[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 31, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14551-14552]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7183]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2009; FRL-8787-5]


Guidance on the Development, Evaluation, and Application of 
Environmental Models

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Document Availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing 
the availability of the final ``Guidance Document on the Development, 
Evaluation, and Application of Regulatory Environmental Models,'' EPA/
100/K-09/003 (hereinafter ``Models Guidance''). EPA's Council for 
Regulatory Environmental Modeling (CREM) developed the Models Guidance 
and its companion product, the ``Models Knowledge Base'' (hereinafter 
``Models KBase,'' http://cfpub.epa.gov/crem/knowledge_base/knowbase.cfm), to

[[Page 14552]]

improve the practices associated with the development, evaluation, and 
application of models for environmental decision making. Furthermore, 
by providing access to its tools and methods, EPA increases 
transparency and can improve the public's understanding of how science 
is used to make environmental decisions.
    While the Models Guidance does not impose legally binding 
requirements on EPA or the public, it provides recommendations on the 
principles of good modeling practice, stressing the importance of model 
quality, documentation, and transparency with the aim of helping to 
determine when and how a model can be used to inform a decision.

ADDRESSES: The Models Guidance is available electronically through the 
CREM Web site: http://www.epa.gov/crem. A limited number of paper 
copies will be available from EPA's National Service Center for 
Environmental Publications (NSCEP), P.O. Box 42419, Cincinnati, OH 
45242; telephone 1-800-490-9198 or 513-489-8190; facsimile: 301-604-
3408; e-mail: lmit.com">NSCEP@bps-lmit.com. Please provide your name, mailing 
address, title, and EPA number (as given above) of the requested 
publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Noha Gaber, Council for Regulatory 
Environmental Modeling, Office of the Science Advisor, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave, NW., Mail Code: 8105R, Washington, DC 20460; by 
telephone/voice mail at 202-564-2179; Fax: 202-564-2070; or via e-mail 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To achieve its mission of protecting human 
health and safeguarding the natural environment, the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) often employs mathematical models to study 
environmental systems and processes. These modeling analyses often 
provide input for the development of regulatory decisions. EPA 
established the Council for Regulatory Environmental Modeling (CREM) in 
2000 in an effort to improve the quality, consistency and transparency 
of EPA models. In 2003, the EPA Administrator directed the CREM to 
provide guidance for the development, assessment, and use of 
environmental models and to develop a publicly-accessible inventory of 
EPA's most frequently used models. The Models Guidance and Models KBase 
were developed in close collaboration with members of the CREM, who 
represent EPA's program and regional offices. This document represents 
the consensus view among EPA offices. The Models Guidance was also 
evaluated and approved by the EPA's Science Policy Council, the 
Agency's forum for senior level policy deliberation and coordination on 
significant science issues.
    Both the Models Guidance and the Models KBase were issued in draft 
form in January 2004. In addition to internal review, the CREM products 
have undergone an external review process through EPA's Science 
Advisory Board (the report may be found at http://www.epa.gov/sab/panels/cremgacpanel.html). The CREM also commissioned the National 
Academy of Science's (NAS) National Research Council to assess evolving 
scientific and technical issues related to the selection and use of 
computational and statistical models in decision making processes at 
EPA. The NRC report, entitled ``Models of Environmental Regulatory 
Decision Making,'' was released in 2007 and provides advice on the 
management, evaluation, and use of models at the EPA. The report may be 
found at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11972.
    A revised draft of the Models Guidance, which built on the 
recommendations of the Science Advisory Board review panel and the NRC 
report, was issued for public comment in August 2008.

    Dated: March 5, 2009.
Kevin Teichman,
Acting EPA Science Advisor.
[FR Doc. E9-7183 Filed 3-30-09; 8:45 am]
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