with
the integrated rules are estimated to be approximately $1.8 billion, with total
annualized costs of approximately $277 million (including operation and
maintenance and capital costs). While EPA is not able to monetize all the
benefits of the regulations, the categories that are monetized result in benefit's
ranging from -$727 million due to an increase in emissions of some pollutants to
+$1,496 million per year. In addition, the non-monetized benefits include
reductions in hazardous air pollutants, total reduced sulfates, carbon monoxide,
and nitrogen oxides.
The Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1990 direct the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to set National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air
Pollutants (NESHAP) for new and existing sources under section 112 and to base
these standards on maximum achievable control technology (MACT). The Clean Water
Act (CWA) directs EPA to develop effluent guidelines for certain categories and
classes of point sources. These guidelines are used for setting discharge limits
fox specific facilities that discharge to surface waters or municipal sewage
treatment systems. For the pulp and paper industry, EPA is developing an
integrated regulation that includes both effluent guidelines and air emission
standards to control the release of pollutants to both the water and the air. The
regulations are being developed jointly to provide greater protection to human
health and the environment, to promote the concept of pollution prevention, and
to enable the industry to more effectively plan compliance via a multimedia
approach. This Regulatory Plan entry also includes RIN 2040-AB53, Effluent
Guidelines and Standards for the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Category, reported
in full in Part III of this issue of the Federal Register.
The integrated NESHAP and Effluent Guidelines were approved by OMB in
October 1997 and signed by the EPA Administrator on November 14, 1997.
Promulgation of the integrated rule in the Federal Register is expected to occur
in late February 1998.
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NAAQS: Sulfur Dioxide (Review and Implementation)
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
On November 15, 1994, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed
not to revise the existing 24-hour and annual primary standards. The EPA sought
public comment on the need to adopt additional regulatory measures to address the
health risk to asthmatic individuals posed by short-term peak sulfur dioxide
exposure. On March 7, 1995, EPA proposed implementation strategies for reducing
short-term high concentrations of sulfur dioxide emissions in the ambient air.
On May 22, 1996, EPA published its final decision not to revise the primary
sulfur dioxide NAAQS. The notice, stated that EPA would shortly propose a new
implementation strategy to assist States in addressing short-term peaks of sulfur
dioxide. The new implementation strategy — the Intervention Level Program —
was proposed on January 2, 1997. Final action on the Intervention Level Program
is anticipated in May, 1998.
NESHAP: Integrated Iron and Steel
Anticipated Costs and Benefits: We have not yet done a cost/benefit analysis.
The Clean Air Act, as amended November 1990, requires the EPA to regulate
categories of major and area sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAP). The EPA
has determined that integrated iron and steel mills emit several of the 189 HAP
listed (including compounds of chromium, lead, manganese, toluene, and polycyclic
organic matter) in quantities sufficient to designate them as major sources. As
a consequence, integrated iron and steel facilities are among the HAP-emitting
source categories selected for regulation.
NESHAP for Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters
Anticipated Costs and Benefits: We have not yet done a cost/benefit analysis.
The Clean Air Act, as amended 1990, requires EPA to develop emission
standards for sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Industrial boilers,
institutional/commercial boilers, and process heaters are among the potential
source categories to be regulated under Section 112 of the CAA. Emissions of HAPs
will be addressed by this rulemaking for both new and existing sources. EPA
promulgated an NSPS for these source categories in 1987 and 199.0. The standards
for the NESHAP are to be technology—based and are to require the maximum
achievable control technology (MACT) as described in Section 112 of the CAA. This
standard is part of the Industrial Combustion Coordinated Rulemaking.
Industrial Combustion Coordinated Rulemaking — ICCR Project
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The EPA is developing combustion related regulations for five source
categories. The source categories are:•combustion turbines, internal combustion
engines, industrial/ commercial/ institutional boilers, process heaters, and
solid waste incinerators burning non-hazardous waste. Some of these projects are
listed separately in this section. These regulations are being developed under
sections 111, 112, and 129 of the CAA. Sections 111 and 129 require maximum
achievable control technology (MACT) floors and MACT levels to be determined.
