1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Building the scientific foundation for sound environmental decisions

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and Development

Presentation to the Office of Management and BudgetSeptember 24, 2002

FY 2004 OMB Submission

DRAFT

Building the scientific foundation for sound environmental decisions

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and Development

Presentation to the Office of Management and BudgetSeptember 24, 2002

FY 2004 OMB Submission

DRAFT

Building the scientific foundation for sound environmental decisions

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and Development

Presentation to the Ecological Vision CommitteePeter W. Preuss, National Center for Environmental ResearchJanuary 6, 2003

Ecological Society of America

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Condition of Streams, Estuaries and Landscapes

Condition of Streams, Estuaries and Landscapes

RestorationRestoration

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment

DESIRED ENVIRONMENTAL

CONDITIONAssessment

FRAMEWORK FOR ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT EPA

ForecastingForecasting

DiagnosisDiagnosis

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

EPA’s Goal for Ecosystem Protection Research

To 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

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Factors Influencing Research Directions

• Nature of environmental assessment has changed– Interdisciplinary

• Focus has changed– Decreased emphasis on chemical contaminants

• Nutrients and contaminants of special concern (Hg, POPs, PBTs, EDCs, etc.)

• Diffuse and transboundary sources of pollutants a concern• Effects of landuse change

• Regulatory climate is changing– Greater attention to socioeconomic drivers

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Priorities• Primary emphasis on Aquatic Resources

– Strongest EPA mandates with associated legislative requirements

– Terrestrial systems investigated as they impact aquatic resources

– Wildlife endpoints for aquatic exposures (contaminants)

• Non-target impacts of pesticides• Economic impacts and benefits

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Key Research Questions

• Condition - What is the current ecosystem condition, what are the trends in condition, and what stressors appear to have been responsible for harm or deterioration?

• Diagnosis and Forecasting - How do biological, chemical, and physical processes affect the condition of ecosystems, and how can we most accurately diagnose problems facing ecosystems and forecast future effects?

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

• Assessment - What are the relative risks posed to ecosystems by stressors alone, and in combination, now and in the future?

• Protection and Restoration - How can we most effectively reduce risks to protect ecosystems and restore them once they have become degraded?

Key Research Questions

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Emphasis of Ecological Protection Research

• Monitoring for ecosystem condition that truly reflects the need for action and the scale of the problem, the causes of harm, and the success of mitigation and restoration efforts;

• Models and protocols that help diagnosis causes of degradation to ecosystems and forecast future condition, and that are appropriate to the scale of the problem;

• Scientifically defensible risk assessment techniques that can accurately quantify and compare current and future risks to ecosystems; and

• Restoration and protection strategies that are cost-effective and stakeholder-driven.

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Emerging Issues• Environmental Indicators• Total Maximum Daily Loads• Restoration• Invasive Species• Valuation of Ecosystems

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Emerging Issues

• Environmental indicators– National Research Council

– EPA Science Advisory Board

– Heinz Center Report

– EPA’s Report on the Environment

• TMDLs– National Research Council

– Waterbody Assessment: Listing and Delisting

– Modeling to Support the TMDL Process

– Adaptive Implementation for Impaired Waters

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Emerging Issues

• Restoration– National Research Council

– Urban Riparian Ecosystems

– Wetlands

• Invasive Species– Impact Assessment

– Identify likely sites for invasives

– Methods and tools for detecting, preventing, controlling, and eradicating aquatic invasives

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Emerging Issues

• Socioeconomics– Socially relevant assessment endpoints

– Involvement of stakeholders in decisions

– Interdisciplinary Coordination

• Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Benefits– Benefits difficult to quantify

– Baseline difficult to define

– Time frame of ecological recovery long

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Extramural Research• STAR Grants Solicitations (www.epa.gov/ncer)

– Watershed Classification

– Hazardous Algal Blooms (with NOAA, NASA, Navy, NSF)

– Valuation for Environmental Policy

– Computational Toxicology for EDCs

– Exploratory -- Ecological Thresholds

– Genomic-Based Indicators of Water Quality

– Landscape Indicators of Water Quality

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

SO…

• We want to include the academic research community much more in EPA research efforts

• Our research needs far exceed our capacity, both intramurally and extramurally

• Need to demonstrate to decision-makers that ecological research that we do, or sponsor, will directly help EPA carry out its mission

• Your help is very important

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

THANK YOU

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

O R D L o c a t io n s

a

Cincinnati, OH

Narragansett, RI

Research T rianglePark, NC

Athens, GALas V egas, NV

Duluth, MN

W ashington, DC

Gulf Breeze, FLAda, OK

Corvall is , OR

Edison, NJ

Newport, OR

Grosse l le, MI

3 N a t io n a l L a b o r a to r ie s2 N a t io n a l C e n te r s2 O f f ic e s1 3 L o c a t io n s

1

Ecological Research

• $73M Extramural Resources– $23M STAR Grants

• 565 FTE

• ~30% of FY 03 ORD Budget

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Factors Influencing Research Directions

• Nature of environmental assessment is changing– Single investigator Multiple investigators

– Single disciplines Multi-disciplinary

– Single stressors Multiple stressors

– Single receptors Multiple receptors

– Site specific Regional/watershed scope

• Need for documentation of economic benefits

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Outreach and Education• Post-Doc Program

– 150 Term FTE

• Fellowships– Minority Institutions

– STAR Fellowships (?)

– AAAS Fellows

– NAS Associates

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Ecological Condition

• National Coastal Assessment

• Western Pilot

• Midwest/Large Rivers

• EMAP Bioassessment Program

• REMAP

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Diagnosis and Forecasting

• Exposure Indicators

• Landscape Sciences

• Processes and Modeling

• Ecological forecasting in watersheds

• Multimedia Integrated Modeling

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Assessment

• Regional Vulnerability Assessment (ReVA) Project

• Watershed risk assessments

• Ecological risk assessment guidance

1/6/2003 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

Restoration• Riparian zone restoration in urban ecosystems

Minebank Run Study Area

Well Transects