Research and Monitoring Cornerstone for Environmental ction ------- . . I U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Y\7hat are the major pollutants that affect the elements on which life itself depends? Where do they come from? What do they do to our health and well- being? To the food chain? To plants, crops and trees? To domestic animals and wildlife? To fish and shellfish? To man-made materials? What are the human, social and economic costs of pollution? How do we identify, measure and detect • ------- changes in pollutants in our environment? How do we best control pollution? What are the costs of poDution control? What, in total, do we need to know if we are to protect and enhance oar environment and quality of fife? j; These are some of the questions dealt with each day by approximately 2,000 men and women—the scientific sleuths—who staff the Office of Research and Monitoring of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). From agronomists to zoologists, they represent some 60 different scientific and pro- fessional disciplines and specialties. Through their own work and through grants and con- tracts to universities, industry and nonprofit organizations, they seek answers to the com- plex problems of air and water pollution, solid wastes, pesticides, radiation and noise. Research and monitoring are not substitutes for action, of course. EPA is first and fore- most a regulatory agency, with responsibilities for establishing and enforcing environmental standards. But standards cannot be set and en- forced without an effective scientific research and monitoring program. If pollution cannot be detected, identified and measured, it can- not be controlled. Effective action for environmental quality, therefore, requires hard data on what goes into the environment, its impact on human and ecological health and pollution control tech- niques. Research and monitoring thus con- stitute die essential scientific foundation for action to improve environmental quality. Through its coordinated research and raoni- scientific knowledge to meet human and en- vironmental needs. To tfris end, EPA spends about $165 million each year—» * to expand and improve environmental monitoring and surveillance so dial we can better understand the condition of die environ- ment today and be aware of changes, for better or worse, tomorrow; * to team die short and long-range effects of pollution on humans and other life loons; * to unravel the complicated interactions of combined chemical, biological and physical stresses and their effects on life; • to speed die research, development and use of new pollution control methods and equipment; • to stimulate research, development and use of new techniques to recover valuable resources from so-called "wastes" and pot diem back into the production cycle; * to speed research, development and use of new nonpoHuting industrial methods; • to evaluate technical and social changes and their potential effects on environmental quality; *** * to improve our knowledge of what hap- pens to pollutants in die environment—of how tiiey move and might change in their journey through die air, water and on die land; * to gather die scientific evidence needed to set new and strengthened environmental quality standards. EPA's diversified research programs axe carried out dnxnigh four major faculties—the National Environmental Research Centers (NERCs) at Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; Cincinnati, Ohio; Corvalfis, Oregon, and Las Vegas, Nevada. These four faculties bring together research on a broad range of environmental problems. They coordinate die work of EPA's 36 lab- oratories in IS states, ranging from Alaska to Florida and from Nevada to New Hamp- shire. Supplementing these facilities are over 139 related resources including watercraft, air- craft, field stations and monitoring sites. EPA also works with other Federal agencies which cany on environmental research and monitoring activities. In some instances, joint projects are undertaken. EPA also seeks to consolidate and evaluate information devel- oped throughout die scientific community, pubUc and private, to obtain the best possible scientific base for action to improve the en- vironment. In addition, EPA cooperates and exchanges findings with scientists is other na- tions and in international organizations on common and worldwide environmental re- search and monitoring problems. Has booklet describes some of EPA's re- search and monitoring programs and some of die pollution problems. We have already teamed much about the complexities of pol- lution, however, much more knowledge is needed if we are to protect our environment and at die same time meet our needs and And while this booklet is necessarily brief and only ondmes the scope of EPA's research and monitoring projects, EPA welcomes in- f HtOIC ------- processes and effects EPA researchers seek to identify pollutants —including chemicals, biological materials, radiation, noise and heat—that require investi- gation. They investigate pollution sources. They trace the movement of pollutants through the environment. They study the effects of pol- lutants on people, on other living organisms and on materials. They establish scientific foundations for environmental quality stand- ards and regulations. HEALTH EFFECTS