MACT standards apply to both new and existing facilities. Section 111 requires
the development of new source performance standards (NSPS). These regulations
apply to new, modified and reconstructed sources and do not apply to existing
sources. These source categories are wide spread and one or more of these source
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categories are located at virtually every manufacturing and chemical plant in the
US. Section 112 standards apply to a list of 189 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) ;
section 129 standards apply to nine pollutants (dioxin and furans, mercury,
cadmium, lead, particulate matter and opacity, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride,
oxides of nitrogen, and carbon monoxide) which are a combination of HAP's and
criteria pollutants; and section 111- applies to criteria pollutants. There is
likely to be some regulatory interaction between these source categories since
many are located at the same plant site. Therefore EPA considered the option of
a coordinated rulemaking where all regulation development proceeded along the
same time line. EPA also wanted early and continuing stakeholder input. A
coordinated participatory rulemaking offers benefits to all stakeholders
including: the opportunity for stakeholders to shape regulatory development, more
cost effective regulations, avoidance of duplicative or conflicting regulations,
simpler regulations, compliance flexibility, EPA and stakeholder resource savings
in rule development, and an improved scientific basis for regulations.
GOAL 2: CLEAN AND SAFE WATER
NPDES Storm Water Phase II Rule
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The recently proposed NPDES storm water phase II rule establishes a
permitting program to regulate contaminated storm water discharges from small
municipal separate storm sewer systems in urbanized areas and small construction
sites {between one and five acres). There are some waivers built into the draft
rule, reducing or eliminating application requirements where there is little or
no environmental impact- For the rulemaking components that have been proposed,
the Agency estimated total annual costs ranging from $131 million to $494 million
(1997 dollars). The Agency has continued to receive a wide range of comments
through various public forums and expects that there will be revisions; however,
the magnitude of those revisions has not been determined. The types of benefits
associated with the proposed rule include both monetized and non-monetized
benefits based on improvements to water quality and reduced human health risks.
Estimated annual monetized benefits for positive financial impacts, recreational,
and health related benefits ranged from $65 million to $495 million {1997
dollars) annually. This estimate of benefits understates the true benefits, as
the Agency is unable to monetize all of the other expected benefits.
Effluent Guidelines - Industrial Laundries
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The proposed effluent guidelines rule for the industrial laundries industry
would limit the discharges of pollutants into waters of the United States and
into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) by establishing pretreatment
standards for existing sources (PSES), The proposed rule would benefit the
environment by removing toxic pollutants that have adverse effects on human
health and aquatic life. The standards would also reduce potential interference
with POTW operations. The proposed PSES limitations would reduce the discharge
of pollutants to POTWs by approximately 158 million pounds per year, which would
then result in reduced discharges of 27 million pounds of pollutants per year to
waters of the U.S. EPA estimates that these pollutant reductions would provide
several types of benefits: reduced incidences of cancer, recreational
improvements, and avoided sewage sludge disposal costs for POTWs. EPA estimates
annual benefits in the range of $2.6 million to $9.6 million (1993 dollars).
Other benefits that are expected, but have not been expressed in monetary terms,
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include reduced noncancer health effects, reduced administrative costs to develop
local limits, improved aesthetic quality of water bodies near laundries, tourism
benefits, and biodiversity benefits. The estimated total annual social cost for
the standards is $126.1 million (1993 dollars), which incorporates capital costs
of $425 million and annual operating and maintenance costs of $78 million.
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Radon
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
In 1991 EPA proposed a maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) and a maximum
contaminant level (MCL") for radon and other radionuclides in drinking water. The
proposed rule included a total annual cost estimate of $272 million per year to
treat radon in drinking water. The regulated industry estimated higher costs
than EPA, e.g., the American Water Works Association estimated a national cost
of $2.5 billion per year. . As a result of this major difference in costs as well
as other radon-related issues, Congress, through appropriations language,
prohibited EPA from issuing a final regulation on radon in drinking water.
The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act require EPA to withdraw
the Agency's 1991 proposed radon standards (MCLG and MCL) and to issue a proposed
rule by August, 1999. Consequently, the Agency is currently developing standards
for radon in drinking water that will incorporate the best available science,
treatment technologies, occurrence data, cost/benefit analysis, and stakeholder
input. In addition, the National Academy of Sciences (WAS) is undertaking a
radon risk assessment that is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 1998.
The NAS study will provide significant data for the anticipated co.sts and
benefits of the proposed rule.
National Primary Prinking Water Regulations: Ground Water Disinfection (GWD)
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The protection of human health from microbial illness attributed to
drinking water involves both surface water and ground water sources- of drinking
water. This proposed regulation focuses exclusively on ground water sources not
under the direct influence of surface water. The GWD rule's focus is to reduce
microbial contamination risk from public water systems relying on ground water.
TO determine if treatment is necessary, the rule will establish a framework to
identify public water supplies vulnerable to microbial contamination and to
develop and implement risk control strategies including, but not limited to,
disinfection. The structure of the proposed rule is a series of barriers to
microbial contamination. The proposed barriers are source water protection and
vulnerability assessment; assessment and maintenance of the well, treatment
facility and distribution system; disinfection where necessary, and monitoring.
