Office of Research and Development
Research Roadmap: Nitrogen and Co-Pollutants
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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EPA601/R-15/002
Nitrogen and Co-Pollutants
Research Roadmap
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary 1
Introduction 4
Background 4
Purpose 5
Research Scope 7
Expanded Problem Statement 7
Science Challenges 8
Research Alignment and Coordination 10
Cross-Cutting ORD Research 11
Current and Planned ORD Research 11
Examples of ORD Integration 16
Opportunities for Further Integration 21
Research Gaps & Priority Research Needs 24
Synthesis of Existing Gaps 24
Prioritized Research Needs for ORD 25
Informing 2016 - 2019 ORD Research Planning 26
Summary 27
Appendix A. Authors and Contributors 28
Appendix B. Acronyms and Abbreviations 31
Appendix C. References 33
Appendix D. Inventory of ORD Nr and Co-Pollutant Research Projects (2012) Relevant
to SAB Recommendations 34
Appendix E. Summary of Research Gap Analysis 46
Appendix F. Inventory of EPA Research Related to Nitrogen and Co-Pollutants 65
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Executive Summary
Historically, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state, and local governments, and numerous
stakeholders have made progress to reduce the reactive nitrogen (Nr) and co-pollutant loadings
that contribute to tropospheric ozone and acid rain, and can cause the adverse impacts of aquatic
ecosystem collapse (via harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, and fish kills), terrestrial biodiversity
changes, and degradation of drinking source waters that result in costly water treatment. Howev-
er, despite such efforts these pollutants continue to be released and discharged at concentrations
that cause significant adverse impacts on human health and well-being and aquatic and terrestrial
ecosystems. These impacts will likely be exacerbated in coming years by the pressures of land use
change, climate change, and the resource needs of an increasing human population (Millennium
Assessment, 2005).
As a part of the "One EPA" concept, EPA's research and program offices (Office of Research and
Development (ORD), Office of Water (OW), Office of Air and Radiation (OAR)) and regional offices
are collaborating on the design of a cross-media, integrated, multidisciplinary approach to sustain-
ably manage Nr and co-pollutants (in particular phosphorus, but also sulfur and sediments) load-
ings to air, surface and ground water to reduce adverse impacts on the environment and human
health. The goal of the Nitrogen and Co-pollutant Research Roadmap (henceforth "Roadmap")
is to develop a common understanding of the Agency's nitrogen and co-pollutant management
goals; the research program portfolios developed by the ORD National Program Directors (NPDs)
in relation to the OW and OAR program offices' priority research needs; and to identify major fo-
cus areas and opportunities for integration across the Agency, research gaps, and future research
directions. As such, the Roadmap is not a research program in and of itself. Rather, the results of
the Roadmap's analyses will be used by program offices and ORD Research Programs to inform the
design of integrated research portfolios and policy mechanisms.
This Roadmap was developed jointly by representatives from ORD (including four national re-
search programs), OW, OAR, and the regional offices. The impetus for the Roadmap is the 2011
EPA Science Advisory Board's (SAB) Integrated Nitrogen Committee report, Reactive Nitrogen in
the United States: An Analysis of Inputs, Flows, Consequences, and Management Options. The SAB
made several research and management recommendations based on their analysis, including tak-
ing an integrated approach to the management of Nr, forming an intra-Agency task force to build
on the existing research and management capabilities within EPA, and working with other agen-
cies and departments through an interagency working group to manage reactive nitrogen more
effectively and efficiently.
This Roadmap is structured around a series of ordered Science Challenges that evolved from the
2011 memo from the OW Assistant Administrator to Regional Administrators (U.S. EPA, 2011, or
the "Stoner Memo"), describing the steps that could be taken to reduce nutrient pollution using
existing programs and authorities. The Science Challenge descriptions were expanded to include
air pathways and direct effects. To make the task of research collaboration and cooperation more
manageable, the goal of nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction has been broken down into six major
research topics or "Science Challenges."
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The Science Challenges are summarized by the following questions:
1. Where should we be targeting to reduce nitrogen and co-pollutant loads?
2. What information do we need to set nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction goals for priority
areas?
3. What's in our toolbox to manage and reduce nitrogen and co-pollutant loads and does it
work?
4. What are some new, innovative approaches we haven't tried before?
5. Are we getting the reductions and ecosystem and human health benefits we expect?
6. How do we best maintain inter-office accountability, assess progress, and communicate results
to the public?
These Science Challenges form a pathway to achieve the overall goal. The general roles of ORD,
regional offices and program offices along this pathway are shown in Figure 1.
Each of these six Science Challenges is broken down into the subset of key research activities
needed to achieve a solution to that Challenge. The Science Challenges and their sub-components
(research steps) translate a management goal to a science objective and general research path.
The Science Challenges are composed of a Sub-outcome that addresses program office, regional
office, state and stakeholder needs by defining management goals and objectives; a Sub-output
that defines the relevant scientific objectives; and a Generalized Research Path that defines the
steps required to achieve a sub-outcome (management goal) from a sub-output (science objec-
tive) (see Appendix E). The generalized research path broadly describes the essential steps needed
to accomplish a sub-output related to air and water quality goals generally, and although the re-
search priorities of the regulatory programs are embedded, it is not directly intended for a specific
decision such as air quality standards or numeric nutrient criteria.
Using this Roadmap framework, current EPA-ORD, OW, and OAR research activities were mapped
onto each Science Challenge, which allowed identification of key areas of existing integration,
areas where further integration is needed or would be useful, and where critical gaps and oppor-
tunities exist. Key areas of integration included research in common places (Gulf of Mexico, Chesa-
peake Bay), common topics (ecosystem services and economic research) and common regulatory
objectives (air and water quality standards).
The key research areas that have been identified are:
Develop empirical data and models that better tie nitrogen- and co-pollutant-related water
quality and terrestrial ecosystem impairments to quantitative loads, and better predict how
impairments vary with changes in load, concentration, and biogeochemical conditions.
Determine how the magnitude, frequency, and duration of nitrogen and co-pollutant loading
affect expression of impairment for aquatic and terrestrial endpoints.
Develop better tools to determine nitrogen and co-pollutant source apportionment in
watersheds at a range of scales.
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Incorporate climate change (temperature, storms) into models predicting environmental
impacts of future nitrogen and co-pollutant loads.
Better integrate pollution-response models across air, land, and all water body types.
Develop and integrate ecosystem service metrics and accountability measures for social and
economic endpoints of concern that are integrated into exposure-response models for nitrogen
and co-pollutants. Assess the ability to expand and adapt existing models such as BenMap
versus novel model development.
Continue efforts to introduce new technological applications to nitrogen and co-pollutant
management problems, such as genomic indictors of sources and effects, satellite monitoring of
conditions, and improved sensor technologies.
Support and enhance monitoring programs that provide the information needed to assess
system-level, long-term responses to policies and management.
Identifying mitigation pathways and practices that will lead to a reduction of Nr loading in the
United States, as recommended by the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), requires cross-agency co-
operation between EPA, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United States Geological
Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior (DOI) and other agencies, as well as cross-office coordi-
nation within EPA, i.e., across ORD, OW, OAR, and regional offices. This perspective is supported by
the National Research Council report, Science for Environmental Protection: The Road Ahead (NRC,
2012), which recommends that EPA use a systems approach to improve integration and coordina-
tion of science across agency programs and regional offices. A lack of systems-level understanding
will contribute to continued degradation of the environment and increased public health risks
due to Nr and co-pollutants - with population pressures only exacerbating the problem (Nutrient
Innovations Task Group 2009, SAB 2011). Significant, sustained reductions in Nr and co-pollutants
must be economically efficient; socially acceptable; environmentally sound; adaptable to climate,
land-use and demographic changes; and permanent. These requirements can be met only through
integrated research that informs the systematic, collective, and adaptive management of air, land,
and water at multiple scales.
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Introduction
Background
Nitrogen (along with phosphorus) addition in agriculture has enabled the United States to sig-
nificantly increase its food and fuel stock-per-acre production. Other uses, such as gardens and
landscaping from home to community scales, have provided aesthetic and economic appeal to
businesses and properties. It is also a waste product from water treatment, air emissions from
combustion, and other sources. As with all good things, too much can result in unintended nega-
tive impacts on non-target systems. The challenge has been to manage the additions, removals,
treatments, and alternatives across the contributing sources to provide the benefits without the
unintended costs.