One of the prime study areas is the effects of pollutants on health. Air pollution, for ex- ample, is considered the greatest single en- vironmental threat to the nation's health. Consequently, a nationwide study of the effects of air pollution on humans is underway—the Community Health and Environmental Sur- veillance Studies (CHESS). The first of its kind, this study is comparing the health of those who breathe polluted air with the health of those who do not. Thirty communities across the nation are involved in the CHESS program. Some have high sulfur and nitrogen oxides, paniculate and photochemical pollution levels; others have low levels. With the cooperation of 38,000 volunteers, and schools, hospitals and govern- j ment officials, EPA researchers are seeking b to determine how each pollutant affects an g individual's health. Eventually, about 200,000 | volunteers will be involved. Answers are being sought to such questions as: what effect does long exposure to polluted air have on school absenteeism? To what ex- tent do high levels of air pollution increase the frequency of acute and chronic respiratory diseases? Do pollutants concentrate in specific organs and cause them to malfunction? Does the death rate rise and fall with pollution levels? When implemented, EPA's national air qual- ity standards will bring lower pollution levels and very likely improved health. Data from the CHESS program will permit measurement of these improvements and will enable the standards to be strengthened if necessary. EPA researchers are also investigating pos- HELP WANTED What can the public do to help EPA carry out its research and monitoring ac- tivities? While opportunities vary from pro- gram to program, as well as from time to time, here are a few examples: Volunteers are sometimes used to take samples in monitoring programs. Volun- teers willing to have their health checked regularly are needed for research studies on the affects of pollutants on human health. Suggestions can be made for research projects. Reports of spills of oil or other haz- ardous materials are helpful. (And on a negative note, please do not tamper with automatic monitoring equipment should you see it in your neighborhood.) For further information, contact the research and monitoring staff specialists at the EPA regional office in your area or the nearest EPA laboratory. ------- sible environmental explanations for differences in death rates in different geographic areas. Data on drinking water quality and from the CHESS program are being correlated with ill- ness and death rates. More specific studies will follow as leads develop. Also under study are the effects of pesticides on the general population and on people exposed to those chemicals under actual field conditions. Potentially hazardous compounds are screened through toxicity tests in animals. Many approaches are used in research on the effects of pollutants on health—laboratory studies of animals and cell systems, clinical studies of human and animal subjects and epidemiological studies of population groups. Health research includes measurements of pul- monary, cardiovascular, behavioral, biochem- ical and pathological effects of pollutants. ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS The ecological effects of pollution are also being studied. What, for example, are the factors in the complicated process of eutrophi- cation or premature aging of whole lakes? Us- ing mathematical models, EPA researchers sim- ulate the pollution in a living body of water. They vary the factors, seeking to identify cause- and-effect relationships. Knowing that every lake, stream and river has a different pollution tolerance, depending on its physical, chemical and- biological characteristics, researchers at- tempt to determine which pollutant or pollu- tants will tip the balance and bring on eutrophi- Auto emissions synthetically produced in this photochemical tube reactor are measured by an infrared spectra photometer to determine specific air pollutant concentrations. ------- cation in various kinds of water bodies. With this information, planners will be able to select the right site, the right size and the right kind of waste water treatment plant to take key pollutants out of the water. In a related program, researchers use an ecosystem simulator to examine the effects on waterways of fertilizers, pesticides and runoff from rural lands, from industrial, poultry and animal processing plants and phosphate min- ing. The simulator is an actual watershed in which all variables—aeration, mineral content, sunlight, temperature, turbidity, etc.