From a public health perspective, the GWD rule will reduce both endemic levels
and outbreaks of illness. The economic impact analysis for this rule is taking
all these components, as well as the public health consequences, into account.
These analyses are still under development and information will not be released
until appropriate stakeholder involvement and consensus has been reached.
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Stage 1 Disinfectant/Disinfection
Byproducts Rule
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The proposed regulation for Stage 1 Disinfectant/Disinfection Byproducts
is intended to expand existing public health protections and address concerns
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regarding risk trade-offs between pathogens and disinfection byproducts. This
rule and the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule were proposed in 1994
as a result of formal regulatory negotiations. The Agency estimated total
ahnualized costs of approximately $1.1 billion each year (1992 dollars).
Estimates of benefits range from $400,000 to $8.0 billion per year related to the
estimated 1-10/000 cancer cases avoided per year.
The Agency has received extensive public comments on the cost estimates as
well as other major aspects of the rule. As a result of these comments and the
deadlines mandated in the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA
established a committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to assist in
revising the proposal. The Microbial/ Disinfection Byproducts Committee met from
March through July 1:997 to discuss, evaluate and provide advice on data,
analysis, and approaches to the Notice of Data Availability (NODA), which the
Agency plans to issue in the fall of 1997. Revised cost-benefit data are under
development and will be included in the NODA.
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: interim Enhanced Surface Water
Treatment Rule
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The proposed regulation for Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment is
intended to expand existing public health protections and address concerns
regarding risk trade-offs between pathogens and disinfection byproducts. This
rule and the Stage 1 Disinfectant/Disinfection Byproducts Rule were proposed in
1994 as a result of formal regulatory negotiations. The Agency estimated total
annualized costs of approximately $393 million each year (1992 dollars).
Estimates of benefits range from $1.2-$1.5 billion per year related to the
estimated 400,000-500,000 cases of infections from micro-organisms (e.g.,
giardia) avoided per year.
The Agency has received extensive public comments on the cost estimates as
well as other major aspects of the rule. As a result of these comments and the
deadlines mandated in the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking water Act, EPA
established a committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to assist in
revising the propo.sal. The Microbial/ Disinfection Byproducts Committee met from
March through July 1997 to discuss, evaluate and provide advice on data,
analysis, and approaches to the Notice of Data Availability (NODA), which the
Agency plans to issue in the fall of 1997. Revised cost-benefit data are under
development and will be included in the NODA.
GOAL 4: PREVENTING POLLUTION IN COMMUNITIES, HOMES, WORKPIACES AND ECOSYSTEMS
Selected Rulemakings for Abating Lead Hazards
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
For rules promulgated under the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard
Reduction Act of 1992 (Title X) section 406, cost estimates have been provided
with the proposed rule, and will be available with the final rule. For sections
402, 404 and 1018 of Title X, the costs have been provided in the final economic
impact analysis that was prepared in conjunction with the final rules. For
section 403 of Title X, costs will be estimated in a draft economic impact
analysis that will be prepared for the proposed rule. Since benefits depend on
private sector implementation of certain lead hazard abatement activities which
are not mandated by any of these rules, benefits will be difficult to quantify.
The Agency plans to conduct analyses to help quantify the benefits.
SA-13
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Pesticides and Ground Water State Management Plan (SMP) Regulation
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
EPA anticipates four categories of costs entailed in requiring SMPs.
Federal program ' costs are those of administering ground-water protection
activities, such as the review of state proposals. State program costs entail
both capital and annual costs. Registrant and Pesticide-user Impacts -are the
economic losses ascribed to the reduced use of the classified pesticides, as well
as the costs (to the registrants) of complying with Federal and state provisions.
Benefits accrue from the reduced levels of pesticide residues in ground water,
and a corresponding reduction in: 1) human and ecological risk; and 2) threats
to the economic and intrinsic values of the ground-water resource. Enormous
uncertainties accompany the quantification of these 'benefits, however.
GOAL 5; BETTER WASTE MANAGEMENT, RESTORATION OF CpNTAMINATED WASTE SITES AND
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Revised Standards for Hazardous Waste Combustion Facilities
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) strategy for hazardous waste
minimization and combustion and a judicial settlement agreement commit EPA to
upgrade its standards for burning hazardous waste in incinerators, boilers, and
industrial furnaces. These standards would be applicable during the construction
and operation of these combustion facilities. Estimates presented below are based
on data, methodology, and -findings related to the 1996 Proposed Phase I rule.
