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EPA-SOO-F-92-001
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency juiy 1992
Of//ce of Science and
Technology:
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EPA's overall goal, in -support of the Clean Water Act
and the Safe Drinking Act, is to reduce risks
to looth ecological systems and human health.
The Office of Science and Technology plays a key role
in fulfilling this commitment to protecting our nation's waters.
tz: "' Developing the Scientific Basis for a. Regulatory Framework
The Office of Science and
Technology (OST) is located
in the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Office
of Water. Our office works
cooperatively with other
organizations to develop
scientifically defensible
criteria, guidelines, regula-
• tions, and advisories that
provide the regulatory
framework for:
• Restoring and maintain-
ing the physical, chemi-
cal, and biological
integrity of the nation's
water resources,
• Protecting the nation's
public water supplies,
and
The office issues health
advisories for use .by the
states in protecting chinking
water supplies under the Safe
Drinking Water Act and •
sponsors extensive, research
on the effects of pollutants on
aquatic organisms, fish, and
wildlife. This information is
used by federal, state, and
local governments to set
limits on the kinds of
pollutants that may be
discharged by industries and
that may be present in public
drinking water supplies.
Working closely with indus-
tries, trade associations, and
environmental groups, we
also help to incorporate
techniques into manufactur-
ing processes to prevent
polluting chemicals from
being created or used in
many industries.
While OST provides the
scientific basis for many
programs that protect human
health and the environment,
the information is communi-
cated to the state and local
governments through EPA's
ten regional offices. The
regions provide the tools and
training needed to incorpo-
rate the technical require-
ments into state programs.
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Producing Diverse Programs
The three divisions that make up OST are committed to protecting human health and the
environment by carrying out research on the effects of pollutants that are discharged into our
nation's surface waters. They focus on such diverse programs as technology-based controls and
pollution prevention techniques for industrial dischargers, human health and environmental risks,
risk assessments, and state water quality standards. '
Engineering and
Analysis Division
(EAD)
This division*is knowledge-
able in all aspects of
manufacturing processes
and pollution treatment .
technologies. Its mission is
to develop industrial .
discharge guidelines and
effluent standards for
industries that discharge
directly into surface waters
or into municipal treatment
plants. Industrial pollution
prevention is a key aspect
of EAD's services. Indus-
tries selected for guidelines
are generally those whose
discharges present the
greatest risk to human
health or to the aquatic
environment.
Health and Ecological
Criteria Division
(HECD)
Well-trained in assessing
the behavior of chemicals in
the environment, this
division conducts extensive
investigations'on chemicals
that may pose health risks
to humans and aquatic
ecosystems. These analyses
focus on pollutant path-
ways and effects on
humans and aquatic life.
They result in the issuance
of ecological and human
health criteria, advisories
for specific chemicals in
public drinking water
supplies, and criteria for
properly using and
disposing of municipal
sewage sludge..
Standards and Applied
Science Division
(SASD)
Staffed by a highly diversi-
fied group of environmental
specialists, scientists, and
engineers/ this division
works closely with the EPA
regional offices to help states
incorporate criteria devel-
oped by other OST divisions
into their water quality
standards. The staff also
assesses potential risks to
humans resulting from fish
and sediment that have been
contaminated by toxic
pollutants.
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Providing
Risk Assessment
Support
Providing
National Scientific
Support
OST develops methods and
assesses risks to help predict
the effects of different levels
of pollutants on human
health and the environment.
Using information from
risk analyses, we provide
support to Agency and State
water pollution control .*,
programs that address:
• Point source discharges,
• Non-point source
discharges,
• Wetland protection,
• Drinking water
protection, and
• National resource
protection.
The office also sponsors
seminars for scientists
in both the public and
private sectors to help them
understand the technical
aspects of risk assessments,
and methodologies.
Our diversified staff includes
scientists, biologists, chem-
ists, engineers, environmen-
tal specialists, economists,
statisticians, and other skilled
professionals. These
professionals rely on .
research conducted either
independently by the
Agency or jointly with other
federal agencies, research
and academic institutions,
and environmental groups.
This consortium has a
common focus: to acquire
information that will help us
better understand the effect
of pollutants on the aquatic
environment and to develop
ways to reduce the risk from
harmful pollutants.
For additional information
you may contact:
United States
EnvironmentalProtectionAgency
Office of Water Resource Center
(WH-556-RC)
401M Street, S.W.
. Washington, D.C. 20460
(202) 260-7786
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