—are con- trolled, along with pollutant loads. The factors are varied and the effects on the waterway, including its fish and plant life, are determined. The effects of thermal pollution on the en- vironment are also being studied. This is a problem of growing concern. As more and more power plants come on the line, greater and greater quantities of waste heat are being dis- charged into waterways. To determine what temperature standards should be set, EPA re- searchers are investigating the impact of waste heat on water bodies, on fish and other com- ponents of the food chain and on atmospheric conditions. Ecological studies are also underway on the effects of heavy metals, petrochemical wastes, PCB's (Polychlorinated Biphenyls, a toxic and persistent chemical produced in the making of plastics, paints, caulking and heat transfer and hydraulic fuels) and chlorination of municipal and industrial waste water discharges. Studies in atmospheric chemistry and physics, as well as meteorological models, are being pursued to predict the movement of pollutants in the air. MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH To get better understanding of the be- havior of radioactive material in the en- vironment and its effects on living things, EPA maintains a herd of Hereford beef cattle and an experimental dairy farm on the Atomic Energy Commission's nuclear test site in Nevada. Five steers are surgically fitted to serve as biological samplers of the forage grazed by the herd as it ranges over the desert test site. Big Sam is one of them. He has a hole (fistula) in his stomach (rumen) with a tube (cannula) in his left side. Once a month a food sample in his stomach is removed through the tube and tested for radioactivity and botanical species. Changes in composition are studied in relation to seasonal changes and nuclear tests. Twice a year, animals from the herd are slaught- ered and tissue and organ samples taken, analyzed for radionuclide content and sub- jected to complete microscopic examination. The dairy farm is used to study the movement of radionuclides through the environment to man. Cows and crops are exposed to radiation. Then radionuclide concentrations are measured in the forage, in the milk and in the animal's organs. The information is used to develop models to predict exposure to man and to evaluate the effectiveness of protective actions to reduce the amount of radionuclides getting into food materials under various contam- inating conditions. EPA's Dauphin Island Laboratory RESEARCH FACILITIES EPA's research programs are carried out through four national research facilities— the National Environmental Research Cen- ters (NERCS). While each is engaged in a variety of work on pollution, each has its own theme. The NERC in Cincinnati, Ohio, places special emphasis on research and development of pollution control tech- nology. At Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, emphasis is on health effects of environmental pollution. At Corvallis, Ore- gon, the major effort is on ecological effects. The Las Vegas, Nevada, facility serves as the national environmental monitoring cen- ter. The four main facilities direct and co- ordinate research at satellite laboratories across the country, including labs at: Dau- phin Island and Montgomery, Alabama; College, Alaska; Gulf Breeze and Perrine, Florida; Athens and Chamblee, Georgia; Rockville, Maryland; Ann Arbor and Grosse He, Michigan; Duluth, Minnesota; Edison, New Jersey; Ada, Oklahoma; Narragansett and West Kingston, Rhode Island; Bears Bluff, South Carolina, and Gig Harbor, Washington. ------- technology Determining the types and concentrations of effluents such as these which pollute waterways are a top research priority. In this division, the staff seeks to develop and demonstrate techniques and methods of preventing, controlling and abating pollution from all sources. It strives to advance air and water pollution control technology, to reduce and manage solid wastes and to abate pesti- cide, radiation and noise pollution. WATER POLLUTION A chief concern is the development of new technology to handle municipal sewage. The dimensions of the problem are huge. There are approximately 13,000 sewer systems in the nation. But they serve only about 63 percent of our population. And while many commu- nities have been installing and improving their waste treatment systems, some 1,000 commu- nities outgrow their sewage facilities each year. As a result, the kitchen and bathroom wastes generated by millions of Americans still flow into our waters as raw or poorly-treated sew- age. Moreover, it's predicted that municipal sewage loads will increase nearly four-fold over the next 50 years. Research to cope with this problem includes evaluation of biological, physical and chemical techniques for treatment and disposal of liquid wastes and sludges. Many of the techniques studied have immediate application for pollu- tion abatement and will eventually lead to wide- spread reuse of water in areas where water supplies are limited. Methods are being developed to upgrade existing treatment plants, to remove phosphorus ------- from treatment plant discharges, to contain and treat combined storm water—sewage over- flows and discharges—and to regenerate rivers and lakes. Work is also being done to cope with water pollution from industrial sources (estimated to equal the pollution caused by 400 million people), from agriculture (animal feedlot run- offs, nutrients, pesticides and salts) and from mining (an estimated four million tons of acids drain from mines into 4,000 miles of streams each year). ABOUT THOSE PHOSPHATES Phosphorus is identified as one of the key factors in the disruption of the ecolog- ical balance of streams, rivers and lakes. Excess phosphorus stimulates the growth of algae and other aquatic life forms and causes them to grow in great profusion. This, in turn, degrades water quality, pro- duces objectionable odors and can limit or kill off fish populations. Research has produced new phosphorus removal technology