Estimates may change significantly for the Final Phase I rule as well as for the
Final Phase II rule.
.EPA's analysis of the April 1996 Proposed Rule indicates that some
combustion facilities may experience a substantial change in the cost of burning
waste, but that this change is likely to have a limited impact on combustion
markets. In terms of effects on waste-burning cost structure, cement kilns and
lightweight aggregate kilns (LWAKs) are most affected by the regulation. This is
primarily a product of their relatively low baseline costs of burning, meaning
that incremental compliance costs represent a large increase in their overall
cost of burning waste. For incinerators, compliance costs are lower, represent
smaller additions to baseline costs, and change little across regulatory options.
The analysis concludes that cement kilns have the lowest average waste burning
costs even after regulation, and so will continue to have the greatest
flexibility in marketing their services for those wastes that can be burned in
kilns.
To the extent that compliance costs cannot be passed through to generators
and fuel blenders, the profitability of waste burning in kilns will fall.
Nonetheless, waste burning kilns are expected to have healthy operating profit
margins after the rule. Market exit in all sectors is concentrated among
facilities that burn small quantities of hazardous waste. While as many as 98
combustion facilities may stop burning hazardous wastes as a result of the
proposeol MACT options, the small quantities these facilities burn suggest that
market dislocations will be minor.
Overall, EPA believes the social costs of the rule are balanced by a set
of potentially substantial benefits. Given the severity of the potential adverse
health effects from dioxin and mercury (cancer, adverse developmental effects in
children, and bioaccumulation in ecosystems), EPA believes the substantial
SA-14
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reductions of these pollutants from hazardous waste burning sources under the
MACT standard justifies moving ahead with the proposed rule beyond the floor
(BTF) option. An alternative way of valuing benefits is the potential increase
in property values around closed or more stringently regulated combustion
facilities. The fact that this approach also suggests potentially substantial
benefits strengthens EPA's belief that the costs of moving forward with the
proposed BTF option for certain pollutants and/or source categories are
justified,
HWIR Contaminated Media Rule
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The Hazardous Waste Identification Rule for contaminated media (HWIR
Media') , as proposed in April 1996, would give EPA and authorized States the
authority to remove certain lower-risk contaminated media from regulation as
"hazardous waste" under RCRA. Additionally, the rule would establish modified
treatment^ requirements and modified permitting procedures for higher-risk
contaminated media that remain subject to hazardous waste regulations. A final
HWIR Media rule, with an accompanying.assessment of the anticipated costs and
benefits, is scheduled for promulgation in June 1998.
The HWIR Media rule would provide relief from current standards. The
proposed rule would affect between 8.1 million tons per year of contaminated
media (soil and sediment; ground water is included in the rule but not in this
volume estimate) and 10.3 million tons per year (adding old waste and debris),
and will provide a cost savings to generators of between $1.2 billion per year
and $1.5 billion per year over the next five years. These figures are based on
the assumptions that all States quickly adopt the rule, that all eligible waste
receives relief under the rule, and that sludges are not included in the scope
of the rule. Potential cost savings for generators translate into possible
revenue losses for the environmental services industry, as a decrease in
commercial hazardous waste management is anticipated to result from the rule.
Overall, no small entities are anticipated to incur net costs as a result of the
rule.
The rule is anticipated to result in a number of benefits such as faster
cleanups, incentives for a greater number of cleanups, and lower administrative
costs and avoided delays in cleanup; these benefits were not quantified for the
proposed rule,.
Corrective Action for Solid Waste Management Units
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The Corrective Action Rule for Solid Waste Management Units would provide
a broad procedural and protectiveness framework for remediation at RCRA
treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. As the majority of States are
authorized for corrective action, the program is predominantly implemented at the
State level; this rule would provide a Federal baseline with which State programs
must comply. -The corrective action rule was proposed in 1990, and is scheduled
for promulgation in late 1998.
In a 1993 regulatory impact analysis performed on the proposed rule
requirements, the agency estimated the costs and benefits of the standards for
corrective action. EPA estimated that there are 5,800 active hazardous waste
management facilities potentially subject to RCRA corrective action requirements.
The total cost for those facilities requiring corrective action is estimated at
SA-15
-------
$16.7 billion. The costs for three additional regulatory options (two options
which are less stringent than the proposed rule requirements, and one which is
more stringent) were analyzed in 1995. These regulatory options were designed
to cover a range of alternatives including increased containment in place of
source control, cleanup of groundwater plumes to the facility boundary instead
of the unit boundary, varying future land use assumptions for a site, and
alternative media cleanup standards. These options yielded total costs ranging
from $9.1 billion and $12.6 billion, for the two options less stringent than the
proposal, to $57.3 billion for the more stringent option.
