196 



UNKING AND COOBDINATING PROGRAMS 99 



as a. consequence of higher ultraviolet radiation exposure. However, effects 

 on plankton and other components of the environment may also be sig- 

 nificant. When scientific evidence is brought together for risk assessment 

 and risk management purposes, it is essential to understand both the health 

 and the ecological benefits of exposure reduction. Otherwise, only some 

 of the benefits of proposed regulatory actions will be recognized, while the 

 fiill costs of these actions will receive primary anention. 



Buux>iNG Bridges between Ecology and Health 



There are opportunities for federal agencies and for Congress to build more 

 bridges between ecological and health research programs. One approach 

 is to foster interdisciplinary programs in federal agencies and in academic 

 institutions. Far example, the University erf' Washington's Institute for Environ- 

 mental Studies brings together faculty members from the ecological and 

 health communities to work on problems of common interest. We believe 

 that other academic institutions should pursue similar multidisciplinary 

 arrangements. 



Second, federal agencies should develop requests for proposals (RFPs) 

 that require interdiscipliaary e&>rts to address environmental problems. 

 Making federal fiinds available on this basis provides a poweifiil incentive 

 for investigators and research programs to forge collaborative working rela- 

 tionships. A third approach is for Congress and the Executive Office of the 

 President to encourage interactions between federal agencies and programs 

 that arc addressing difiktent aspects of enviroiuncntal problems. To some 

 extent, the Federal Coordinating Council on Science, Engineering, and Tech- 

 nology within the Office of Science and Technology Policy develops aJ hoc 

 interactions of this kind, but we believe that additional, more permanent 

 interagency linkages should be sought. For example. EPA's Health Effixts 

 Research Laboratory and the National Institute of Envirorunental Health 

 Sciences, both in Research Triangle Park. North Carolina, should develop 

 collaborative research programs, as noted on pages Si-8l. Federal agencies 

 should link their programs and exchange personnel more frequently to foster 

 such collaborations. 



UNKS WITH NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZAHONS 



■ The environmental research and poiicymaking linkages between federal 

 agencies and nongovernmental organizations should be strengthened. 



Nongovernmental cnviioiunental organizations (NGOs) occupy a 

 unique niche in the policymaking community. ^^ Because most of them 



I 