that can be applied at existing waste water treatment plants. The relatively simple process involves adding chemicals which combine with the phos- phorus and solids, causing them to settle out of the waste water before it is dis- charged into a body of water. Result: cleaner water. ------- AIR POLLUTION With automobiles contributing nearly half of all air pollution in the United States, EPA research programs seek to stimulate develop- ment of a virtually pollution-free power system for automobiles. The objective is to clean up the conventional internal combustion engine or to develop alternative power systems. Research CLEAN CAR R&D The Clean Air Act requires sharp reduc- tions in emissions of carbon monoxide, hy- drocarbons and nitrogen oxides from 1975 and 1976 automobiles. To help stimulate and speed development of a virtually pol- lution-free automobile power system that can meet those goals, EPA is conducting a two-part advanced automotive power sys- tems research and development program. 1. Work is being done on three systems which offer the potential of early demonstra- tion—a gas turbine system, a Rankine cycle system, and a stratified charge system—un- der research and development contracts. 2. Some 10 new and unique approaches are being pursued through the clean car incentive program. If a pilot car passes stringent emission and performance tests, EPA may lease the prototype for further testing and then purchase copies of the prototype for demonstration and fleet testing. and development is also underway on new technology to control air pollution from sta- tionary sources, with major emphasis on re- moving sulfur from power plant gases. Other research projects seek to find ways of remov- ing sulfur from coal before combustion. Still other research projects focus on con- trolling air pollution from coke ovens, sinter plants, kraft pulping plants, iron foundries and secondary aluminum furnaces. SOLID WASTE Technology researchers are working to de- velop new and improved methods of solid waste collection, transportation storage, pro- cessing and disposal. They conduct experiments to encourage recycling and resource recovery from solid wastes. One approach being tested involves mixing ordinary municipal solid waste with coal to fuel an electric power generating plant. Other projects include experiments to improve sanitary landfill techniques, with em- phasis on preventing ground and surface water pollution and controlling gases created from decomposing wastes. OTHER PROJECTS Research is being done on new concepts and hardware for thermal pollution control, for preventing and cleaning up spills of oil and other hazardous materials, for controlling pol- lution from small watercraft, for removing and disposing of sludge from waste water treatment plants and for removing heavy metals and other toxic materials from waste water. In Mississippi, a turnabout—automobiles are used in highway construction. Above: Some 300 cars are shredded daily. The steel, remelted, is fabricated into reinforcing rods and used in highway construction. ------- ------- implementation This division staff does research on how en- vironmental protection measures can be imple- mented. It studies alternative approaches to environmental protection. It develops tech- niques for selecting environmental standards and for assessing both the benefits and costs of achieving those standards. It weighs ecolog- ical, environmental and human factors, as well as technical and economic considerations. Economic and systems analyses are used to evaluate the costs of pollution-generating ac- tivities and the benefits of different pollution control methods. Fiscal solutions, more effec- tive laws and economic incentives are studied. This division also explores the direct impact of human activities which degrade the environ- ment in terms of social, physical and economic costs. It explores the interactions of population growth, economic growth and technological change, seeking ways to avoid pollution from these interactions. The division plans a case study of the im- pact of economic development. Using a spe- cific region and working with governmental and private groups, researchers will assess the processes of economic growth and their impact on the total environment over a period of time. The case study will provide general guidelines. Researchers also help review and comment on the environmental impact statements which Federal agencies are required to prepare under the National Environmental Policy Act on any proposed action which might significantly af- fect the environment. environmental studies This division investigates the broad area of man's impact on the total environment. It looks at the total effects of environmental policies. It seeks to project the future condi- tion of the environment in our cities, metro- politan areas and other regions under alternative courses of action. The objective is to enable EPA to move from a position of reacting to environmental crises to anticipating environmental problems and influencing neces- sary actions. These studies will assess the full impact of pollution control efforts on both man and the environment. They will seek to provide ad- vance warning of new environmental problems and to delineate areas of the country which might become susceptible to either new