The benefits of the corrective action requirements for the proposed rule
were examined in the 1993 regulatory impact analysis. Six benefit categories
were addressed in the regulatory impact analysis, including human health risk
reduction, averted water use costs, nomise benefits, effects of facilities on
residential property -values, and increases in facility values. Ecological
threats existing under baseline conditions were also examined. While a host of
issues surround these benefit measures and how they compare with the compliance
costs, the agency believes that there are strong reasons to move forward with a
final rule. Further analyses of the social impacts of a final rule, including
analyses that will help the Agency monetize benefits, are planned.
GOAL 7: EXPANSION OF AMERICANS' RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR ENVIRONMENT
Data Expansion Amendments, Toxic Chemical Release Reporting, and Community Right-
to-Know Rules
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The .anticipated costs related to these actions are unknown at present', but
the FY 1998 cost of compliance to industry from the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
program is estimated at $384 million. EPA is unable to estimate costs since we
are unsure about what data elements need to be added to the TRI and whether this
data will even need to be collected or is already available. To the extent that
additional sources must provide data, there will be reporting costs for those
parties. Benefits in general will result from -the information reported in TRI
increasing our knowledge of the pollutants released to the environment and their
exposure pathways, improving the scientific understanding of health and
environmental risks from toxic chemicals. This allows the public to make
informed decisions on where to work and live, enhances the ability of corporate
lenders and purchasers to accurately gauge a facility's potential liability, and
assists Federal, .state, and local authorities in making better decisions on
acceptable levels of toxics in communities.
Reporting Threshold Amendment, Toxic Chemicals Release Reporting, and Community
Right-to-Know Rules
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
The anticipated costs related to these actions are unknown at present. EPA
is still unsure how low to set reporting thresholds or for what specific list of
chemicals the lower reporting thresholds should apply. To the extent that
additional sources must provide data, there will be reporting costs for those
parties. Benefits in general will result from the information reported in TRI
increasing our knowledge of the pollutants released to the environment and their
exposure pathways, improving the scientific understanding of health .and
environmental risks from toxic chemicals. This allows the public to make
informed decisions on where to work and live, enhances the ability of corporate
lenders and purchasers to accurately gauge a facility's potential liability, and
SA-16
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assists Federal, state, and local authorities in making better decisions on
acceptable levels of toxics in communities.
Addition of Oil and Gas Exploration and Production to the Toxic Release Inventory
Rule
Anticipated Costs and Benefits:
Based on the current status of the project, anticipated costs are unknown.
Until further evaluations are performed, estimated benefits cannot be accurately
calculated. Generally, anticipated benefits include making available more
complete information regarding the release and disposition of toxic chemicals in
the environment.
SA-17
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FUNDS FOR AMERICA
The President's Budget proposes several Funds for America in the FY 1999
budget to enhance high-priority, inter-agency programs and initiatives. These
Funds support key environmental and research programs through deficit neutral
funding mechanisms, including the renewal of taxes that support the Superfund
Trust Fund. EPA programs .and initiatives are included in both the Environmental
Resources Fund for America and the Research Fund for America.
Environmental Resources Fund .for America (dollars in millions')
FY 1998
Pres Bud
FY 1998
Enacted
FY 1999
Pres Sud.
Clean Water SRF
Drinking Water SRF
$1,07-5.0
$725.0
$1,350.0
$725.0
$1,075.0
$775.0
Clean Water Initiative
Nonpoint Source Grants
Sec. 106 Water Quality Grants
Wetlands
Sec 104 (b) (3) Coop.
Agreements
EPM Water Quality Programs
Total Clean Water Initiative
Superfund
$100,0
$95.5
$15.0
$2.0.0
$500.0
$105.0
$95.5
$15.0
$20. .0
$265.6
$501.1
$200.0
$115.5
$15.0
$19.0
$299.4
$648.9
$2,094.2
$1,500.0
$2,092.7
Total $4,378.2
Research Fund for America (dollars in millions)
FY 1998
Pres Bud
$4,058.3
FY 1998
Enacted
$4,572.4
FY 1999
Pres Bud
Office of Research & Development
Climate Change
Initiative
Technology
$514.2
$149.3
$538.9
$89.4
$487.1
$205.7
Total
$663.5
$628.3
$692.8
SA-18
-------
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Object Classification
(dollars in millions)
Account and Object Class
Actuals
1997
Request
1998
Estimate
1998
Request
1999
18
1
3
2
3
1
28
10
2
21
1
3
2
2
0
29
10
1
21
1
3
0
3
1
29
10
2
24
1
3
1
2
0
31
11
1.
