[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 62719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25583]



[[Page 62719]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9392-4]


Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program Research Strategy

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a final document.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) is announcing the 
availability of its Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program 
Research Strategy, EPA 620/R-02/002. The Environmental Monitoring and 
Assessment Program Research Strategy serves to guide the planning of 
EPA research efforts, led by the Office of Research and Development 
(ORD), in developing indicators and unbiased statistical design 
frameworks that allow the condition of aquatic ecosystems to be 
assessed at local, tribal, state, regional, and national scales.

ADDRESSES: A limited number of copies of the Environmental Monitoring 
and Assessment Program Research Strategy are available from the 
National Service Center for Environmental Publications. Request a copy 
by telephoning 1-800-490-9198 or 513-489-8190 and providing the title 
and the EPA number for the document, EPA 620/R-02/002. Internet users 
may download a copy from the EPA's Office of Research and Development 
home page. The URL is http://www.epa.gov/ORD/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Michael McDonald, the National 
Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory's EMAP Program 
Manager, (MD-B-243-01), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research 
Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone: 919-541-7973; facsimile: 919-541-
4621; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In assessing environmental risk and 
determining restoration priorities, current environmental conditions 
must be known and rates of change must be measurable. Because of EPA's 
responsibilities under the Clean Water Act, the Environmental 
Monitoring and Assessment Program, within the Office of Research and 
Development, has focused on improving monitoring and assessment 
methodologies for aquatic ecosystems and their associated landscapes. 
EMAP has focused on developing indicators and unbiased statistical 
design frameworks to assess the status and trends of aquatic ecosystems 
at local, state, regional, and national scales. As is EMAP's primary 
mission, the goal of this Strategy is the development of sound 
scientific approaches to determine the health of the nation's aquatic 
ecosystems and the stressors most closely associated with impairment.
    EMAP efforts ensure that comprehensive and comparable methods are 
being used at a national level, allowing meaningful assessments and the 
first regional comparisons of aquatic ecosystem conditions across the 
entire U.S. These results will significantly improve the quality of 
performance-based reporting to Congress and will better inform EPA 
national and regional decisions on priority issues and areas.
    State managers and technical staff frequently struggle to balance 
local information needs with federal reporting requirements. EMAP will 
continue to work with State partners to develop cost-effective 
monitoring methodology to aid in decision-making. Results to date from 
EMAP approach applications in more than 30 States show cost-savings 
while producing full-coverage condition estimates. Often these cost-
savings are used to address priority issues also identified through the 
EMAP process.
    Finally, EMAP's approach and associated indicators serve the Agency 
and the public by contributing to scientifically based reports such as 
EPA's upcoming state of the environment report and the Heinz Center's 
``The State of the Nation's Ecosystems'' report. EMAP's efforts help to 
fill important information needs at both national and at local levels. 
EMAP information will improve our ability assess our progress in 
environmental protection and provide valuable information for decision 
makers and the public.
    This Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program Research 
Strategy was subjected to external peer review by independent 
scientific experts. The final strategy reflects the comments of both 
internal and external peer review.

    Dated: October 2, 2002.
Paul Gilman,
Assistant Administrator for Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 02-25583 Filed 10-7-02; 8:45 am]
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