or existing forms of pollution. To achieve these goals, the division plans to create a network of study centers to focus expertise from many sources on environmental issues. The network will include a national study center as well as several regional and university centers. This division will also use comprehensive environmental models to evaluate the long- range impact of pollution abatement strategies. It will examine the forces that create growth and change in the nation—transportation poli- cies, tax policies, advertising, government services, technology, environmental regulations. It will determine the impact of various possible changes in policy and technology on institutions and it will investigate the social and political implications of these changes. It will seek to identify options, devices and techniques available to policymakers to solve environmental problems, as well as to develop methods of measuring environmental, social and economic quality. In sum, the role of the Environmental Stud- ies division is to provide advanced knowledge of the full implications—ecological, social, eco- nomic, political, etc.—of environmental im- provement programs, or to put it another way, it will determine the total impact of environ- mental protection on people, on institutions and on the environment. ------- technology transfer New breakthroughs in pollution control tech- nology are of little value if they are not used. Too often a gap persists between new tech- nology development for pollution abatement and its application. Closing this gap is the mission of the Technology Transfer program. The program grew out of the realization that the great amount of technical information gen- erated by EPA's own research, development and demonstration projects, plus that developed under EPA grants and contracts, was not reach- ing local governments and industries as fast as it should. Reports on new processes were printed and made available. But no concerted efforts were made to get the information out to those who could put it to use. The problem surfaced when a study of re- quests for grants to help communities build sewage treatment plants indicated that avail- able, new technology was not being widely used. To overcome this, the Technology Trans- fer program was launched. First, potential users of new sewage treatment technology were identi- fied. Then regional educational seminars were held in cooperation with professional organiza- tions such as the Water Pollution Control Federation, the American Society of Civil Engi- neers and the Consulting Engineers Council, stressing new, proven and available technology. The Technology Transfer program brings up-to-date information on the details and costs of new waste treatment methods to these po- tential users—engineers, city managers, local government administrators and mayors, public works directors, city councilmen, county com- missioners—and to industry. The program includes publication of basic design manuals, practical compilations of the latest technology for specific problems. Manuals already have been issued on upgrading existing waste water treatment plants, on phosphorus removal, on suspended solids removal and on activated carbon adsorption. Other manuals are being prepared. A variety of other infor- mational techniques, including films, brochures and videotapes also are used. And specialists in technology transfer serve on the staffs of EPA's regional offices. The program provides it's users information they need to incorporate the best available technology into their pollution control systems. It helps them avoid putting money into sys- tems which might soon become obsolete. And it helps EPA, local communities and taxpayers get maximum benefits from funds invested in sewage treatment systems. The Technology Transfer program has been extended to help industries obtain the latest available technical information on industrial water pollution control. Similar communications programs are planned to bridge the gap be- tween developing and applying new technology in other areas of pollution control. 1O ------- Restoring the cleanliness and the beauty of the nation's waterways demands broad application of the best technology available—a major objective of the Technology Transfer program. •> « -- Te .*» #/-*V- ' v > ISgfej *»»5f-* -. " • •' "«*|W. < • ' WHATS NEW What is new in pollution control tech- nology and techniques? What are the costs? Which firms can plan, design, manufacture and install the equipment? Specialists in technology transfer in EPA's Office of Research and Monitoring can help State and local governments, industries and the general public get the answers. For information on specific problems, contact the Technology Transfer Committee Chairman at the EPA regional office in your area, or write Technology Transfer, EPA Office of Research and Monitoring, Wash- ington, D.C. 20460. TECHNICAL INFORMATION AVAILABLE Literally hundreds of technical reports are generated by EPA-sponsored research and monitoring programs. These reports are published and made available to the public, generally through the U.S. Government Printing Office. To help get this information out to the interested public, EPA issues bibliographies of new technical reports from time to time. Some examples: A bibliography of research reports on