Download or read book The Science of Bureaucracy written by David Demortain and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2020-01-21 with total page 453 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How the US Environmental Protection Agency designed the governance of risk and forged its legitimacy over the course of four decades. The US Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970 to protect the public health and environment, administering and enforcing a range of statutes and programs. Over four decades, the EPA has been a risk bureaucracy, formalizing many of the methods of the scientific governance of risk, from quantitative risk assessment to risk ranking. Demortain traces the creation of these methods for the governance of risk, the controversies to which they responded, and the controversies that they aroused in turn. He discusses the professional networks in which they were conceived; how they were used; and how they served to legitimize the EPA. Demortain argues that the EPA is structurally embedded in controversy, resulting in constant reevaluation of its credibility and fueling the evolution of the knowledge and technologies it uses to produce decisions and to create a legitimate image of how and why it acts on the environment. He describes the emergence and institutionalization of the risk assessment–risk management framework codified in the National Research Council's Red Book, and its subsequent unraveling as the agency's mission evolved toward environmental justice, ecological restoration, and sustainability, and as controversies over determining risk gained vigor in the 1990s. Through its rise and fall at the EPA, risk decision-making enshrines the science of a bureaucracy that learns how to make credible decisions and to reform itself, amid constant conflicts about the environment, risk, and its own legitimacy.
Download or read book The Science Behind the Environmental Protection Agency s EPA s Proposed Revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone and Particulate Matter Parts I III written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Energy and Environment and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 676 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Science for Environmental Protection written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-12-21 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In anticipation of future environmental science and engineering challenges and technologic advances, EPA asked the National Research Council (NRC) to assess the overall capabilities of the agency to develop, obtain, and use the best available scientific and technologic information and tools to meet persistent, emerging, and future mission challenges and opportunities. Although the committee cannot predict with certainty what new environmental problems EPA will face in the next 10 years or more, it worked to identify some of the common drivers and common characteristics of problems that are likely to occur. Tensions inherent to the structure of EPA's work contribute to the current and persistent challenges faced by the agency, and meeting those challenges will require development of leading-edge scientific methods, tools, and technologies, and a more deliberate approach to systems thinking and interdisciplinary science. Science for Environmental Protection: The Road Ahead outlines a framework for building science for environmental protection in the 21st century and identified key areas where enhanced leadership and capacity can strengthen the agency's abilities to address current and emerging environmental challenges as well as take advantage of new tools and technologies to address them. The foundation of EPA science is strong, but the agency needs to continue to address numerous present and future challenges if it is to maintain its science leadership and meet its expanding mandates.
Download or read book Living Shorelines written by Donna Marie Bilkovic and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-03-03 with total page 956 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Living Shorelines: The Science and Management of Nature-based Coastal Protection compiles, synthesizes and interprets the current state of the knowledge on the science and practice of nature-based shoreline protection. This book will serve as a valuable reference to guide scientists, students, managers, planners, regulators, environmental and engineering consultants, and others engaged in the design and implementation of living shorelines. This volume provides a background and history of living shorelines, understandings on management, policy, and project designs, technical synthesis of the science related to living shorelines including insights from new studies, and the identification of research needs, lessons learned, and perspectives on future guidance. Makes recommendations on the correct usage of the term living shorelines Offers guidance for shoreline management in the future Includes lessons learned from the practice of shoreline restoration/conservation Synthesizes regional perspectives to identify strategies for the successful design and implementation of living shorelines Reviews specific design criteria for successful implementation of living shorelines Provides detailed discussions of social, regulatory, scientific and technical considerations to justify and design living shoreline projects International perspectives are presented from leading researchers and managers in the East, West and Gulf coasts of the United States, Europe, Canada, and Australia that are working on natural approaches to shoreline management. The broad geographic scope and interdisciplinary nature of contributing authors will help to facilitate dialogue and transfer knowledge among different disciplines and across different regions. This book provides coastal communities with the scientific foundation and practical guidance necessary to implement effective shoreline management that enhances ecosystem services and coastal resilience now and into the future.