In August 2011, the EPA Science Advisory Board's Integrated Nitrogen Committee (SAB INC) re-
leased Reactive Nitrogen in the United States: An Analysis of Inputs, Flows, Consequences, and
Management Options (SAB, 2011). This report provides a comprehensive summary of the current
science related to natural and anthropogenic contributions to reactive nitrogen ("Nr"; all biologi-
cally active, chemically reactive and photochemically active nitrogen compounds) sources, uses,
and cycling, and related impacts on human health and the Nation's ecosystems, as well as the
regulatory and non-regulatory approaches currently used to manage Nr. The SAB report clearly
recognizes the impact of human activities on the N cycle, and the associated degradation of air
and water quality, noting that humans in the conterminous United States introduce five times
more Nr into the environment than do natural processes.
Reactive nitrogen management poses many challenges to traditional regulatory systems because:
effects are across traditional media-specific regulatory boundaries, effects are not due primarily
to direct toxicity but rather to changes in ecosystem structure and function, the pollutant can be
converted among chemical forms with different effects, and ecological sensitivity to pollutants
may vary spatially depending upon ecosystem characteristics (Compton et al., 2011). A substantial
portion of the pollutants may come from non-point sources which are not explicitly regulated by
EPA under the Clean Water Act (CWA). A variety of scales are addressed, including national, re-
gional, and local ecosystems as well as multiple media (air, land, water), policies, sources, impacts,
and decisions.
Significant reductions in Nr and co-pollutant loadings are necessary to meet EPA's air, water qual-
ity, and drinking water standards, criteria, and goals. To successfully achieve this end, EPA decided
to develop a research roadmap using a cross-Agency team to identify research for incorporation
into the ORD Research Program portfolios that inform the development of effective regulatory and
voluntary policies crafted by EPA, states, and tribes for successful implementation of an integrated
and sustainable Nr and co-pollutant management program. Understanding nitrogen pollution for
this range of scales and moving between them will provide to these entities the science needed to
construct flexible policies that can meet multiple needs.
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Purpose
The vision underlying the Roadmap is that EPA will conduct nitrogen and co-pollutant research
that informs the policy choices and decision-making of EPA and its partners and stakeholders as
they strive to reduce pollution from nitrogen and co-pollutants in the United States. The Roadmap
does not replace program office priority research needed to inform regulatory decisions, but looks
for efficiencies between offices and agencies to meet multiple needs. The objectives of this effort
are to develop a common understanding of the Agency research program portfolios developed
by the ORD research programs, OW, OAR, and regional offices and compare them with the OW
and OAR program offices' priority research needs to identify major focus areas, opportunities for
integration across the Agency, research gaps, and future research directions. This Roadmap cre-
ates a path for unifying and integrating EPA nitrogen research efforts across multiple media and
various temporal and spatial scales as displayed in the Nitrogen Cascade (Figure 2). ORD research
programs and OW and OAR science and policy related to reactive N are operating at a variety of
scales from local and state to regional and national.
ffects on productivity
biodiversity
Acidification of water + Eutrophication
Figure 2. Simplified diagram of the ecological effects caused by
nitrogen and sulfur air pollution (Greaver et al., 2013).
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The Roadmap has been developed to address the SAB recommendations for integrated science
and integrated management to include both atmospheric and aquatic sources and controls. For
example, based on the SAB recommendations, it will be important to focus on efficient, effective,
and equitable solutions to achieve reduction targets for nitrogen and co-pollutants, while recog-
nizing that the optimal levels of control will likely vary by location and scale. In response to the
SAB report, we have developed a table of ORD's current research projects that address many of
the SAB recommendations fully or in part (see Appendix D).
The Roadmap consists of six Science Challenges (described below in the section "Research
Scope"), developed based on program and regional office input. The relevant on-going nitrogen
and co-pollutant related research in the ORD Research Programs (ACE, HHRA, SHC, and SSWR),
OW, OAR, and regional offices were compiled and summarized as to how well this ongoing work
addresses the steps in each Science Challenge (see Supplementary Document 1). Where possible,
research addressing these areas in other Federal agencies was also included, but is recognized as
incomplete as of this date and in need of expanded effort. The gap assessment aids in identifying
research areas, which research programs or other areas (i.e. program offices, regions, other Fed-
eral agencies) this work is best suited for, prioritizing these areas and making recommendations
for research projects to be included in the 2016-2020 ORD Strategic Research Action Plans.
The Roadmap is not a standalone research program, but is a framework for integrating research
related to Nr and co-pollutants across the ORD research programs, OW, OAR and the regional
offices. As such, the roadmap focuses on organizing research in a way that individual research
program or program office efforts cannot so that innovative approaches and sustainable solutions
which are central to addressing nitrogen can be developed. The result of organizing research in
this manner is the ability of integrated research programs to complete their investigations and
then prepare synthesis documents that inform decisions on endpoints, thresholds, exposure,
sources, and services from a holistic and integrated perspective. Synthesis can also enable integra-
tion across disciplines to identify research gaps as well as generate scientific evidence that informs
decisions.
One of the benefits of this Roadmap is highlighting where the connections are (or should be), not
only across research projects and research programs, but also between people. Achieving the ex-
pected outcomes will involve improved communication and improved integration of effort across
Federal agencies and within EPA. As indicated by the diversity of EPA Offices, regional offices
and ORD laboratories and centers, the Roadmap effort has brought together researchers across
these organizations and research programs to develop a path forward toward a common goal. The
development of the Roadmap has been highly dependent on connecting people across Offices and
maintaining communication across disciplines, program boundaries, and decisions. The value of
making these connections and maintaining this dialogue will be a long-term benefit to the Agency.
Nitrogen & Co-Pollutant Roadmap Goal:
To protect human health and public welfare and ecosystem health
through the restoration of air and water quality by integrating Agency
research that supports the management of Nr and co-pollutants.
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Research Scope
Expanded Problem Statement
Over the past 40 years, EPA has used its regulatory and voluntary programs within the statute-
driven offices (Clean Water Act (CWA) - Office of Water (OW), Clean Air Act (CAA) - Office of Air
and Radiation (OAR), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) - (OW)) to address water and air nitrogen
deposition/volatilization pollution problems. EPA and stakeholders have made progress to reduce
the Nr and co-pollutant (e.g., P, S, C) loadings that cause the adverse impacts of tropospheric
ozone, acid rain, aquatic ecosystem collapse (seen via harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, and fish
kills), terrestrial biodiversity changes, degradation of drinking source waters, and costly water
treatment. However, these pollutants are still released and discharged at concentrations that are
having significant adverse impacts on human health and well-being, and aquatic and terrestrial
ecosystems. These impacts will likely be exacerbated in coming years by the pressures of land use
change, climate change, and the resource needs of an increasing human population (MA, 2005).
The EPA Science Advisory Board's Integrated Nitrogen Committee report (SAB, 2011), provides
a comprehensive summary of the current science related to natural and anthropogenic contri-
butions to Nr sources, uses, and cycling, and related impacts on human health and the nation's
ecosystems, as well as the regulatory and non-regulatory approaches currently used to manage
reactive nitrogen. The report clearly recognizes the impact of human activities on the N cycle, and
the associated degradation of air and water quality, noting that humans introduce five times more
Nr into the environment than do natural processes. The SAB made several research and manage-
ment recommendations based on their analysis, including taking an integrated approach to the
management of N, forming an intra-Agency task force to build on the existing research and man-
agement capabilities within EPA, and working with other agencies and departments outside EPA
to manage N more effectively and efficiently. We have used these overarching recommendations
as the foundation of the N Roadmap effort. In response to the SAB report, we have compiled an
inventory of ORD's current research projects that address many of the SAB recommendations fully
or in part (see Appendix D).
Reactive nitrogen pollution poses many challenges to traditional pollution regulatory systems be-
cause (1) effects cross traditional media-specific regulatory boundaries (e.g., Nr can cause effects
regulated by the CAA, CWA, and SDWA); (2) effects are often not due primarily to direct toxicity
but rather to changes in ecosystem structure and function, some of which could be seen as benefi-
cial; (3) the pollutant can be converted from one chemical form to another, each of which has dif-
ferent effects; and (4) ecological sensitivity to pollutants is variable from place to place such that
the same air or water quality standard may not be equally protective everywhere depending upon
the ecosystem (Compton et al., 2011). A key regulatory challenge is that a substantial portion of
the pollutants, both nitrogen and phosphorus, may come from non-point sources which are not
explicitly regulated under CWA. While percentages vary widely among watersheds, non-point
source contributions in heavily agricultural watersheds may approach 100% for both nitrogen and
phosphorus (Puckett, 1994; Woodside and Hoos, 2014).