water pollution control is available, along with other technical information, from EPA's Office of Research and Monitoring. A bibliography of research reports on air pollution control is available from EPA's Air Pollution Technical Information Center, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711. And projects in the solid waste field are summarized in a publication available from the Government Printing Office, Washing- ton, D.C. 20402—it's titled Solid Waste Management Demonstration Grant Projects, 1971 ($2.). ------- _L/nvironmental monitoring is the difficult task of measuring the status of environmental qual- ity and the changes and trends in the environ- ment. Monitoring is the key to effective environmental protection programs. It requires continual measurements of environmental char- acteristics and timely interpretation of those measurements. Accurate and reliable monitor- ing data are essential in every step of pollution control: • to establish initial baselines from which to measure changes; • to identify pollution problems; • to provide data needed to define and establish standards; • to provide data needed to evaluate pollu- tion abatement programs results; • to provide scientifically valid evidence that will stand up in court should legal en- forcement action be required, • and to provide an early warning system for unforeseen problems so they can be dealt with before they reach a crisis stage. Monitoring the nation's environmental quality is the cooperative responsibility of Federal, State and local agencies. Its main objectives are to assess existing environmental conditions, to identify trends, to evaluate compliance with standards and to determine the interchange of air, water and soil pollutants and humans and other living organisms. Monitoring seeks to determine our total exposure to pollutants. To meet air and water quality standards, pollution control equipment is being installed and various environmental control plans are being put into effect. But in the final analysis, the effectiveness of our efforts to control pol- lution can be determined only by measuring actual improvements in environmental quality. And this can be done only by monitoring the environment. EPA's monitoring programs are two-fold— a national network of permanent monitoring stations in urban and rural areas and special studies. The national network, as yet only partially in place, is intended to identify overall environmental quality, regional and national trends and problem areas. Where the network does not provide information needed in spe- cific situations, special studies are performed. The national network and special studies will give EPA the environmental quality informa- tion it needs to carry out its responsibilities. Monitoring pollution discharges at their source is essential, of course. This is basically the responsibility of State and local pollution control agencies and of polluters themselves— manufacturers, power plants, sewage treatment plants, incinerators, etc. A variety of monitoring activities was carried out independently by the various environmental protection programs which were brought to- gether in EPA in late 1970. They are now being integrated into a unified program for total environmental assessment. When com- pleted, expanded and improved, EPA's en- vironmental monitoring systems will provide, for the first time, a comprehensive assessment of environmental quality. Meanwhile, here are the major components of the nation's environmental monitoring sys- tems at the present time. 12 ------- AIR POLLUTION There are some 3,300 air quality measuring stations in the United States. State and local agencies operate about 3,000 of them, EPA the remainder. A few EPA stations are equipped with automatic instruments which continuously monitor up to 10 pollutants. Some stations continuously telemeter data to a central loca- tion, but most use simple devices for periodic sampling. Most sampling is done on an intermittent basis—usually over a 24-hour period at two- week intervals. Two air pollutants—sulfur di- oxide and particulates—are monitored on an extended geographical basis. Under the Continuous Air Monitoring Pro- gram (CAMP), six stations with highly so- phisticated equipment continuously monitor for particulates, total oxidants, total hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen di- oxide and nitric oxide. In addition, air pollutants dissolved in rain- water are monitored at 16 sites. Airborne mercury is monitored at 53 sites. Monitoring for airborne radioactive particles and radioac- tive contamination of rainwater is done at 73 sites, with continuous daily sampling. And air- borne pesticides are monitored at 12 sites. EPA expects to expand this program to 40-60 sites as analysis methods are more fully de- veloped. In all, approximately 40 air pollutants— particles, gases and liquids—are measured rou- tinely. As States and cities expand their moni- toring of the more common air pollutants, 13 ------- EPA's role will be redirected to coordinate these efforts and to monitor for new and non- routine air pollutants. A major problem is developing techniques for monitoring new pollutants. For example, techniques do not yet exist to accurately meas- ure asbestos in the air. Another major need is to develop methods of monitoring air pollutants