SEPA
190B12013
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
ross-Cutting Fundamental Strat
012 Action Plan Annual Progress Re
strategy 3: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
Advance a rigorous basic and applied science research and development agenda that informs, enables, empowers
and delivers innovative and sustainable solutions to environmental problems. Provide relevant and robust
scientific data and findings to support the Agency's policy and decision-making needs.
Executive Summary
Science is the backbone for EPA programs and decisions. In FY 2012, EPA demonstrated key scientific and technical
achievements to support the environmental challenges our nation faces. As a key priority, the Agency is trying to
determine how to effectively integrate "sustainability" into our programs.
Accomplishment Highlights:
>^ 2012 Technology Market Summit: The EPA and American University jointly sponsored the 2012 Technology Market
Summit in May, bringing together government leaders, industry, academia, and private investment decision makers.
The Summit set the stage for significant conversations on how to accelerate the development and adoption of
technologies to spur economic growth through environmental protection. Through a series of case studies centered
on fence-line air quality monitoring, the automotive supply chain, and biodigesters and biogas, and through "market
talks" from an investor perspective, meeting speakers and participants explored and discussed barriers and solutions
related to technology, policy, and finance.
>^ Pursuing the Path Forward: EPA had a successful first year operating under the sustainability and trans-disciplinary
focused research programs. In FY 2012, EPA adopted Research Action Plans for: (1) air, climate, and energy; (2) safe
and sustainable water; (3) chemical safety and sustainability; and, (4) safe and healthy communities. Under the
Path Forward, the Office of Research and Development (ORD) strives to: (1) communicate widely and openly; (2)
provide timely, responsive, and relevant solutions to meeting the high-priority programs EPA and the nation face; (3)
rely on a variety of disciplines to address complex environmental problems; and, (4) catalyze sustainable innovation.
>^ Issued a Research Communication Strategy: EPA's new research communication strategy is designed to increase
awareness of EPA's research among the public and the scientific community. The strategy will help EPA to
communicate more effectively and consistently the research tools, models, and data that are fundamental to
protecting human health and the environment.
>^ Catalyzing Technologies to Reduce Air Emissions: EPA's Region 9 provided $800,000 in funding for projects to help
spur early-stage, innovative air emission reduction technologies that need further testing. One project tested heavy-
duty battery electric "Class 8" trucks in environmental justice areas around the San Pedro Ports, providing 100%
tailpipe emission reductions of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases. Demonstration projects
funded in the San Joaquin Valley included: (1) near-zero NOx emission control on a dairy digester, which captures
and converts methane into on-site electricity; and, (2) the world's first fully autonomous, zero-emission, all-electric
agricultural sprayer, which provided 100% emission reductions of all pollutants.
Challenges:
FY 2012 Annual Progress Report: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
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Responding to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Report on "Sustainability and the USEPA:" The NAS
recommends that EPA develop new strategies and approaches to achieve sustainable outcomes. Responding to
some of the recommendations extends beyond EPA's current expertise. This, along with achieving a culture change
across the Agency, is an important opportunity and challenge moving forward.
New Framework for Conducting Competitions and Challenges: Challenges and competitions are rapidly gaining
support across federal agencies as a way to promote innovation and collaboration and to accelerate problem
solving. The America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 provided EPA with expanded authority to conduct
challenges and award prizes. One difficulty EPA encountered in FY 2012 was the need to implement challenges
while simultaneously developing and implementing the legal and policy framework associated with the new law.
Though a cross-Agency effort, EPA has developed a set of guidance and policy documents which will ensure that
challenges are conducted in a more effective and efficient manner in the future (http://challenge.gov/epa).
FY 2012 Annual Progress Report: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
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FY 2012 Performance Summary
Strategy 3: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
FY 2011 Action Plan Activity
Status/Explanation
= Activity Complete
1. Plan and implement research programs to develop
sustainable solutions to high priority environmental
problems through close partnerships among the EPA's
offices, partners, and external stakeholders (Supports
Principles 1, 2 and 4).
By September 2012, the Agency will approve four
integrated trans-disciplinary Research Action Plans
for programs on: (1) air, climate, and energy; (2) safe
and sustainable water; (3) chemical safety and
sustainability; and, (4) safe and healthy
communities. These Research Action Plans will
identify relevant, timely, and sustainable solutions to
specific Agency problems, decision needs, and
strategic goals. They will be reviewed by an
independent expert Federal Advisory Committee Act
panel to ensure they clearly communicate research
outcomes, outcomes from users of research, and
mission-relevant impacts.
EPA adopted four integrated trans-disciplinary Research
Action Plans (RAPs) for programs on: (1) air, climate,
and energy; (2) safe and sustainable water; (3) chemical
safety and sustainability; and, (4) safe and healthy
communities. These RAPs were developed with
extensive feedback from program office and Regional
partners and help ensure that EPA's research is focused
on the Agency's highest priority needs.
Address cross-cutting research needs identified by the
EPA's offices, partners, and external stakeholders by:
o Providing preliminary results from an Agency-wide
study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing
on drinking water resources. (December 2012).
o Issuing competitive Requests for Applications (RFA)
to establish research networks for life-cycle chemical
safety and sustainable molecular design (September
2012).
• Developing tools and data to support the
assessment of cumulative exposure, dose,
effects and risks applicable for use in regulatory
decision-making, including reports on: (1) the
potential use of biomarkers in rats and humans
for mixtures exposure assessments (September
2012); and, (2) the use of dose additivity to
predict interactions among chemicals with
common modes of action (September 2012).
These solicitations are nearly complete and will help
further the design of safe and sustainable chemicals.
Specifically, these awards will fund methods and tools
that evaluate the entire life cycle of chemicals. Such
approaches will incorporate specific molecular functions
or properties (including recyclability) while reducing
waste production, toxicity, and water and energy usage.