Identifying mitigation pathways and practices that could lead to a reduction of N loading in the
United States, as recommended by the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), will require cross-agency
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cooperation between EPA, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United States Geo-
logical Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior (DOI) and other agencies, as well as cross-office
coordination within EPA, i.e., across Office of Research and Development (ORD), Office of Water
(OW), Office of Air and Radiation (OAR), and regional offices. This perspective is supported by the
National Research Council report, Science for Environmental Protection: The Road Ahead (NRC,
2012), which recommends EPA use a systems approach to improve integration and coordination
of science across Agency programs and regional offices. While this is a challenging task, without
integration of research to inform decisions across EPA and other agencies, there will be an insuffi-
cient systems-level understanding. This lack will contribute to continued degradation of the envi-
ronment due to Nr and co-pollutants - with population pressures only exacerbating the problem
(Nutrient Innovations Task Group, 2009; SAB, 2011). Significant, sustainable reductions in Nr must
be economically efficient; socially acceptable; environmentally sound; adaptable to climate, land-
use and demographic changes; and perma-
nent. These requirements can be met only
through integrated research that informs the
systematic collective, adaptive management
of air, land, and water.
Solving the Nr problem must be based
on the foundation of existing regulations,
voluntary approaches, research, and
management programs coupled with
effective interagency coordination.
Science Challenges
The Roadmap is structured around a series of ordered Science Challenges that evolved from the
2011 memo from the OW Assistant Administrator to Regional Administrators (U.S. EPA, 2011, or
"Stoner Memo"), which described the steps that could be taken to reduce nutrient pollution using
existing programs and authorities. The Science Challenge descriptions were expanded to include
air pathways and direct effects. To make the task of research collaboration and cooperation more
manageable, the goal of nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction has been broken down into six major
research topics or "Science Challenges".
The Science Challenges are summarized by the following questions:
1. Where should we be targeting to reduce nitrogen and co-pollutant loads?
2. What information do we need to set nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction goals for priority
areas?
3. What's in our toolbox to manage and reduce nitrogen and co-pollutant loads and does it
work?
4. What are some new, innovative approaches we haven't tried before?
5. Are we getting the reductions and ecosystem and human health benefits we expect?
6. How do we best maintain inter-office accountability, assess progress, and communicate results
to the public?
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These Science Challenges form a pathway to achieve the overall goal. The general roles of ORD,
regional and program offices along this pathway are shown in Figure 1.
Each of these six Science Challenges is broken down into the subset of key research activities
needed to achieve a solution to that Challenge. The Science Challenges and their sub-components
(research steps) translate a management goal to a science objective and general research path.
The Science Challenges are composed of a Sub-outcome that addresses program office, regional
office, state and stakeholder needs by defining management goals and objectives, a Sub-output
that defines the relevant scientific objectives, and a Generalized Research Path that defines the
steps required to achieve a sub-outcome (management goal) from a sub-output (science objec-
tive). The six Science Challenges above are shown in expanded form in Appendix E. The gener-
alized research path broadly describes the essential steps needed to accomplish a sub-output
related to air and water quality goals generally, and although the research priorities of the regula-
tory programs are embedded, it is not directly intended for a specific decision such as air quality
standards or numeric nutrient criteria. The first step in any Research Path element is to compile
and synthesize the available information to inform policy, integrate across disciplines, and identify
research gaps.
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Figure 1. Framework of the nitrogen and co-pollutant research roadmap incorporating
the science challenges. Numbers correspond to the Science Challenge question.
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Research Alignment and Coordination
This Roadmap envisions a cross-Agency team to identify research that informs the development
of effective policies needed for successful implementation of an integrated and sustainable Nr
and co-pollutant management program, in addition to well-defined regulatory programs under
the CAA, CWA, and SDWA. It represents the collaborative product of discussions across ORD, OW,
OAR, and the regional offices. The overarching goal is to protect human health, public welfare,
and ecosystem health through the restoration of air, land, and water quality by integrating Agency
research that supports the management of Nr and co-pollutants.
Contributions from ORD, OAR, OW and the regional offices in terms of research, science, and
policy expertise are essential to designing the goals, research paths, research tasks, and workplans
as well as conducting and using the research, science, and tools proposed in each of the Science
Challenges to achieve the sub-outcomes. OAR, OW, ORD and regional researchers and scientists
will collaborate on the design of investigations, synthesis of data and information, tools, and their
implementation in both existing and innovative management actions and policy design. Simul-
taneously, OW, OAR and the regional offices will be encouraged to collaborate to find innovative
policy and management approaches, in addition to current regulatory programs, to optimize nitro-
gen and co-pollutant reductions by developing voluntary initiatives and exploring improved ways
to link CAA, SDWA, and CWA authorities. One possible example is determining how best to align
CAA secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) implementation with CWA Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) to achieve needed nitrogen reductions that will lead to ecological
and human health benefits.
The value of communication across disciplines and offices should not be overlooked. Continued
discussions with a cross-office Roadmap steering committee, annual engagement with the Nation-
al Program Directors during their planning cycles, and annual face-to-face meetings with scientists
and decision-makers across the Agency will be important. In the longer term, this type of effort
can and should be extended to the other Federal partners and states as well.
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Cross-Cutting ORD Research
Current and Planned ORD Research
To move from the Roadmap to research implementation across the Agency, the program and regional of-
fices must identify the gaps between the ongoing research and what is needed to achieve the Outcomes
of the Science Challenges. Other organizations, agencies, states and stakeholders that are conducting
research relevant to achieving the Science Challenges must be identified to avoid duplicative efforts and
then engaged in information exchange and collaboration. Finally the cross-cutting research agenda must
be agreed on, resources identified, priorities set, and the work started.
Some of these transformative steps are already underway. Supplementary Document 1 provides an inven-
tory of the relevant ongoing research in each ORD research program, OW, OAR and the regional offices
that is associated with each Science Challenge and step. This information is being used to conduct a gap
analysis to (1) identify current EPA actions to address each step of the generalized research path, (2) iden-
tify the key gaps/limitations to attainment of major client needs, (3) make recommendations for future re-
search, and (4) identify external collaborators (USDA, USGS, NOAA, states, etc) for research needs. OW and
OAR staffs have exchanged information on existing authorities, processes, and policies to initiate a process
of finding innovative cross-office solutions to management of nitrogen and co-pollutants. The general roles
of each of the programs in the current research are shown in Table 1, with the full detailed table given in
Supplementary Document 1.
As ORD proceeds through the development of its Strategic Research Action Plans (StRAPs) for FY16 - 19,
the National Program Directors will use the Roadmap to identify the areas of nitrogen and co-pollutant
investigation that must be taken up in the individual StRAPs in order to deliver integrated research prod-
ucts that can be used to fulfill the reactive nitrogen and co-pollutant science challenges. The Roadmap
is the first conceptual crafting of EPA's research response to managing nitrogen. A complete map of the
multi-program, multi-office, integrated science plan will be complete in September 2015. For example:
within the SSWR StRAP, attention is being given to the collaboration that must occur between those con-
ducting research into new technologies for nitrogen removal/reuse from wastewater and those conducting
research to quantify the environmental and human health outcomes of using the new technology. Both of
these are science challenges identified by the Roadmap that are in need of integrated research as there are
many new technologies and approaches coming on-line and under investigation.
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Table 1. Research and management efforts for Nr and co-pollutant Science Challenges (SCs) and Research
Steps. Major efforts are indicated by black, contributing programs in gray, and white indicates minor or no effort.
Research on human health impacts from air quality is well documented elsewhere and not covered in detail in this
Roadmap. See Appendix E for descriptions of the Science Challenges and Detailed Research Steps.
Generalized Research Pathway
SC 1 - Identify priority areas
Step 1.1 Synthesis
Step 1.2 Endpoints and Thresholds
Step 1.3 Exposure
Step 1.4 Services
Step 1.5 Climate Change
Step 1.6 Exceedance
Step 1.7 Tools
SC 2 - Set reduction goals for priority areas
Step 2.1 Synthesis
Step 2.2 Sources
Step 2.3 Exposure Response
Step 2.4 Endpoint Response
Step 2.5 Services
Step 2.6 Climate Change
Step 2.7 Tools
SC 3 - Current management options
Step 3.1 Synthesis
Step 3.2 Technologies
Step 3.3 Data
Step 3.4 Cost impacts
SC 4 - New management options
Step 4.1 Synthesis
Step 4.2 Innovative Strategies
Step 4.3 Future factors
Step 4.4 Analysis of Strategy Effectiveness
SC 5 - Assess effectiveness
Step 5.1 Synthesis
Step 5.2 Models
Step 5.3 Metrics
Step 5.4 Verification procedures
Step 5.5 Monitoring systems
SC 6 - Report on effectiveness
Step 6.1 Inter-office Accountability
Step 6.2 Inter-office Points of Contact
Step 6.3 Synthesis
Step 6.4 Communication Strategy
Step 6.5 Communications Eval. & Meas.