in the upper atmosphere. Little data is cur- rently available on this potential problem. In the special studies category, EPA has helped States obtain information they need to plan air pollution control programs. EPA has done this by monitoring for carbon monoxide and photochemical oxidants hi some 40 major cities, by measuring air quality on and near major highways, within buildings adjacent to expressways and at airports. Data collecting is only the first step in moni- toring. Information has to be stored and an- alyzed to be of use to EPA and State and local agencies. To meet this need, EPA recently established the National Aerometric Data In- formation System (NADIS). Air quality data previously collected have been put into the computerized system, new data are routinely added so that information can be drawn upon as needed for pollution control. WATCHING FOR EMERGENCIES One of EPA's monitoring functions is to guard aaginst air pollution "episodes"— periods when adverse weather conditions, usually low winds and a temperature inver- sion, produce stagnant air and permit ab- normally high concentrations of pollutants to build up in the air, creating a threat to public health. EPA's Emergency Operations Control Center at Durham, North Carolina, main- tains a continuous nationwide watch of meteorological and air quality conditions. Air quality reports flow into the control center each day from a national network of Federal, State and local air pollution monitoring stations. Weather reports are reported to the center from the National Weather Service's (NWS) nationwide sur- veillance system. If an "air stagnation advisory" is issued by the NWS, or if air quality reports show an increase in pollution levels, the control center puts EPA's episode procedures into effect. EPA analyzes actions taken by State and local control authorities during the po- tential and actual air pollution episodes, steps up pollution monitoring, provides ad- vice and assistance—and, if necessary, in- stitutes direct Federal action, including seeking court injunctions against polluters, to prevent emergency pollution levels from developing. An airborne smog research laboratory, this aircraft is equipped with sensitive monitoring equipment. Leaving an EPA laboratory, staff members will take water and bottom mud samplings of Mobile Bay. ------- WATER POLLUTION The nation's water quality monitoring sys- tem includes about 900 Federally-funded stream and open water stations. Sixty are equipped with automatic monitors. From 10 to 30 pol- lutants are routinely measured at each station. These include undissolved solids, temperature, odor, sediment, oil, heavy metals, acids, bases, nutrients and pesticides. The sampling fre- quency varies from once a year to continuous. Short-term water quality monitoring is also performed. Over 5,000 locations are sampled for periods ranging from several days to several months each year. Data obtained are used to support enforcement actions, to develop mathe- matical models for water quality research, to support research on the fate of pollutants and to assess the effectiveness of pollution control practices. In addition, there are some 1,000 long-term and 5,000 short-term water monitoring sta- tions operated by the states. Data collected are put, with EPA's own data, into EPA's computerized water data storage and retrieval system (STORET). EPA considers the present water quality monitoring system inadequate. By 1976, it in- tends to increase the number of stream-miles covered from 44,000 to 100,000; the miles of Great Lakes shoreline covered from 5,000 to 60,000, and the miles of coastlines and estuaries covered from 4,000 to 12,000. EPA also plans to develop a more extensive network of mobile laboratories to perform de- tailed chemical analyses of all major water bodies at least once every year or two. Better monitoring of public drinking water supplies is also needed. While public water supplies are generally treated to kill harmful bacteria and routinely tested for bacteria, there is growing concern about viruses in drinking water. Many types of viruses are believed to cause inflammation of the stomach or intestines, hepatitis, diabetes or heart trouble. A major problem is the difficulty of isolating viruses in low concentrations. This potentially serious public health hazard requires greater atten- tion, for growing population and water short- ages are leading to increasing reuse of water. Also needed is greater monitoring of radio- active wastes in water and of water tempera- ture changes at power plants, which generate large amounts of waste heat along with elec- tricity. And EPA is also seeking better methods of detecting low levels of mercury in water causing unacceptable concentrations in fish. PESTICIDES In addition to monitoring air and water for pesticides, EPA samples soils—crop lands and non-crop lands—for pesticide levels. Some 3,000 soil samples are tested annually. Fish and shellfish samples are collected at over 300 lo- cations and analyzed for pesticides. And pesti- cide monitoring also includes routine collection and analyses of human tissue and food. RADIATION The radiation monitoring program includes collection of air, water, rain, milk, human bone and food samples for analyses for radioactive nuclides—plutonium, strontium, cesium, triti- um, etc. The