United States
                    Environmental Protection
                    Agency
                                               Office of Water
                                               4301
EPA 800-F-93-004
September 1993
                   Office of  Science and Technology
    Mission
                  The Office of Science and Technology (OST) is responsible for developing the
                  scientific foundation of both the regulatory and non-regulatory programs
                  managed by the Office of Water to restore and protect human health and the
                  nation's water environment. OST works with other organizations to develop
                  scientifically defensible criteria, guidelines and advisories that provide the
                  regulatory framework for:
                  •      restoring and maintaining the physical, chemical and biological
                         integrity of the nation's water resources;
                  •      protecting the nation's water supplies;
                  •      achieving technology-based wastewater freata»nt»i)quiiements.
                  OST also is responsible for developing risk assessment Mtiift todoi^gies and
                  providing risk assessment support for the Office of Water.
Legislative
Authorities
                  Clean Water Act
                  Safe Drinking Water Act
                  Water Resources Development Act
Programs
                    Efflue»tG«k*«*ines
                   The
                   that
                   through HMrctijairi mufti walti systems. Effluent
                   for specific industrial categories (u».,%lp and Pa| ii.
                   Organic Chemicals, etc.) and are based on the best avaflafeie^edwology
                   economically achievable. In January 1992, under Section 304 (m) of the Clean
                   Water Act, the Agency published a plan outlining a schedule for developing
                   regulatory guidance over the next ten years.

                   Pollution prevention is  an important aspect of EAD's work. In addition, HAD
                   performs economic and statistical analyses to determine impacts and benefits
                   of regulations.
                   Criteria

                   The Health and Ecological Criteria Division (HECD) develops criteria to
                   protect human health and the environment from risks due to contaminants in
                   drinking water, municipal sewage sludge and surface water. HECD staff
                   members investigate the behavior of chemicals in the environment, focusing
                   on their movement through and effect on ecosystems.

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   Indicator species
Data interpretation
 HEGD provides the scientific framework for ecosystem
 protection through development of aquatic life, biological,
 wildlife, and sediment quality criteria. In addition, HECD
 characterizes human health risks from water contaminants
 by developing Maximum Contaminant Level Goals
 (MCLGs) and health advisories for drinking water, and
 human health water quality criteria for surface water.
 Finally, HECD develops technical regulations and guide-
 lines governing the use and disposal of sewage sludge.

 In each of these areas, HECD is responsible not only for
 developing regulations and guidance for specific contami-
 nants, but also for developing state-of-the-art methodolo-
 gies for making these determinations.  HECD works
 closely with scientists, both inside and outside govern-
 ment,  and with local regulatory bodies that use HECD
 products.

 Water Quality Standards

 The Standards and Applied Science Division (SASD)
 develops the regulation, policy and guidance governing
 the legal, administrative and technical aspects for estab-
 lishing water quality standards for all surface waters of the
 United States. SASD provides technical assistance and
 training to the states and Regional Offices in interpreting
 and applying the regulation, policy, and guidance as the
 states execute their primary responsibility to adopt water
 quality standards.  This responsibility also provides for
 the promulgation of Federal water quality standards when
 necessary.

 Modeling and Waste Load Allocations

 The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program in
 SASD  is an integral part of the Agency's Watershed
 Protection Approach for protecting surface water quality.
 TMDLs are used to protect water quality by considering
 the cumulative effects on water quality from all point and
 nonpoint sources and intermedia transfers within a
 drainage basin. TMDLs establish the link between water
 quality assessments and water quality-based control
 actions. SASD provides technical support and assistance
 to state and local governments in preparing guidance
manuals  and developing user-friendly interfaces for a
wide range of models (e.g., point source, area source,
mixing zone, watershed, and water quality).

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Contaminated Sediments
and Fish Contamination

SASD is developing the Agency-wide Sediment Management
Strategy and provides technical guidance for sediment con-
tamination and assessment, control and remediation pro-
grams. SASD acts as a clearinghouse for fish contamination
issues, provides guidance on fish consumption advisories and
fish sampling analysis, and assesses the risks attributable to
contarrunated fish tissue.
Tudor T. Davies
Office Director

James A. Hanlon
Deputy Director

Thomas P. O Farrell
Director
Engineering and
Analysis Division

Margaret J. Stasikowski
Director
Health and Ecological
Criteria Division

William R. Diamond
Director
Standards and Applied
Science Division
Caribbean Initiative
The Office of Science and Technology has the Office of Water
lead for the Agency's Caribbeam Initiative. OST works inter-
nationally to provide guidance and technical assistance for the
assessment and control of land-based sources of pollution in
the Wider Caribbean Region. Current activities include
technical support for the process to develop a Regional
agreement to control marine pollution from land-based
sources. This agreement will aimend the Convention for the
Protection and Development of the Marine Environment in
the Wider Caribbean Region (the Cartagena Convention)
signed in 1983 to which the United States is a contracting
party.
For more information,
contact:

Beverly Randolph
U.S.  Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Science & Technology 4301
401 M Street SW
Washington, D.  C.  20460
(202) 260-5373

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