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Summary of Current Research Efforts by Science Challenge
Brief summaries of current EPA research activities within each of the six Science Challenges
are provided below, while a more complete inventory of pertinent research is provided in
Supplementary Document 1.
Science Challenge 1 - Where should we be targeting to reduce nitrogen and co-pollutant loads?
EPA research is contributing to identifying priority areas for Nr reductions. Current ORD research
syntheses address atmospheric deposition and terrestrial impacts (CMAQ, ISA) as well as aquatic
impacts of acidification due to nitrogen and sulfur deposition. Several OW efforts compile infor-
mation related to the effects of N on freshwater, wetland, and estuarine ecosystems, including
the Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Data Access Tool (NPDAT), Nutrient Indicators Dataset
(NID), National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NARS), and Wadeable Streams Assessment (WSA).
This provides a good overview of at-risk systems. Endpoints and thresholds research focuses on
estuarine, freshwater, and terrestrial systems, but a number of specific research gaps were identi-
fied (Appendix E). Current Exposure research includes ACE, SSWR, and SHC development of data
layers for the EnviroAtlas. The ACE MDST-3 project provides a modeling framework that should be
broadly applicable to the prediction of deposition fields that would allow estimation of exposure.
The work by both ORD and OW connecting nitrogen criteria and the social and economic impacts
of Nr is relatively new and there are a large number of gaps for understanding and quantifying
the relationships and the cost and benefits of action or inaction. However, the emerging work on
ecosystem goods and services, and ecosystem service production functions (SHC) should provide
a good framework within which to evaluate the response of social and economic systems to ni-
trogen loads and concentrations in both air and water. Current ORD research on climate change
impacts on nutrient issues is limited, and there is a need for developing an ensemble of potential
future scenarios and associated analyses of system response to better understand how climate
change will affect exposure and thresholds. Combining the ACE MDST-3 project's estimates of
deposition exposure with the body of work on thresholds and end points provides a national set
of exceedance values. It would be helpful to know the range of scales at which the models are
predictive. Both ORD and OW have a variety of tools either completed or in development, and
information transfer for tool sets to end users (e.g. states and tribes) is via websites with general
menus that include various options that might be useful for an assessment. Guidance is needed
from program offices to determine if this approach is adequate or if a more structured approach is
needed. A few ACE projects provide structured tool transfer and training as well as user support at
a central website.
Science Challenge 2 - What information do we need to set nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction
goals for priority areas ?
Current research across EPA is examining how to set nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction goals
for priority areas. Through Integrated Science Assessments (ISA) and Integrated Risk Information
System (IRIS), the synthesis needed for air deposition impacts are relatively adequate. Ongoing
work under ACE appears to generally cover needs with regard to air sources, and because terres-
trial systems are primarily exposed via air sources, source apportionment for terrestrial systems is
similarly covered. ORD in combination with OAR has good programs for tracking and monitoring
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air loads and sources that are well centralized and operate at relevant temporal scales but there
is nothing similar for water. There is little current work identified for water on source attribution
and load quantification. ORD has developed and continues a limited amount of stable N isotope
research on source identification, and the approach has wide external (academic, USGS) research
efforts. Ongoing work in ACE addresses exposure response of air pathways. For exposure response
in water, the ORD VELMA model is supported under ACE, SHC, and SSWR, and has the potential
to model source reductions under land use change scenarios at small watershed scale. There are
few ORD studies examining stress-response for terrestrial systems. While there is a broad spec-
trum of relevant research on ecosystem services work within SHC that is potentially relevant, it
is not explicitly focused on defining the linkage between changes in N-exposure and the deriva-
tion of ecosystem services. Present ORD research on climate impacts on nitrogen are limited, but
includes the regional scale study on the MARB-GOM, a multimedia modeling study of stream flow
and nitrogen, and estuarine nutrient stress-response work which incorporates hydrologic flow and
water temperature variation in assessing nutrient impacts. A critical gap that crosses all SC2 steps
appears to be the level of effort focused on integrated decision-support tools which will provide
insights in environmental, social, and economic components specifically related to N issues. There
is some work with human health effects of nutrients, particularly on drinking water and nitrates,
yet this aspect of the social dimension is limited to published response and valuation data. SSWR
task 2.3C is addressing the distribution, causation, and mitigation of cyanobacterial blooms and
their impacts on ecosystems and on human health.
Science Challenge 3 - What's in our toolbox to manage and reduce nitrogen and co-pollutant
loads and does it work?
A variety of research across EPA is focused on tools to manage and reduce N and co-pollutant
loads, and to determine if tools actually work. EPA and ORD are keenly aware of and routinely con-
duct sensitivity and uncertainty analyses using various methods on a wide range of models. Ongo-
ing research within ACE in collaboration with OAR appears to generally cover management options
for air sources, including human health-related benefits analyses, and supporting data collection.
ACE modeling tools provide integral support for air analyses of management options. Climate
effects of nitrogen emissions are also being addressed in ACE. OW, through collaboration with
USGS on the NPDAT tool, can determine the relative importance of different N sources to air, land,
freshwater and coastal systems. Collaboration with USDA NRCS and local Soil and Water Conserva-
tion Districts on local projects within SHC and SSWR will ensure a stronger connection and cred-
ibility in the agricultural community. Information on the social and economic factors is currently
lacking, but SSWR and SHC are conducting modeling and economic studies to allow for inclusion
of economic factors and tradeoffs in an N reduction strategy, and also to model future loading
scenarios and impacts. Recently within EPA, there has been an increased effort to look at the costs
associated with reactive nitrogen, in terms of the damage, mitigation, restoration, and replace-
ment costs. OW has an effort documenting nutrients in the economy, ORD SHC has completed a
national damage cost assessment of N and other work on ecosystem services, and ORD SSWR also
has initiated a program and accompanying STAR grant to examine the benefits of water quality
improvements, which should include nutrients. SHC is also developing a decision tool called N-
Sink that could assist states in planning their reduction strategies because it illustrates the spatial
arrangement of agricultural or urban N sources and soil and wetland N-sinks. SSWR research on
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green infrastructure (Gl) includes examination of what works and what doesn't in N removal, and
the economic costs and benefits of Gl. The NARS program (OW) conducts unbiased probabilistic
surveys of conditions in rivers and streams, lakes and reservoirs, estuarine and coastal waters, and
wetlands at regional and national scales. SSWR Project 1 is developing methods to predict water-
shed integrity using spatially explicit modeling. SSWR tasks 2.3 B and C have developed satellite
remote sensing techniques for use in compliance monitoring of state water quality standards.
Science Challenge 4 - What are some new, innovative approaches we haven't tried before?
While more work is clearly needed, some current research seeks to find new, innovative ap-
proaches to nutrient management that EPA has not tried before. The STAR program has recently
funded four research centers that will contribute to addressing this need. The centers are funded
for a four-year period at a total of approximately $12 million including EPA and matching funds.
A second RFA for additional centers is proposed in 2014, to be funded at a total level of approxi-
mately $5 million including EPA and matching funds. The Centers are: Project 1: Center for Inte-
grated Multi-scale Nutrient Pollution Solutions, Pennsylvania State University; Project 2: Center for
Reinventing Aging Infrastructure for Nutrient Management (RAINmgt), University of South Florida;
Project 3: Center for Comprehensive, Optimal, and Effective Abatement of Nutrients, Colorado
State University; Project 4: National Center for Resource Recovery and Nutrient Management, Wa-
ter Environment Research Foundation. SSWR 6.2 is exploring novel approaches to nitrogen reduc-
tion at the source and through restoration of ecosystem services. One research task is comparing
the impact of oyster reef restoration and oyster aquaculture on key ecosystem services of nitro-
gen removal, water quality and the benthic and finfish communities. A second research task is
exploring novel waste water technology options in southeastern New England that could provide
cost effective decentralized technology. A third research task is exploring the potential for social
enterprise organizations (SEO) to develop innovative business opportunities/models to provide
cost effective and sustainable solutions to nitrogen pollution. There are a significant number of
new technologies and approaches coming on-line and in development for treating, removing, and
recovering nitrogen and co-pollutants from wastewater at scales ranging from households to large
wastewater treatment plants. ORD's StRAPs will outline research to evaluate and advance these
technologies and approaches to inform states, tribes, and localities as they make infrastructure
decisions.