Download or read book Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Ecosystems SPICE written by Tim C. Jennerjahn and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2021-10-13 with total page 484 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Ecosystems (SPICE) provides key information on all aspects related to the management of coastal ecosystems. This includes the coastal management involved, the ecology of this area, and the relationship between humans and the environment found here. The book presents guidelines defined by scientific experts, allowing for proper application of science products into ecosystem management. The bio-geo-physical importance of coastal ecosystems of Indonesia makes this a book of global importance and interest. - Written by an Indonesian-German author team, giving a unique and global perspective on the coastal ecosystems - Presents text boxes with research gaps and policy implications, giving the reader an easy grasp of what needs to be done in terms of research and management - Features best practice case-studies that can be applied to coastal ecosystems around the world, offered through the lens of Indonesia, a region of global relevance in terms of climate and environmental change
Download or read book Review of the Environmental Protection Agency s State of the Science Evaluation of Nonmonotonic Dose Response Relationships as they Apply to Endocrine Disruptors written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2014-05-27 with total page 89 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Potential health effects from chemicals that disrupt endocrine function pose an environmental health concern because of their ability to interfere with normal hormone function in human and wildlife populations. The endocrine system regulates biological processes throughout the body and is sensitive to small changes in hormone concentrations. Endocrine-disruptor research has focused primarily on chemicals that affect three hormone pathways that play important roles in reproduction and development - the estrogen, androgen, and thyroid hormone pathways. Some of this research has identified dose-response relationships that have nonmonotonic curves. Nonmonotonic dose-response curves (NMDRs) are of concern because they do not follow the usual assumption made in toxicology that as dose decreases the response also decreases. The existence of NMDRs has been a controversial topic for decades, and there has been considerable debate about their implications for how chemicals are tested and for how risks from such chemicals are assessed. Toxicity tests are designed to identify hazards and to characterize dose-response relationships, so tests are aimed at finding a (high) dose that elicits a response, and dose-response is explored by testing lower doses spaced to identify statistically a no- or lowest-observed-adverse-effect level. The concern for NMDRs is that such studies, as currently designed, might not detect the inflection of the dose-response curve if only a few doses are tested or if the change in inflection occurs below the range of doses tested. Another concern is that some NMDRs are found for biological effects that are not usually evaluated in toxicity tests. If current testing strategies are inadequate to account for NMDRs, changes to risk assessment practices might be necessary. To help address these issues, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a draft State-of-the-Science Evaluation: Nonmonotonic Dose Responses as they Apply to Estrogen, Androgen, and Thyroid Pathways and EPA Testing and Assessment Procedures. EPA asked the National Research Council to conduct an independent review of this evaluation to ensure that it is scientifically sound and of high quality. Review of Environmental Protection Agency's State-of-the-Science Evaluation of Nonmonotonic Dose-Response as they Apply to Endocrine Disrupters evaluates whether EPA's evaluation presents a scientifically sound and high-quality analysis of the literature on NMDRs. This report reviews how well the EPA evaluation described how the assessment was performed, whether consistent methods and criteria were applied in the analysis of different evidence streams, and whether appropriate methods were applied to evaluating the evidence. The report makes recommendations to improve EPA's process and strengthen the evaluation.
Download or read book Improving the Scientific and Technical Information Available to the Environmental Protection Agency in Its Decisionmaking Process written by United States. General Accounting Office and published by . This book was released on 1979 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Planetary Health written by Samuel Myers and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2020-08-13 with total page 538 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human health depends on the health of the planet. Earth’s natural systems—the air, the water, the biodiversity, the climate—are our life support systems. Yet climate change, biodiversity loss, scarcity of land and freshwater, pollution and other threats are degrading these systems. The emerging field of planetary health aims to understand how these changes threaten our health and how to protect ourselves and the rest of the biosphere. Planetary Health: Protecting Nature to Protect Ourselves provides a readable introduction to this new paradigm. With an interdisciplinary approach, the book addresses a wide range of health impacts felt in the Anthropocene, including food and nutrition, infectious disease, non-communicable disease, dislocation and conflict, and mental health. It also presents strategies to combat environmental changes and its ill-effects, such as controlling toxic exposures, investing in clean energy, improving urban design, and more. Chapters are authored by widely recognized experts. The result is a comprehensive and optimistic overview of a growing field that is being adopted by researchers and universities around the world. Students of public health will gain a solid grounding in the new challenges their profession must confront, while those in the environmental sciences, agriculture, the design professions, and other fields will become familiar with the human consequences of planetary changes. Understanding how our changing environment affects our health is increasingly critical to a variety of disciplines and professions. Planetary Health is the definitive guide to this vital field.