Office of the Inspector General
Direct Obligations
Personnel services.
21.0 Travel and transportation of persons
23.1 Rental payments to GSA
25.2 Other Services
25.3 Purchase of goods and services from Government Account
31.0 Equipment
99.0 Subtotal, Direct obligations
Reimbursable Obligations
Subtotal, Reimbursable Obligations 1/
Below reporting threshold
TOTAL OBLIGATIONS 40 40 41 43
Science and Technology
Direct Obligations
Personnel services
21.0 Travel and transportation of persons
22.0 Transportation of things
23.3 Communications, utilities, and miscellaneous charges
24.0 Printing and Reproduction
25.1 Advisory and assistance services
25.2 Other Services
25.3 Purchases of goods and services from Government Accoun
25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities
25.5 Research and development contracts
25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment
26.0 Supplies and materials
31.0 Equipment
41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions
99.0 Subtotal, Direct Obligations
Reimbursable Obligations
Subtotal, Reimbursable Obligations 21
Below reporting threshold
TOTAL OBLIGATIONS 589 695 805 683
1/ Reflects Superfund and LUST Inspector General resources transferred into the IG account.
2/ Reflects Superfund Research transferred into the S & T account.
164
5
1
4
1
5
30
32
8
53
17
9
25
176
530 .
58
1
174
4
1
4
0
5
37
75
0
62
0
9
21
178
570
124
1
175
6
1
5
1
7
166
39
9
65
20
11
31
218
754
50
1
180
4
1
4
0
5
71
75
9
62
20
9
21
172
633
50
0
SA-19
-------
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Object Classification
(dollars in millions)
Account and Object Class
Environmental Programs and Management
Direct Obligations
Personnel services
21.0 Travel and transportation of persons
22.0 Transportation of things
23.1 Rental payments to GSA
23.2 Rental payments to others
23.3 Communications, utilities, and miscellaneous charges
24.0 Printing and reproduction
25.1 Advisory and assistance services
25.2 Other services
25.3 Purchases of goods and services from Government Accoun
25.7 Operation and maintenance of facilities
25.5 Research and development contracts
25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment
26.0 Supplies and materials
31.0 Equipment
41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions
42.0 insurance claims and indemnities
99.0 Subtotal, Direct Obligations
Reimbursable Obligations
Subtotal, Reimbursable Obligations
Below reporting threshold
TOTAL OBLIGATIONS
Buildings and Facilities
Direct Obligations
25.2 Other services
25.3 Purchases of goods and services from Government Accoun
25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities
32.0 Land and structure
41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions
Actuals Request Estimate Request
1997 1998 1998 1999
774
25
2
112
11
11
7
36
358
76
9
2
26
11
42
243
0
1745
43
2
1790
0
0
13
72
0
843
25
3
101
21
63
10
38
470
84
0
1
0
2
54
171
1
1887
81
0
1968
13
4
0
121
3
822
25
2
117
11
11
7
37
540
78
9
2
26
12
42
246
0
1987
80
1
2068
0
0
20
113
0
878
26
2
131
11
11
7
37
471
78
9
2
26
12
42
250
0
1993
80
1
2074
0
0
8
45
0
TOTAL OBLIGATIONS
85
141
133
53
SA-20.