Science Challenge 5 -Are we getting the reductions and ecosystem and human health benefits
we expect?
Some research efforts are ongoing within EPA to address whether we are getting the reductions
and the ecosystem and human health benefits expected from management actions. The report
"An Optimization Approach to Evaluate the Role of Ecosystem Services in Chesapeake Bay Resto-
ration Strategies" includes quantification and valuation of "bonus biological services" based on
various scenarios for achieving the nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment TMDL for the Chesapeake
watershed. Currently, ORD and partners are working to (1) make the optimization model available
for use by the Chesapeake Bay Program Office and modeling community, and (2) to communicate
the co-benefits, such as improved hunting and fishing opportunities, of BMP implementation to
managers and stakeholders. The GOM/MARB modeling effort (SSWR, ACE, SHC) includes an atmo-
spheric deposition component and provides an approach to many assessment needs, but does not
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currently include a component to derive economic and social endpoints, other than the endpoints
important to air pollution through the availability of BenMAP. Some research to determine the
stress-response relations of biotic endpoints to nitrogen is conducted under SSWR 2.3A, but is not
designed to be used by any specific modeling framework. Verification procedures and monitoring
system improvements are addressed to a modest degree in ACE relative to atmospheric pathways
of nitrogen and co-pollutant delivery. This work is conducted in collaboration with OAR to address
accountability.
Science Challenge 6 - How do we best maintain inter-office accountability, assess progress, and
communicate results to the public?
A particular challenge for the EPA Nr and co-pollutant research is how to best maintain inter-office
accountability communications, assessment of joint progress in terms of achieving Nr reductions,
and in optimizing communications with the public. Some of this communication will rely on collab-
oration with other entities on common issues, for example USGS and water quality, and USDA and
soil health and food security issues, and a variety of agencies on sustainability. There is little or no
current EPA research in this research area, but we recognize the importance of internal and exter-
nal communication, and new research in SSWR and SHC will focus on communicating our science
and also working more closely with stakeholders to understand how to best inform decisions. This
effort will need to draw upon researchers outside of EPA with this expertise, potentially working
with the Nutrient Centers through EPA's STAR grants program and with other agencies.
Examples of ORD Integration
While much greater integration across the EPA research portfolio is clearly needed, several
research efforts exemplify integrative research approaches to nitrogen and co-pollutants. Such
research projects are housed within most of the StRAPs that currently include nitrogen-related
research in their portfolio. Here we describe four ORD research projects or tasks that promote
integration in nitrogen and co-pollutant research:
NOXSOX Integrated Science Assessment (HHRA 2.2.1)
The Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) of the ecological effects of nitrogen oxides (NOX) and
sulfur oxides (SOX) is part of the periodic review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) required by the Clean Air Act. It serves as the scientific foundation for OAR risk and policy
assessments that guide the EPA to determine whether or not to set, revise, or retain the NOX and
SOX NAAQS. This assessment draws upon research from across the ACE, SSWR, and SHC programs,
program offices, regional offices and external research.
The ISA is a synthesis of all relevant scientific information with specific focus on atmospheric
chemistry and ecological effects related to gas-phase and deposition of NOX and SOX (Figure 2).
The assessment considers multiple environmental media and therefore follows the path and
consequences of the nitrogen and sulfur pollutants as they are emitted to the air, deposit, and
cascade from terrestrial to aquatic environments. This national-scale assessment draws upon
information that is generated from across the ORD RAPs, partner agencies and the greater scien-
tific community, including peer-reviewed literature as well as technical documents and datasets.
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The atmospheric chemistry of oxidized nitrogen compounds included are gases such as nitrogen
dioxide (NO2), nitric oxide (NO), nitric acid, particulate nitrate, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate
sulfate. Ecological effects include acidification, nitrogen enrichment, eutrophication, and sulfur-
induced mercury methylation of terrestrial, freshwater, wetland, and estuary ecosystems in the
United States.
Integrated Multimedia Modeling for Nitrogen Case Study
ACE MDST-3: Integrated Multimedia Systems Modeling for Sustainability
SSWR Task 2.3.D: Modeling the Linkage between Discharge and Nutrients from the Mississippi
River Basin to Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia
SHC 3.3.1.1: Integrated Management of Reactive Nitrogen
Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico is a critically important environmental issue affecting vitality in the
northern Gulf. A signature case study was developed between the ACE MDST-3 project and the
SSWR Task 2.3D, with participation by SHC Task 3.3.1.1, to address the hypoxia issue. The joint
project is developing multimedia models of the linkage between discharge and nutrients from the
Mississippi River Basin (MARB) and the resultant Gulf of Mexico (GOM) hypoxia. The goal is to pre-
dict how nutrient management decisions and future climate change will impact the size, frequen-
cy and duration of the hypoxic area that forms every summer. The integrated, multimedia model-
ing will be used to predict a broad set of consequences in the MARB and the GOM associated with
nitrogen management decisions. Without such a multimedia framework, the interrelated actions
of excess nitrogen can lead to unintended or unidentified consequences for particular decisions.
The modeling framework shown in Figure 3 includes a northern GOM model set (SSWR 2.3D) and
a MARB model set (ACE MDST-3; SHC 3.3.1).
The ocean model set consists of state-of-the-art linked hydrodynamic (NCOM), eutrophication
(GEM and GoMDOM), and nutrient air deposition (CMAQ) models. Collaborators within ORD
under the SSWR project include multiple divisions (GED, MED, AMAD) across multiple National
laboratories (Figure 3) including the OEI Environmental Modeling and Visualization Laboratory.
Interagency collaborators include the Naval Research Laboratory, which provides the 3-D hydro-
dynamic model for the Gulf of Mexico to which EPA models are linked. Academic collaborators
include faculty at Dalhousie University, Louisiana State University, and Texas A&M University.
The MARB model set includes atmospheric models (WRF meteorology and CMAQ air quality)
coupled to an agricultural management/BMP model (USDA's EPIC) and watershed hydrology (VIC)
and watershed models (NEWS and SWAT). Climate downscaling drives a coupled WRF-VIC model
to in turn drive watershed models. Collaborators within ORD under the ACE Project include SHC:
NHEERL, WED (NEWS); SSWR: GED (GEM); SSWR: MED, NERL, ERD (SWAT); NERL, ESD (Riparian
Buffers); NRMRL, APPCD (N2O Fluxes); and ACE MDST-4 (climate down-scaling). Interagency
collaborators include PNNL (VIC) and USDA (EPIC). Academic collaborators include faculty at UW
(VIC and water temperature), WSU (collaborating with SHC) (NEWS), Texas A&M (EPIC and SWAT),
Univ. of Maryland (N2O biogeochemistry), and Rice University (Soil NO).
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The products of the multimedia modeling for the Gulf hypoxia relative to the ocean models are
scenario analyses of nitrogen and phosphorus load reduction impacts on the hypoxic area under
present and future climate conditions defined by changes in precipitation and river freshwater dis-
charge, nitrogen and phosphorus loads, air temperature, resultant water temperature, and wind.
The products of the multimedia modeling for the MARB that provide inputs to the ocean models
are scenarios designed to illuminate an array of consequences and identify win-win situations as
well as unintended consequences. While traditional, single media approaches, including addition
of riparian buffers, can reduce nutrients entering streams and rivers, side benefits/harm may be
missed, but these can be illuminated using a multimedia perspective. For example, modifying corn
nitrogen use efficiency can reduce the amount of fertilizer needed, thereby reducing ammonia
emissions, and in turn reducing fine particle levels (improving human health), reducing nitrate
entering ground water (improving human health), and reducing N2O emissions (reduced green-
house gas emissions) as well as reducing nutrients entering streams and rivers. No till agricultural
management reduces surface runoff into streams, but it can increase percolation of nitrate into
ground water. Only considering air emission reductions on air end points misses the side benefits
Cross-RAP Collaboration on Nutrients Research
ACE MDST-3 and SSWR Task 2.3.D Modeling Components for
Mississippi River Basin-Northern Gulf of Mexico Case Study
E PA-ACE/
EPA-SSWR,
USDA, UofMD
Cross RAP, cross EPA Lab,
Multi-agency, Multi-university
EPA - ACE
EPA -SSWR,
Navy, EPA -
EMVL
Dalhousie U.,
LSU, Texas
A&M, EPA,
NOAA
EPA - ACE/EPA - SSWR
UW, PNNL
EPA-ACE,
TexasA&M
EPA-SHC/
EPA-ACE
Navy
Figure 3. Schematic diagram of the linked modeling
components in the MARB - GOM hypoxia case study.
