&EPA
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
          Multi-Agency
Cooperative  Modeling
      Multimedia Modeling: The Future of Exposure and Risk Assessment
What's in a model?
A multimedia assessment model
can be described as being like a
bookcase for storing, accessing,
and processing large volumes of
information that can be used to
solve problems. Creating a
multimedia environmental
assessment model requires the
cooperation of scientists and
engineers from many disciplines.
Increasingly, models are assembled
using open-architectural, objected-
oriented software frameworks providing plug and play exposure and risk assessment access. It is easy
re-use components from this type of model when creating new models. When research groups with
common goals embark on a cooperative effort, they can pool their multimedia modeling tools and the
expertise of their scientists and engineers in the development of mutually beneficial exposure and risk
analysis tools.
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Research Objective
Six federal agencies are cooperating to pursue a common technology in multimedia modeling. The
agencies are exchanging and comparing existing environmental models, software, and related databases
with the goals of reducing redundancy, facilitating cooperation and coordination, and leveraging
expertise. Ultimately, the agencies seek to create a common set of multimedia modeling tools for
environmental risk assessment. The common set of tools can be used to develop and apply a wide variety
of software modules, data processing tools, and uncertainty assessment approaches. These can be used
for understanding and predicting contaminant fate and transport processes and the impacts of chemical
and non-chemical stressors on human and ecological health.

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                        Multi-Agency Cooperative Modeling
Benefits
      Promotes consistency across Government.
      Creates a cooperative effort that reduces redundancy, leverages expertise, and provides cost
      savings for Government research groups that share common goals.
      Assures high quality assurance and control procedures in multimedia modeling.
Purpose
       Supports the EPA's goal of sound science and greater innovation to address environmental
       problems.
Participants
      U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Office of Regulatory Research.
      U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, National
      Exposure Research Laboratory.
      U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), Engineer Research and Development Center.
      U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science and Technology.
      U.S. Department of Interior (DOT), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
      U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS).
 National Exposure Research Laboratory

      For More
    Information:
Management Contact:
 Gary J. Foley, Ph.D.
 foley.gary@epa.gov

 Technical Contact:
David S. Brown, Ph.D.
brown.dave@epa.gov
    For more information visit the
Ecosystems Research Division Website:
     http://www.epa.gov/athens/
     For more information on this and other NERL science projects, visit our Website
                                 http://www.epa.gov/nerl/
WEBSITE ANNOUNCEMENT
                                                     April 2001

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