-------
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Object Classification
(dollars in millions)
Account and Object Class
Actuals
1997
Request Estimate
1998 1998
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Direct Obligations
25.2 Other services
25.3 Purchases of goods and services from Government Accoun
41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions
99.0 Subtotal, Direct Obligations
Reimbursable Obligations
41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions
Subtotal, Reimbursable Obligations
TOTAL OBLIGATIONS
5
12
2280
2297
6
6
2303
0
1
2792
2793
0
0
2793
5
24
4534
4563
0
0
4563
Request
1999
.5
12
2886
2903
0
0
2903
Working Capital Fund
Reimbursable Obligations
Personnel services
22.2 Transportation of things
23.3 Communications, utilities, and miscellaneous charges
25.2 Other services
25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment
26.0 Supplies and materials
31.0 Equipment
Below reporting threshold
TOTAL OBLIGATION
5
2
20
12
53
0
11
0
103
5
0
13
73
0
7
2
1
101
5
2
48
12
23
0
11
0
101
5
2
52
23
,35
0
2
0
119
SA-21
-------
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Object Classification
(dollars in millions)
Account and Object Class
Actuals Request Estimate Request
1997 1998 1998 1999
Hazardous Substance Super-fund
Direct Obligations
Personnel services
21.0 Travel and transportation of persons
22.0 Transportation of things
23.1 Rental payments to GSA
23.2 Rental payments to others
23.3 Communications, utilities, and miscellaneous charges
24.0 Printing and reproduction
25.1 Advisory and assistance services
25.2 Other Services
25.3 Purchases of goods and services from Government Accoun
25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities
25.5 Research and development contracts
25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment
26.0 Supplies and materials
31.0 Equipment
41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions
42.0 Insurance claims and indemnities
99.0 Subtotal, Direct Obligations
Allocation Account
Personnel services
21.0 Travel and transportation of persons
22.0 Transportation of things
23.1 Rental payments to GSA
24.0 Printing and reproduction
25,2 Other services
26.0 Supplies and materials
31.0 Equipment
41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions
Subtotal, Allocation Account
Subtotal, Reimbursable Obligations
Below reporting threshold
TOTAL OBLIGATIONS
223
10
1
29
3
2
1
8
281
550
3
3
6
4
19
143
8
1294
23
2
1
2
2
18
1
2
21
72
391
2
272
23
0
29
5
5
T
28
492
793
0
11
0
4
13
335
11
2022
27
1
0
1
0
19
0
1
19
68
230
4
229
9
1
30
3
2
1
8
1044
505
2
3
6
3
17
131
7
2001
25
2
1
2
2
20
1
2
24
79
250
0
267
11
1
33
5
5
1
28
697
593
2
11
6
4
13
335
11
2023
22
2
1
1
2
18
1
2
21
70
250
0
1759
2324
2330
2343
SA-22
-------
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Object Classification
(dollars in millions)
Account and Object Class Actuals Request Estimate Request
1997 1998 1998 1999
L.U.S.T. Trust Fund
Direct Obligations
Personnel services
21,0 Tavel and transportation of persons
23.1 Rental payments to GSA
25.2 Other services
25.5 Research and development contracts
41 .0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions
99.0 Subtotal, Direct Obligations
Below reporting threshold
TOTAL OBLIGATION
Oil Spilt Response
Direct Obligations
Personnel services
23.1 Rental payments to GSA
25.2 Other services
25.3 Purchase of goods and services from Government Account
41 .0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions
99.0 Subtotal, Direct Obligations
99.0 Subtotal, Reimbursable Obligations
Below reporting threshold
5
0
1
1
0
51
58
2
60
6
0
5
1
1
13
15
2
6
1
1
1
0
61
70
1
71
7
1
5
1
0
14
20
1
5
0
1
3
1
56
66
1
67
7
0
4
1
1
13
20
2
5
0
1
1
1
63
71
0
71
8
0
7
1
1
17
20
0
TOTAL OBLIGATIONS
30
35
35
37
SA-23
-------
STATE and TRIBAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS
Dollars in Thousands
Grant
Air & Radiation
FY 1997
ENACTED
FY1998
PRES BUD
FY 1998
ENACTED
FY 1999
PRES BUD
State and Local Assistance
Tribal Assistance
Radon
Pollution Control (Section 106)
Nonpoint Source
Wetlands Program
Water Quality Cooperative Agrmts
Drinking Water
PWSS
uie
Hazardous Waste
H.W. Financial Assistance
Underground Storage Tanks
Pesticides & Toxics
Pesticides Program Implementation
Lead Grants
Multimedia
Pollution Prevention
Pesticides Enforcement
Toxics Enforcement
Indian General Assistance Program
$153,190.0
$5,882.2
Sg.lSJi.0
$167,230.2
$80,700.0
$100,000.0
$15,000.0
$215,700,00
$90,000.0
$10.500.0
$100,500.0
$98.298.2
$108,842.9
$12,814.6
$25,314.6
$5,999.5
$16,133.6
$6,486.2
$28.000.0
$56,619.3
$157,190.0
$10,168.8
$175,516.8
$95,529.3
$100,000.0
$15,000.0
. $20,000,"
$230,529.30
$93,780.5
$10500.0
$104,280.5
$98,598.2
$10.544.7
$109,142.9
$13,114.6
$13712.2
$26,826.8
$5,999.5
$17,511.7
$6,864.2
$68,960.7
$181,933.0
$10,168.8
$8,158.0
$200,259.8
