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On March 25, 1993, laboratory directors and senior program officials from EPA 

 met to continue discussions with the Department of Energy's (DOE) laboratory di- 

 rectors and program secretarial offices to identify opportunities for collaboration. 

 Participants formed focus groups to examine the most promising environmental re- 

 search-in-progress in the areas of: pollution prevention; remediation; ecology and 

 monitoring; indoor air; and risk assessment. The expected result of this meeting is a 

 joint environmental research action plan to be submitted to Secretary O'Leary and 

 Administrator Browner for their consideration. Agency-to-agency senior level par- 

 ticipation and commitment is vital to our efforts to harmonize on-going work, redi- 

 rect planned projects to be more responsive to a broader Federal science and tech- 

 nology interest, and shape longer-term interagency environmental research and de- 

 velopment goals. 



Since July 1992, EPA's Office of Research and Development has been working 

 closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to develop and imple- 

 ment a coordinated research strategy to address environmental health problems 

 that exist along the U.S.-Mexico border. 



We have begun preliminary discussions with USDA's Agricultural Research Serv- 

 ice (ARS) to establish a similar dialogue. Meetings are planned with Department of 

 Defense's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), Department of Commerce's 

 National Institute of Standards and Technol(^y (NIST), and the National Oceanic 

 and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 



EPA is eager to take a leadership role in promoting interagency cooperation in 

 environmental science and technology. We need strong support from OSTP and 

 0MB to achieve a totally integrated Federal environmental science and technology 

 agenda, but direct agency-to-agency contact at the headquarters and laboratory 

 level is an essential element for success. 



Q. 25: E) In strengthening the new Department's scientific and R&D capability, 

 how do we ensure that "science drives regulation" and not the other way around? 



A. 25: E) Science encompasses a wide rsinge of activities in EPA including re- 

 search and development, technical and r^ulatory support, monitoring, data collec- 

 tion, review and interpretation of technical studies, and assessments of health and 

 environmental risks. Science activities occur within the Office of Research and De- 

 velopment (ORD) as well as the pn^ram, policy and r^onal offices. In addition to 

 the physical, chemiced and biological sciences, EJPA is also involved in the quantita- 

 tive social sciences such as economics. The decentralized nature of science at EPA 

 and the close relationship that exists between science and policy means that efforts 

 must be taken to ensure that science is never adjusted to fit policy. 



A 1992 report (Safeguarding the Future: Credible Science, Credible Decisions) pre- 

 pared by a group of prominent scientists examines the role of science at EPA. The 

 report calls for EPA leadership to undertake "... a deliberate and continuing 

 effort to create the climate, culture, and incentives necessary to encourage superior 

 science." The panel recommended several specific structural changes to better 

 enable EPA to obtain and use the high-quality science it needs to realize its mission. 



The relevant Credible Science recommendations include: 



• Preparation of a coherent science agenda and operational plan to guide scien- 

 tific efforts throughout the Agency and support its focus on relatively high risk 

 environmental problems. Up-front planning on how to acquire and use the best 

 scientific information, is a crucial step in ensuring that policy is based on solid 

 scientific data and judgment. 



• Clear definition of the science advice function (i.e., the process of ensuring that 

 jwlicy decisions are informed by a clear understanding of the relevant science) 

 for the political leadership. 



• Earlier science advice and information in decision process. 



• Better career tracks for scientists £md science managers. Although ORD has 

 upgraded career tracks for research scientists over the past few years, scientists 

 and engineers in program and regional offices need a more clearly defined 

 career pathway that enables maintenance and growth in their disciples (e.g., ro- 

 tational assignments to sharpen skills, participation in professional societies, 

 etc.) 



• Agency-wide quality assurance and peer review for all key agency and techni- 

 cal efforts. Although research products are required to undergo peer review, 

 EPA is developing a peer review policy for the planning and results of all scien- 

 tific and technical efforts. This is essential if EPA is to be perceived as a credi- 

 ble, unbiased source of environmental and health information, both in United 

 States and the world. 