Download or read book Textiles for Protection written by Richard A. Scott and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2005-10-30 with total page 785 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In today's climate there is an increasing requirement for protective textiles, whether for personal protection, protection against the elements, chemical, nuclear or ballistic attack. This comprehensive book brings together the leading protective textiles experts from around the world. It covers a wide variety of themes from materials and design, through protection against specific hazards, to specific applications. This is the first book of its kind to give a complete coverage of textiles for protection. - Covers a wide variety of themes from materials and design, through protection against specific hazards, to specific applications - The first book of its kind to give a complete coverage of textiles for protection - Written by leading protective textiles experts from around the world
Download or read book Science and Technology Programs at the Environmental Protection Agency written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book H R 64 a Proposal to Strengthen Science at the Environmental Protection Agency written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Report of the Environmental Protection Agency s Science Advisory Board written by United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Environment and Public Works and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Strengthening Science at the U S Environmental Protection Agency National Research Council NRC Findings written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Energy and Environment and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 1020 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Science and Technology at the Environmental Protection Agency written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Handbook of Frequency Allocations and Spectrum Protection for Scientific Uses written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2007-04-29 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The electromagnetic spectrum is a vital part of our environment. Information encoded in the spectrum of radiation arriving at earth from the universe is the means by which we learn about its workings and origin. Radiation collected from the Earth's land, oceans, biosphere, and atmosphere provide us with much of the data needed to better understand this environment. Wise use of the spectrum is necessary if we are to continue these advances in scientific understanding. To help guide this effort, the NSF and NASA asked the NRC to develop a set of principles for fostering effective allocation and protection of spectral bands for scientific research. This handbook contains practical information in this connection including a description of regulatory bodies and issues, a discussion of the relevant scientific background, a list of science spectrum allocations in the United States, and an analysis of spectrum protection issues.
Download or read book A Review of the Environmental Protection Agency s Science to Achieve Results Research Program written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-07-24 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental research has driven landmark improvements that led to the protection of human and ecosystem health. Recognizing the value of knowledge generated by environmental research and the ingenuity within academic and nonprofit institutions, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created a program known as Science to Achieve Results, or STAR, in 1995. STAR is EPA's primary competitive extramural grants program. A Review of the Environmental Protection Agency's Science to Achieve Results Research Program assesses the program's scientific merit, public benefits, and overall contributions in the context of other relevant research and recommends ways to enhance those aspects of the program. This report also considers the conclusions and recommendations of a prior National Research Council review of the STAR program (2003), the STAR program's research priorities in light of the nation's environmental challenges, and the effects of recent STAR funding trends on obtaining scientific information needed to protect public health and the environment.
Download or read book Strengthening Science at the U S Environmental Protection Agency written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2000-10-25 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the three decades since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created, the agency's scientific and technical practices and credibility have been independently assessed many times in reports from the National Research Council (NRC), EPA Science Advisory Board, General Accounting Office, and many other organizations; in congressional oversight and judicial proceedings; and in countless criticisms and lawsuits from stakeholders with interests in particular EPA regulatory decisions. As a previous independent panel put it in the 1992 report Safeguarding the Future: Credible Science, Credible Decisions, EPA's policy and regulatory work receives a great deal of public attention, but the agency's scientific performance typically receives a similar degree of attention only when the scientific basis for a decision is questioned. Thus, strong scientific performance is important not only to enable EPA to make informed and effective decisions, but also to gain credibility and public support for the environmental protection efforts of EPA and the nation. This report is the fourth and final one in a series prepared by two independent expert committees convened by the NRC in response to a request from Congress and to subsequent, related requests from EPA. The Committee on Research Opportunities and Priorities for EPA-the companion committee in this study-was charged to provide an overview of significant emerging environmental issues, identify and prioritize research themes most relevant to understanding and resolving those issues, and consider the role of EPA's research program in the context of research being conducted or supported by other organizations. That committee published an interim report in 1996 and a final report, Building a Foundation for Sound Environmental Decisions, in 1997. The Committee on Research and Peer Review in EPA was charged to evaluate research management and scientific peer-review practices in the agency. The committee published an interim report in 1995 and this final report.