$95,529.3
$105,000.0
$15,000-0
$235,529.30
$93,780.5
$104,280.5
$98,596.2
$10.544.7
$109,142.9
$13,114.6
$26,826.8
$5,999.5
$17,511.7
$6,864.2
$68,9607
$190,190.0
$11,068.8
$8.158.0
$209,416.8
$115,529.3
$200,000.0
$15,000.0
$J9..000,0
$349,529.3
$93,780.5
$104,280.5
$98,598.2
$10544.7
$109,142.9
$13.114.6
$26,826.8
$5,999.5
$19,511.7
$7.364.2
$42.585.4
$75,460.7
TOTALS
$674,207.0
$715,257.0
$745,000.0
$874,657.0
SA-24
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STATE and TRIBAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS (STAG)
Dollars in Thousands
FT 1997
Enacted
FY1998
Pres Budget
FY1998
Enacted
FY 1999
Pres Budget
STATE/TRIBAL GRANT ASSISTANCE
State/Tribal Grant Total
INFRASTRIJCTURE ASSISTANCE
Clean Water State Revolving Fund
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Consolidated State Revolving Fund
Mexican Border Projects
- Mexican Border
- Colonias
Special Needs Projects
1. Boston Harbor
2. Bristal County. MA
3. New Orleans, LA
4. Alaskan Native Villages
$625.000.0
$1275,000.0
$1,900,000.0
$100,000.0
550,000.0
$75,000.0
$2,550.0
$8,500.0
$15,000.0
$1,075,000.0
$735.000.0
$1,800,000.0
$150.000.0
$100,000.0
$50,000.0
$100,000.0
$3,000.0
$10,000.0
$15.000.0
$1,350,000.0
$725,000.0
$2,075,000.0
$75,000.0
$50,000.0
$74,0(30,0
$50,000.0
$3,000.0
$8,000.0
$15.000.0
$1,075,000.0
$779,000.0
$1,850,000.0
$100,000.0
$0.0
|78,QOg.O
$50,000.0
$3.000.0
$10,000.0
$15,000.0
Needy Cities Projects
Infrastructure Total
$84,950.0
$2,236,000.0
$0.0
$2,078,000.0
5191,625.0
$2,467,825.0
$0.0
$2,028.000.0
GRAND TOTALS
$2,910,207.0
$2,793,257.0
$3,212,625.0
$2,902,657.0
SA-25.
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TSCA section 13 (15 U.S.C. 2612)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) sections.3, 4, 5, 6,
11, 18, 24, and 25 (7 U.S.C. 136a, 136a-l, 13Sc, ,136d, l36i, 136p, 136v,
and 136W)
IV-2 9
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Environmental Protection Agency
1999 Annual Request to Congress
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes, Workplaces and
Ecosystems
Objective #4: Healthier Indoor Air
By 2005, fifteen million more Americans will live or work in homes,
schools, or office buildings with healthier indoor air than in 1994.
Overview ,
Indoor air pollution poses high risks to human health, especially sensitive
populations, and has ranked among the top four environmental risks in relative
risk reports. In homes, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and is
responsible for an estimated 14,000 deaths per year. The Agency recommends that
all homes be tested for radon and mitigated if levels are at or above 4
picocuries per liter of air; nearly l out of every 15 homes is estimated to have
radon concentrations above this action level. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)
is a "class A" carcinogen and causes about 3,000 lung cancer deaths in non-smokers
annually. A recent study reported in the American Heart Association Journal
concluded that constant ETS exposure in the workplace or at home nearly doubles
the risk of having a heart attack (between 30,000 and 60,000 excess deaths
annually). It is responsible for many childhood respiratory problems including
150,000-300,000 cases of pneumonia and bronchitis each year in children under 18
months of age as well as middle ear fluid build up in children. Asthmatic
children are especially at risk since ETS exposure increases the number of
episodes and severity of symptoms for up to 1,000,000 asthmatic children.
In schools, the General Accounting Offices estimates that 9.9 million
students and 570,000 teachers and school staff suffer illnesses annually due to
poor indoor air quality. A World Health Organization Committee has suggested that
up to 30% of new and remodeled buildings, including schools, worldwide may be the
subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality.
Additionally, exposure to organic chemicals and biological contaminants in
the indoor environment has been associated with adverse effects on the human
immune, neurological and respiratory systems as well as sensory irritation.
Recently, studies have also identified a relationship between exposure to
biological contaminants and the development or exacerbation of asthma.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is concerned about these effects
because scientific studies demonstrate individuals spend approximately 90 percent
of their time indoors where air pollutant concentrations are typically 2-5 times
higher than outdoors. The private sector is concerned about indoor pollution
because of the impacts on worker productivity and the high medical costs. The
combination of these two factors is estimated to cost the U. S. economy tens of
billions of dollars per year.
IV-30
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