United States
              Environmental Protection
              Agency
Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment Program Center
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
              Research and Development
EPA/620/SR-94/016  April1994
EPA       Project Summary

               Environmental  Monitoring  and
               Assessment  Program

               Assessment  Framework

               Kent W. Thornton, Gary E. Saul, and D. Eric Hyatt
                The assessment framework proposed
              in this report provides a common ap-
              proach for planning and conducting a
              wide variety of ecological assessments
              within the Environmental Monitoring
              and Assessment Program (EMAP). The
              framework also  demonstrates  how
              EMAP complements EPA's assessment
              approach proposed in the Risk Assess-
              ment Forum's (RAF's) Framework for
              Ecological Risk Assessment (RAF
              1992). EMAP assessments can contrib-
              ute directly to the problem formulation
              phase of the  EPA-RAF  Framework by
              identifying and quantifying factors that
              might contribute  to the condition of
              ecological resources. EMAP assess-
              ments also will provide information
              needed to conduct ecological risk as-
              sessments that verify model predictions
              and the cumulative effectiveness of en-
              vironmental  protection  and manage-
              ment decisions.
                EMAP uses a retrospective or ef-
              fects-oriented approach to assess-
              ment. There are three phases in EMAP
              assessments: problem formulation,
              analysis, and interpretation and com-
              munication. These three phases em-
              phasize (1) formulating and refining
              assessment questions and issues with
              EMAP users, (2) identifying indicators
              of condition, (3) developing conceptual
              models, (4) analyzing data on ecologi-
              cal resources using weight of evidence
              and process of elimination approaches
              to infer factors contributing to observed
              trends in ecological effects, and (5) in-
              terpreting  and effectively communicat-
              ing   assessment   results   in  a
policy-relevant context for users. There
are five  basic assessment products:
quality-assured data, annual statistical
summaries, ecological resource assess-
ments, assessment tools, and guidance.
  Because it will take a number of years
before all resources in all regions of
the country will be routinely monitored,
the ability of the program to  conduct
ecological resource assessments will
depend on implementing its research,
monitoring, and assessment activities
in planned phases. Initial assessments
will focus on data to determine extent,
geographic coverage, and condition for
individual ecological resources. Single
region, single  resource assessments
will be conducted before assessments
encompass multiple regions or national
levels. Assessments of multiple eco-
logical resources in a single region will
be conducted as other resources start
monitoring in that region.
  This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's En vironmental Monitoring and
Assessment Program Center, Research
Triangle Park, NC, to announce key find-
ings of the research project that is fully
documented in a separate report of the
same title (see Project Report ordering
information at back).

Introduction
  Over the past several years, there has
been an increased emphasis on compara-
tive ecological risk assessment within the
U.S. Environmental  Protection Agency
(EPA), other agencies, and the  scientific
community. Also, there have been ques-
tions raised on the  role  of the  Environ-
                                                             Printedon Recycled Paper

-------
mental Monitoring and Assessment Pro-
gram  (EMAP) in comparative ecological
risk assessment and its relationship with
EPA's Risk Assessment  Forum  (RAF).
This report describes a framework, and its
basic  elements, for conducting  assess-
ments within EMAP as well as the relation
of EMAP assessments to EPA's RAF. This
document  about  EMAP's  assessment
framework is intended primarily for scien-
tific administrators and managers who re-
quire  assessment information for making
decisions related to environmental protec-
tion and management.

Discussion
  This document provides a scientific ex-
planation, i.e., a "definition," of ecological
assessment in the context of the EMAP
program and should not be interpreted as
a strategic planning document or any other
form of planning or policy  document. The
assessment framework  proposed in this
report provides a common  outline for plan-
ning and conducting a wide variety of eco-
logical assessments within EMAP. The
framework also demonstrates how EMAP
 complements EPA's assessment approach
 proposed in  RAF's Framework for Eco-
 logical  Risk Assessment (RAF 1992).
 EMAP assessments can contribute directly
 to the problem formulation phase of the
 EPA-RAF Framework by identifying  and
 quantifying factors that might contribute to
 the condition  of ecological resources.
 EMAP assessments also will provide in-
 formation needed to conduct ecological
 risk assessments that verify model predic-
 tions  and the cumulative effectiveness of
 environmental protection and management
 decisions.
    EMAP  uses  a  retrospective  or
 effects-oriented  approach to  assess-
 ment. There are three phases in EMAP
 assessments: problem formulation, analy-
 sis, and interpretation and communica-
• tion. These  three phases emphasize" (1)
 formulating and refining assessment ques-
 tions  and issues with  EMAP users, (2)
 identifying indicators of condition, (3) de-
 veloping conceptual models, (4) analyzing
 data on ecological resources using weight
 of evidence and process of  elimination
 approaches to infer factors contributing to
  Kent W. Thornton is with FTN Associates, Ltd., Little Rock,AR 72211. Gary E. Saul
    is with FTN Associates, Ltd, Austin, TX 78735.  The EPA author, D. Eric Hyatt
    (also the Technical  Coordinator),  is with  the Environmental Monitoring  and
    Assessment Program Center, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.
  The complete report, entitled "Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program:
    Assessment Framework," (Order No. PB94-158862; Cost: $19.50; subject to
    change) will be available only from
          National Technical Information Service
          5285 Port Royal Road
          Springfield, VA 22161
          Telephone: 703-487-4650
  The EPA Technical Coordinator can be contacted at
          Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program Center
          U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
          Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
observed trends in ecological effects, and
(5) interpreting and effectively communi-
cating  assessment  results  in  a
policy-relevant context for users. There
are five basic assessment  products:
quality-assured data,  annual statistical
summaries, ecological resource  assess-
ments, assessment tools, and guidance.
  Because it will take a number of years
before all  resources in all regions of the
country will be routinely  monitored, the
ability of the program to conduct ecologi-
cal resource assessments will depend on
implementing its research, monitoring, and
assessment activities in planned phases.
Initial  assessments will focus on data to
determine extent,  geographic coverage,
and condition for individual ecological re-
sources. Single region,  single resource
assessments will-be conducted before as—
sessments encompass multiple regions or
national levels. Assessments of multiple
ecological resources in a single region will
be conducted as other  resources  start
monitoring in that region.

Key Words
  USEPA-EMAP
  ecology
     decision making
     risk assessment
     measurement
  environmental monitoring
     risk assessment
  environmental policy
  environmental risk assessment
  indicators (biology)
  landscape  assessment
  risk assessment
  risk communication
  risk management
  statistics.
                                                                                   •U.S. Government Printing Office: 1994— 550-067/80237
 United States
 Environmental Protection Agency
 Center for Environmental Research Information
 Cincinnati, OH 45268

 Official Business
 Penalty for Private Use
 $300
                                                            BULK RATE
                                                      POSTAGE & FEES PAID
                                                               EPA
                                                         PERMIT No. G-35
 EPA/620/SR-94/016

-------