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of improved water quality and reduced eutrophication in coastal estuaries. The goal is a more ho-
listic intra-Agency analysis capability to inform the Gulf Hypoxia Task Force decision process with a
more complete accounting of side benefits in the watershed.
Linkage and integration among the ORD Programs and across Federal agencies and academia is
critical to address the issue of nutrients in the MARB and nutrient driven hypoxia in the GOM,
given the physical scale and complexity of the linked physical, geochemical, and biological models
required.
Informing Sustainable Nitrogen Decisions using an Ecosystem Services
Framework (SHC 3.3.1)
This effort combines nutrient input mapping, modeling, decision tools, and economic damage
information to apply to decisions about nutrient management and policy. Input layers (HUC12
scale, year 2006) for background N fixation, crop N fixation, manure N and synthetic fertilizer N
were included in the EnviroAtlas and the Estuary Data Mapper. Building upon this data, the Nutri-
ent Export from Watersheds (NEWS) is used to predict future nitrogen inputs to the coastal zone
based on scenarios of "business as usual" and "ambitious" approaches to nutrient management
scenarios of biofuel use in collaboration with ACE and SSWR projects on coastal N loading and im-
pacts are also in development. The balance of agricultural N costs and benefits related to nutrient
impacts is the most important driver of inputs to many coastal areas. This effort identifies areas
where other N sources are projected to increase, and provides region-specific guidance on which
sources are most important to manage sustainably. This research explores the possibilities for
the 25% reduction in N inputs to the U.S. landscape recommended by the EPA Science Advisory
Board's Integrated Nitrogen Committee.
In order to develop a framework for assessing the damages associated with N release to the en-
vironment from human activities, SHC is assembling data on the economic damages of N release
on human health, climate regulation, ecosystems and agriculture. Damages are associated with
specific nitrogen sources, so that source-specific costs can be generated. Each impact is linked to
the ecosystem class and beneficiary defined by the SHC Final Ecosystem Goods and Services Clas-
sification System (FEGS-CS). Values are compared with the recent European Union assessment of
the costs and benefits of nitrogen for Europe; many of the values are quite similar, or within the
range found by the E.U. assessment team. The highest costs per unit nitrogen are associated with
human respiratory health, although some of the impacts on coastal ecosystems are quite large as
well. A number of gaps were identified in the assessment, including lack of data on harmful algal
blooms, terrestrial impacts, and drinking water treatment or replacement costs. Current efforts
are connecting with ACE and OW-OSTto improve and extend these cost estimates. These data will
be combined with existing data on nitrogen flow to the environment in order to assess the nation-
al and regional damages and future projected damages on ecosystem services.
Narragansett Bay and Watershed Sustainability - Demonstration Project
(SSWR 6.1)
The goal of the Narragansett Bay Demonstration Project is to determine whether systems-based
approaches (Figure 4) can be used to identify and manage causes of degraded water resources
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to promote ecosystem protection and recovery. This project is designed to: (1) Provide a bet-
ter understanding of the historical context of environmental change and diverse environmental
management policy responses, leading up to the present condition; (2) Address contemporary
environmental stress-response relationships including consideration of multiple stressors affected
by nutrient loading to surface water resources; and (3) Better inform future governance decisions
that contribute to more sustainable solutions in the future.
EPA researchers are documenting disturbances and enhancements in this watershed and estuary
that relate to nutrient effects on key ecosystem structures and functions. The conceptual research
and management framework for long-term environmental governance is scalable, and can be
adapted for use in southern New England and other parts of the country.
Contributing research from other SSWR projects includes work on national indicators of watershed
integrity (SSWR l.lb), work on modeling in support of numeric nutrient criteria development for
estuarine and coastal systems (SSWR 2.3A), research related to assessment of cyanobacteria risks
in lakes and reservoirs (SSWR 2.3C). Environmental data from EPA's National Aquatic Resource
Surveys (NARS) are being supplemented with additional data collected in the Narragansett Bay
watershed (SSWR l.lb for streams, SSWR 2.3C for lakes).
The research draws on emerging science from the ACE program to access results from the CMAQ
model relating to the magnitude and sources of NOX emissions from fixed and mobile sources
to spatial variations in atmospheric nitrogen deposition. SSWR 6.1 research integrates emerging
r
Generic framework for: 1) managing and understanding systems change,
2) identifying a set of management issues and research questions
Natural Resources
Sustainable Waters
S(
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Human
Outcomes
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1 t
Human
Behavior
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Figure 4. A conceptual framework for integrated management of Nr in the context of
ecosystem based management. SSWR Project 6.1 (Based on Collins et al., 2011).
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scientific understanding related to multimedia sources and consequences of nutrient fluxes
through air, to watersheds, and to associated estuaries. Interagency collaboration with USGS in
the watershed involves testing and refinement of methods, indicators and models, for more effec-
tive decision support.
The estuarine research component of the project effort involves collaboration with a number of
academic investigators funded by the NOAA Coastal Hypoxia Research Program (CHRP). We will
learn whether EPA regulatory water quality and ecological models for Narragansett Bay do better
or worse than the finer scale hydrodynamic and more simplified ecology models developed by
CHRP. Both EPA and NOAA funded research contributes to decisions about: (1) The need for addi-
tional point source waste water treatment facility permitting adjustments going forward, and
(2) Needed monitoring and modeling to inform restoration and spatial planning efforts that could
be adapted for use in other watersheds and estuaries.
Opportunities for Further Integration
Where could we better collaborate and leverage across programs?
As indicated by the diversity of EPA offices, regional offices, and ORD laboratories and centers, the
N Roadmap effort has brought together researchers across these organizations to develop a path
forward towards a common goal. The Roadmap gap analysis should form a key element informing
the development of the next iterations of the ORD Strategic Research Action Plans (StRAPs). A sig-
nificant organizational challenge will be to operationally coordinate research planning and imple-
mentation among the StRAPs on a continuing basis. Climate change issues are identified as critical
to effective future management of N and copollutants, and more interaction with the climate
change roadmap effort could be beneficial. At this time, the Roadmap team has not yet consulted
with the EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) or the Office of Policy (OP)
to determine if there are any initiatives which might contribute to new management approaches
for N and co-pollutants.
Where could we better collaborate and leverage other stakeholders?
A number of ongoing efforts tied to the Nitrogen Roadmap work to better collaborate with and
leverage resources from other stakeholders. Many of these efforts were directly initiated or en-
hanced through the Cross-ORD Nitrogen & Co-pollutant Roadmap team.
A joint EPA-USDA-USGS research collaboration workshop was held June 24-26, 2014, to identify
common and complementary research and outreach activities in support of joint decision-
making on N and co-pollutant management.
The US Global Climate Research Program - Nitrogen Cluster workgroup seeks to improve
interagency coordination of nitrogen cycle research and to identify opportunities for
interagency collaboration. (EPA and NOAA co-chair; DOE, NASA, NSF, USDA, USGS).
The EPA Office of Water Innovative Technology Blueprint Initiative focuses on partnering with
and leveraging the actions of a full array of external partners and stakeholders, including the
Water Environment Federation (WEF), the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF),
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the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the American Water Works
Association (AWWA), and the U.S. Water Alliance, for the purpose of advancing innovative
water and wastewater management technology.
Nutrients prize challenges will explore innovative ideas that would fundamentally change
management or recovery of nutrients. Participants will include Federal agencies, state water
and agricultural agencies, academia, industry, and the general public.
Means to leverage other agency national monitoring networks could be developed to determine
changes in ecosystem condition resulting from management choices (e.g. US Forest Service
Forest Inventory and Analysis database, the National Parks Service Inventory and Mapping
database).
There is ongoing collaboration with USDA to improve nutrient trading, as well as the National
Water Quality Initiative, the White House nutrient challenges, and the joint USDA-USGS-EPA
workshop on nitrogen and co-pollutant management.
The development of the proposed national monitoring network
(http://acwi.gov/monitoring/network/) involving primarily USGS, EPA, NOAA.
EPA's STAR (Science to Achieve Results) program has funded four nutrient research centers to
develop scalable, transferable, sustainable, and innovative management approaches. There is
potential to develop cooperative research agreements with these centers.
New Memorandum of Agreement between EPA and land grant universities from 12 Hypoxia
Task Force states; including the extension and research side of each university.
Support the new Southeast New England Program (SNEP), designed to employ innovative and
sustainable solutions to restore coastal watersheds and estuaries of southeastern New England,
which includes support from EPA-ORD, EPA Region 1, and the National Estuary Programs.