radiation monitoring stations are 15 ------- PEOPLE AT WORK A wide range of talents is represented among the 2,000 men and women who carry out EPA's research and monitoring programs. They include: From the biological and health sciences —agronomists, aquatic biologists, biochem- ists, biologists, biophysicists, botanists, cardiologists, cytogeneticists, ecologists, epidemiologists, fishery biologists, foresters, geneticists, histopathologists, horticulturists, limnologists, marine biologists, microbiolo- gists, molecular geneticists, oceanographers, pathologists, pharmacists, pharmacologists, physicians, plant pathologists, radiologists, radiation biologists, soil scientists, veteri- narians, virologists, zoologists. From the physical, engineering, mathe- matical and computer sciences—chemists, computer scientists, computer programmers, computer systems analysts, data processors, engineers (agricultural, chemical, civil, electronic, electrical, environmental, indus- trial, marine, materials, mechanical, min- ing, sanitary), geologists, hydrologists, mathematicians, meteorologists, operations researchers, physicists, statisticians, systems analysts. From the social and behavioral sciences —anthropologists, economists, market an- alysists, psychologists, sociologists, urban planners. Others—accountants, editors, electricians, glassblowers, machinists, management spe- cialists, technicians, woodworkers, writers. nationwide in scope and serve as an alert system to trigger in-depth studies. EPA also monitors underground nuclear tests, using both land stations and aircraft to take samples. In total, radiation monitoring is done at 180 air sampling stations, 200 water sampling sta- tions and nearly 100 milk sampling stations. This system is being expanded as more nuclear power plants go into operation, and EPA is seeking to improve monitoring in order to better compute the total radiation dosage to which people are exposed. EPA is also in- vestigating the need for monitoring radiation from radar, television and radio equipment, and aircraft gear (non-ionizing radiation, as distinct from the ionizing radiation from plutonium, strontium, etc.). NOISE A national monitoring program for assess- ing noise levels and trends does not yet exist. Long-term monitoring stations are needed in representative urban and rural areas to estab- lish baseline information on the range of noise levels normally encountered across the nation and to show trends. Special studies are under- way to identify and characterize specific noise sources and to develop low cost, reliable de- vices for measuring and recording noise from various sources. SOLID WASTES Better management of the nation's mounting piles of solid waste requires "monitoring" of a different sort. This includes iden- tifying the locations of open dumps. Standard methods of determining the amount and make-up of solid wastes—how much paper, glass, aluminum, tin, steel, plastics, etc.—have to be developed. Existing methods of collect- ing, transporting, processing and disposing of solid wastes have to be analyzed and new methods must be developed. EPA is gathering this and other information as part of a na- tional data network to improve solid waste management. Whatever the pollutant being monitored, monitoring data must be reliable and legally defensible. This requires standardized meas- urement and calibration procedures, an inter- laboratory quality control program, a laboratory performance certification program and a stand- ardized laboratory record-keeping procedure. Standardization and quality controls programs were in different stages of development in vari- ous environmental monitoring programs at the time EPA was established. These programs have been continued, and new emphasis has been placed on integrating them into a total EPA monitoring system. EPA is also seeking to develop and adapt advanced monitoring techniques, such as aerial surveillance and remote sensing. Long used to monitor radiation, aerial surveillance is now being extended to watch for spills of oil and other hazardous substances. Aerial photography is used to study coastal areas, to determine the chlorophyll content of lakes, to locate phosphates and nitrates in water bodies and to study oil shale tracts. EPA's monitoring program in brief is de- signed to provide, in-time, comprehensive in- formation on the condition of the environment. 16 ------- U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 Regional Offices Boston, Mass. 02203 New York, N.Y. 10007 Philadelphia, Pa. 19106 Atlanta, Ga. 30309 Chicago, III. 60606 Dallas, Texas 75202 Kansas City, Mo. 64106 Denver, Colo. 80203 San Francisco, Calif. 94102 Seattle, Wash. 98101 States covered Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts. New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, D.C. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, Guam, Trust Terri- tories of Pacific Islands, Wake Island Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington Aerial monitoring with infrared photography helps detect changes in the Colorado River. October 1972 •{I U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE:1972 O—470-874 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printin Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 50 cents Stock Number 5500-0073 ------- |