EPA will also support research that demonstrates the
linkages between exposure and adverse effects
(including unique aspects of nanomaterials and novel
compounds) that can inform life-cycle impact analysis.
FY 2012 Annual Progress Report: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
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FY 2012 Performance Summary
Strategy 3: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
FY 2011 Action Plan Activity
Through a partnership between the EPA Regions and
scientists, conduct a Regional pilot project focused
on applying an innovative systems approach to the
problem of nutrient impairment in Narragansett Bay
and its watershed. Substantial investments have
already been made to reduce nitrogen loadings in
this watershed, and resolving the remaining
environmental problems is a high Regional priority.
The aim of this project is to develop practical,
sustainable solutions through use of a decision
support model that integrates environmental,
economic, and social issues at a watershed scale
(Status Report, September 2012).
Status/Explanation
= Activity Complete
The Narragansett Bay Sustainability Pilot project (NBSP)
is a partnership with EPA Region 1 and will be complete
by December. This project is using sustainability
concepts to help Region 1 address nutrients issues in
Narragansett Bay. EPA is producing an easy-to-use,
policy-level model that uses system dynamics
approaches. The prototype model is being demonstrated
to Region 1, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. It will be
presented to stakeholders in December. This NBSP
project is an example of applying sustainability concepts
to a real-life EPA problem.
Demonstrate the use of "open innovation
challenges" to fill the EPA priority science and
technology gaps in the Agency's regulations, as
identified by program and Regional offices. New
open innovation challenges will be announced and
entries will be reviewed and summarized in reports
and on the EPA website throughout 2012.
This is an ongoing activity; much progress was made in
FY 2012, and work will continue in FY 2013. In 2012, EPA
launched six open innovation challenges to fill EPA
priority science and technology gaps. An EPA website is
under development that will review and summarize all
of the Agency's science and technology challenges. EPA
has also developed a framework of guidelines and
policies for the implementation of open innovation
challenges at the Agency.
• Review the recommendations in the National Academy
of Sciences Report, "Sustainability and the USEPA," and
make recommendations as to how the Agency will
respond to these recommendations. This will include
developing action plans and key performance
indicator(s) for sustainability.
EPA organized over 80 listening sessions with key
stakeholder groups for reviewing NAS recommendations
and assessing the role of EPA in sustainability. EPA's
Office of Policy subsequently developed a draft
Sustainability Implementation Plan with specific
recommendations (on internal management, scientific
and policy priorities, and performance measures and
metrics). The plan was submitted to the Administration
in September and final actions are pending.
Additionally, ORD has incorporated key NAS
recommendations into the Research Action Plans. For
example, ORD is adopting a systems approach to
environmental issues and incorporating life-cycle
assessments into research programs.
2. Support and promote innovative science and
technologies that scrutinize environmental and human
health impacts from the beginning to the end of the
technology life cycle (Supports Principles 1,2, and 4).
FY 2012 Annual Progress Report: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
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FY 2012 Performance Summary
Strategy 3: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
FY 2011 Action Plan Activity
Status/Explanation
= Activity Complete
• By September 2012, conduct at least two innovative
technology opportunity and market assessments for
completed, pending, or prospective regulatory actions.
Begin developing a framework for conducting future
assessments as part of the EPA Action Development
Process (ADP) and periodic regulatory action review
process (as required by Executive Order 13563,
Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review). Apply
lessons learned from the two pilot assessments.
o Consistent with the Agency's commitments in
response to the President's initiative to assess and
reform regulations, National Program Managers will
identify and highlight opportunities for incorporating
"technology push" language in regulatory packages,
especially for traditional "technology defined"
regulations like Best Available Technology (BAT) or
Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT)
(June 2012).
EPA will meet its planned milestones for completing the
two market analysis studies by December 2012.
• Flame retardants: EPA collected information from
industry (chemical producers, compounders, product
manufacturers), NGOs, and academia to discern
what motivates business choices about which
chemicals to produce and use. This study will inform
EPA's strategic planning regarding flame retardant
chemicals.
• Mountaintop mining: This study is a market analysis
to determine which technologies from other sectors
can address water quality challenges associated with
mountaintop mining.
This activity is pending.
3. Communicate the design, definition, conduct, transfer,
and implementation of research and technological
innovation so that it can be understood readily and
used by stakeholders (Supports Principle 3).
FY 2012 Annual Progress Report: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
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FY 2012 Performance Summary
Strategy 3: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
FY 2011 Action Plan Activity
Status/Explanation
= Activity Complete
By September 2012, develop and implement strategies
for communicating the design, definition, conduct,
transfer, and implementation of research and
technological innovation to important stakeholders.
o Develop strategy for communicating research and
technology efforts and results including a timeline
for outreach opportunities. This overall strategy will
combine communication plans from national
research programs and efforts implemented to
promote opportunities for technology innovation
(June 2012).
Develop qualitative and quantitative metrics for
evaluating the effectiveness of key strategies (e.g.,
media relations and electronic and web tools) for
communicating EPA research to target audiences
(September 2012).
EPA completed its Research Communication Strategy,
which includes overarching messages, tools, audiences,
and strategies for communicating EPA's research. With
this strategy, EPA will more effectively and consistently
communicate the research that is fundamental to
protecting human health and the environment.
Communicating EPA's research will increase research
awareness among the public and the scientific
community. It will also improve collaboration among
the Agency and federal/non-federal partners. It will
educate stakeholders about environmental science and
related issues.
EPA also developed qualitative metrics and is applying
quantitative metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of key
strategies for communicating research to target
audiences.
FY 2012 Annual Progress Report: Advancing Science, Research, and Technological Innovation
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