Potential expansion of the BenMAP model could include economic and social costs and benefits
associated with nitrogen and co-pollutant reductions, but would also require appropriate
exposure-response functions.
Collaboration with USDA could be improved on analyses of air, surface, and ground water
quality changes associated with land management.
External collaboration could be developed to leverage and extend current research to
acidification of forest soils and to develop the required concentration-response functions.
Through collaboration with other agencies, expand work on the impact of nitrogen on
biodiversity from the northeastern United States to the western United States and include
grasslands and rangelands, encompassing research on acidification of forest soils.
A STAR research center has been awarded at Pennsylvania State University, with a focus on the
Chesapeake Bay that proposes to develop an integrated, holistic approach to understanding
drivers and pressures related to nitrogen and phosphorus, valuation of ecosystem services and
alternative decision scenarios.
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Investigation of cross agency efforts is particularly needed. The USDA led interagency Mississippi
River Basin Healthy Watersheds (MRBI) should be assessed to determine whether its methods
and results are transferable to other regions of the country. The USFS-FIA and NPS-I&M
programs should be similarly assessed for relevant information.
Three other national networks address and report on regional trends connected to nonurban
and ecosystem exposure: The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), the Clean
Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) and the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual
Environments (IMPROVE).
Process to Stimulate this Integration
The gap identification process focused not only on research gaps but on the revisions to
organizational process that would be needed to achieve and maintain an integrated Nr and
co-pollutants research and management effort. Agreement will be needed on goals, roles,
responsibilities, and resources commitments. Key needs in terms of building a more integrated
approach are to:
Develop a process to ensure integrative success of nitrogen and co-pollutant research housed in
multiple tasks, projects, ORD RAPs, and program office and regional efforts.
Develop a process to identify relevant external (academic, Federal, state, NGO) research efforts
that address key nitrogen and co-pollutant management steps identified.
Develop a formal, collaborative process between ORD, the program offices, and regional offices
to discuss how best to provide tools for the program offices to make national decisions (e.g.,
National Ambient Air Quality Standards or NAAQS) and for the regional offices and states to use
in developing prioritized load reductions.
Develop a formal, collaborative process between ORD and OAR to understand the data and
modeling needs required to inform exposure and risk assessments for ecosystem impacts,
including characterization of changes in ecosystem services, to support the reviews of the
secondary NAAQS.
Develop an ongoing process for identifying additional research gaps that were missed in
this analysis.
Ensure that results of case studies (e.g. GOM, Chesapeake Bay, Narragansett Bay) are mutually
informative and can start to address research scaling issues.
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Research Gaps & Priority Research Needs
Synthesis of Existing Gaps
To conduct the gap analysis, the writing team examined the "needs" expressed by the explicit
statement of a Research Step within a Science Challenge, and referred to a detailed spreadsheet
inventory of current research products to determine if the products identified in the inventory
were adequate to cover the Research Step needs, i.e. that the Step could be accomplished with
existing research products. Missing needs were then enumerated by the individual doing the
Research Step gap review, merged with those of the other Research Step level reviews, and evalu-
ated and synthesized by the entire core writing team to determine what needs were missing to
accomplish both the individual Research Steps and the overall Science Challenge. The process was
repeated for each Science Challenge. The complete list of research gaps identified is listed in Ap-
pendix E.
An overarching research need is for development of integrated models and tools that include
environmental, social, and economic components for management approaches that go beyond
current regulatory programs. An important discussion with stakeholders is to define just what may
be needed for more integrated decision-support tools which will provide insights in all three areas,
specifically related to nitrogen and co-pollutant issues. There has been relatively little research
concerning human health effects of nitrogen, particularly in drinking water nitrate contamination,
and thus research applications to address this aspect of the social dimension are very limited. It
may be necessary to interact more with the EPA-ORD Chemical Safety for Sustainability research
program to determine whether current efforts were missed in the inventory process, or whether
this constitutes a major gap. Research on human health impacts from air quality is well document-
ed elsewhere and was not explicitly covered in this Roadmap. Research on nitrogen and terrestrial
systems was much more limited in the inventory than on aquatic systems, and requirements may
need to be filled from external collaborators. A major gap for NAAQS is the lack of availability of
information on exposure response functions for many nitrogen related impacts, which prevents
the assessment of the impacts of changes in nitrogen loadings that would result from alternative
NOX standards.
There are relatively few EPA projects identified which examine climate impacts on nitrogen sen-
sitivity. Given the degree to which climate change effects are likely to be regionally specific, there
may be insufficient spatial coverage to allow adequate extrapolation across all water body types
and ecoregions of the United States. It may be critical to rely on additional external research in
this area to extend the inference space, and these efforts need to be explicitly identified.
While there are a range of both Agency and external models for nitrogen and co-pollutant source
apportionment in water at varying spatial scales, it should be determined whether these models,
augmented by site specific modeling tools used in TMDL development, are adequate at intermedi-
ate (small watershed) spatial scales. A comparative assessment of the utility of current modeling
tools to meet needs of the states would be generally useful, in conjunction with efforts by OW,
states and other agencies. This would include the Recovery Potential Screening tool in develop-
ment by OW that can help inform decisions for particular watersheds for nutrient issues
(http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/tmdl/recoverv/index.cfm).
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Prioritized Research Needs for ORD
Key science gaps were identified through our examination of the Science Challenges and the cur-
rent EPA research portfolio. A total of some 95 research needs were identified (see Appendix E),
and a summary list of broad, significant research needs was identified based on this assessment:
Develop empirical data and models that better tie nitrogen and co-pollutant related water
quality and terrestrial ecosystem impairments to quantitative loads, and better predict how
impairments vary with changes in load, concentration and biogeochemical conditions.
Determine how the magnitude, frequency, and duration of nitrogen and co-pollutant loading
affect expression of impairment for aquatic and terrestrial endpoints.
Develop better tools to determine nitrogen and co-pollutant source apportionment in
watersheds at a range of scales.
Incorporate climate change (temperature, storms) into models predicting environmental
impacts of future nitrogen and co-pollutant loads.
» e.g. changing hydrological cycle impacts on water quality impairments
» e.g. interactions of temperature, drought and nitrogen and co-pollutants in generating
impairments
° e.g. interactions between nitrogen and co-pollutants and coastal acidification
Better integrate pollution-response models across air, land, and all water body types.
Develop and integrate ecosystem service metrics and accountability measures for social and
economic endpoints of concern that are integrated into exposure-response models for
nitrogen and co-pollutants. Assess the ability to expand and adapt existing models such as
BenMap versus novel model development.
Continue efforts to introduce new technological applications to nitrogen and co-pollutant
management problems, such as genomic indictors of sources and effects, satellite monitoring
of conditions, and improved sensor technologies.
Support and enhance monitoring programs that provide the information needed to assess
system-level, long-term responses to policies and management.
Leadership of the N Roadmap team was established to ensure that policy perspectives and needs
of the program offices were central. The Research Framework of the N Roadmap was structured
to address science needs for decision making, using a policy document that described the steps
that could be taken to reduce nutrient pollution using existing programs and authorities (U.S. EPA,
2011, or "Stoner Memo"). Language in the Framework was expanded to include air pathways and
direct effects. All research gaps that were identified were vetted against the detailed Research
Framework steps to ensure that results would inform a decision-making need. This Roadmap
effort is led by ORD, but the effort represents a strong cross-EPA team. The team worked across
RAPs and regional and program offices to synthesize information across the existing research
program and identify opportunities for integration and areas to strengthen.
-------
Informing 2016 - 2019 ORD Research Planning
Upon completion of the N Roadmap, a first step will be to hold a webinar to introduce the
research gaps and needs to interested parties in ORD (e.g. the NPDs, Mis, those scientists already
doing some type of N and co-pollutant research or assessment). The objective will be to convey
an overview of the current EPA Nr program, presenting a succinct and well-formulated list of
priorities and the client needs supported.
Pending approval of the ORD NPDs, a next step could be convening a research integration sum-
mit. Representatives of the key research projects, current or planned, under the StRAPs or offices
could be convened along with representatives of the program and regional offices and NPD staffs.
In preparation for the summit, the identified research gaps from the Roadmap process could be
organized around major scientific questions or research priority areas, each clearly tied to client
needs. Researchers within the four pertinent ORD research programs and representatives from
OAR, OW, and the regional offices could evaluate the gaps in the research priority area, using the
gap analysis as the starting point. The summit goals could be to agree on the scientific issues,
determine what capacity (FTE, $) exists within the various research partners, and begin to develop
a plan for how research might be partitioned among partners. This research planning could be
reinforced with annual face-to-face meetings (or webinars) with scientists and decision-makers
across the Agency in order to keep this effort on track.
At the same time, a subgroup should discuss how to manage the cross cutting research to ensure
that desired research outcomes are achieved. This work group should determine where the critical
linkages are that cross the RAPs and determine how they may best be supported. Consideration of
cross-rap funding mechanisms should be given. Coordination among RAPs, and laboratories and
centers relative to resource decisions within RAPs will be critical in order that priority decisions
made in one RAP do not negatively impact the cross-RAP projects. These are discussions and deci-
sions being recommended to the National Program Directors in FY15 so that the FY16-19 StRAPs
will be ready for implementation at the start of the new fiscal year.
-------
Summary
This Roadmap is the product of extensive interaction between representatives from ORD's SSWR,
SHC, ACE, and HHRA research programs; OW; OAR; and the regional offices. The goal of the Road-
map is to develop a common understanding of the Agency research program portfolios developed
by the ORD National Program Directors (NPDs) and compare them with the OW and OAR program
offices' priority research needs to identify major focus areas, opportunities for integration across
the Agency, research gaps and future research directions.
The effort has allowed for greater collaboration and coordination in Nr research across EPA,
identification of gaps and the development of integrated research projects. In an era of declining
budgets and FTE, efforts like this that bring together staff across the agency to tackle important
problems are needed more than ever. Significant, sustainable reductions in Nr must be economi-
cally efficient; socially acceptable; environmentally sound; adaptable to climate, land-use and
demographic changes; and permanent. These requirements can be met only through integrated
research that informs the systematic collective, adaptive management of air, land, and surface and
ground water.
Significant, sustainable reductions in Nr must be economically efficient;
socially acceptable; environmentally sound; adaptable to climate, land-use and
demographic changes; and permanent. These requirements can only be met
through the comprehensive adaptive management of air, land, and water.
-------
Appendix A. Authors and Contributors
Authors
Anne Rea
(Nitrogen Lead for ORD)
Safe and Sustainable Water
Resources Program
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Mary Reiley
(Nitrogen Lead for OW)
Office of Science and Technology
Office of Water
U.S. EPA
Washington, DC 20460
Randy Waite
(Nitrogen Lead for OAR)
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
Office of Air and Radiation
U.S. EPA
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Jana Compton
(Nitrogen Lead for ORD SHC Research Program)
National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Corvallis, OR 97333
Robin Dennis
(Nitrogen Lead for ORD ACE
Research Program, retired)
National Exposure Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Tara Greaver
(Nitrogen Lead for HHRA Research Program)
National Center for Environmental Assessment
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Walt Nelson
(Nitrogen Lead for SSWR Research Program)
National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Newport, OR 97365
Christopher Clark
National Center for Environmental Assessment
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Washington, DC 20460
Donald Hodge
Region 9
U.S. EPA
San Francisco, CA 94105
Stephen Jordan (retired)
National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
Blake Schaeffer
National Exposure Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Denice Shaw
National Center for Environmental Assessment
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Washington, DC 20460
Dena Vallano
National Exposure Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
San Francisco, CA 94105
Henry Walker
National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Narragansett, Rl 02882
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Contributors
Sona Chilingaryan
Region 9
U.S. EPA
San Francisco, CA 94105
Jay Christensen
National Exposure Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Las Vegas, NV 89193
Phillip Crocker
Region 6
U.S. EPA
Dallas, TX 75202
Katharine Dowel I
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
Office of Water
U.S. EPA
Washington, DC 20460
Heather Golden
National Exposure Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Rick Greene
National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
Richard Haeuber
Office of Atmospheric Programs
Office of Air and Radiation
Washington, DC 20460
Matt Heberling
National Risk Management
Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Elizabeth Hilborn
National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Charles Lane
National Exposure Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Cincinnati, OH 45268
John Lehrter
National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
Darren Lytle
National Risk Management
Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Michael McDonald
Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Program
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Bryan Milstead
National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Narragansett, Rl 02882
Charles Noss (retired)
Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Program
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
-------
Kris Novak
National Center for Environmental Assessment
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Roberta Parry (retired)
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
Office of Water
U.S. EPA
Washington, DC 20460
Joe Piotrowski (retired)
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
Office of Water
U.S. EPA
Washington, DC 20460
John Powers (formerly with EPA)
Water Policy Staff
Office of Water
U.S. EPA
Washington, DC 20460
David Schmeltz
Office of Atmospheric Programs
Office of Air and Radiation
U.S. EPA
Washington, DC 20460
Daniel Sobota (formerly with EPA)
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
(based at National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. EPA)
Corvallis, OR 97333
Thomas Speth
National Risk Management
Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Pam Teel
Office of International and Tribal Affairs
Office of Regional and Bilateral Affairs
U.S. EPA
Washington, DC 20460
Joe Williams
Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Program
Office of Research and Development
U.S. EPA
Ada, OK 74820
Margaret Zawacki
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
Office of Air and Radiation
Ann Arbor, Ml 48105
-------
Appendix B. Acronyms and Abbreviations
ACE
AMAD
AWWA
BMP
CAA
CASTNET
CHRP
CMAQ
CWA
DOE
DOI
EPA
EMVL
EPIC
FEGS-CS
GEM
GED
GOM
GoMDOM
HAB
HAWQS
HHRA
HN03
I/M
IOCS
ISA
MARKAL
MCL
MED
Ml
MRB
N
N20
NAAQS
NACWA
NAPAP
NARS
NASA
NCAR
NCOM
NEWS
NH3
NH4+
Air, Climate and Energy
Atmospheric Modeling and Analysis Division/ORD
American Water Works Association
Best Management Practice
Clean Air Act
Clean Air Status and Trends Network
Coastal Hypoxia Research Program
Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system
Clean Water Act
Department of Energy
Department of Interior
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Modeling and Visualization Laboratory
Environmental Policy Integrated Climate
Final Ecosystem Goods & Services Classification System
Gulf Ecology Model
Gulf Ecology Division/ORD
Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico Dissolved Oxygen Model
Harmful Algal Blooms
Hydrologic and Water Quality System
Human Health Risk Assessment
Nitric Acid
Inspection and Maintenance
Integrated Ocean Observing System
Integrated Science Assessment
Market Allocation Model
Maximum Contaminant Level
Mid-continent Ecology Division/ORD
Matrix Interface
Mississippi River Basin
Nitrogen
Nitrous Oxide
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
National Association of Clean Water Agencies
National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program
National Aquatic Resource Surveys
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Center for Atmospheric Research
Navy Coastal Ocean Model
Nutrient Export from Watersheds
Ammonia
Ammonium
-------
NHX
NO
N02-
N02
N03-
N03
NOAA
NOX
N0y
NPD
NRC
NRL
Nr
NSF
OAQPS
OAR
OECA
OEI
OP
ORD
OW
PNNL
RAP
S02
S
SAB INC
SAB
SDWA
SHC
SOX
SSWR
StRAP
SWAT
TMDL
USDA
USGS
UW
VIC
WEF
WERF
WRF
WSU
NH3, NH4+
Nitric oxide
Nitrite ion
Nitrogen dioxide
Nitrate ion
Nitrate radical
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Nitrogen oxides (NO + N02)
Total reactive oxidized nitrogen
National Program Director
National Research Council
Naval Research Laboratory
Reactive nitrogen
National Science Foundation
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
Office of Air and Radiation
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
Office of Environmental Information
Office of Policy
Office of Research and Development
Office of Water
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Research Action Plan
Sulfur Dioxide
Sulfur
Science Advisory Board Integrated Nitrogen Committee
Science Advisory Board
Safe Drinking Water Act
Safe and Healthy Communities
Sulfur oxides
Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
Strategic Research Action Plan
Soil and Water Assessment Tool
Total Maximum Daily Load
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Geological Survey
University of Washington
Variable Infiltration Capacity Hydrological Model
Water Environment Federation
Water Environment Research Foundation
Weather Research and Forecasting Model
Washington State University
-------
Appendix C. References
Collins, S. L, Carpenter, S. R., Swinton, S. M., et al. (2010). An integrated conceptual framework for
long-term social-ecological research. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 9, 351-357.
Compton, J. E., Harrison, J. A., Dennis, R. L, Greaver, T., Hill, B. H., Jordon, S.J., Walker, H.,
Campbell, H. V. (2011). Ecosystem services altered by changes in reactive nitrogen: An approach
to inform decision-making. Ecology Letters. 14, 804-815.
Greaver, T. L., Sullivan, T., Herrick, J., Lawrence, G., Herlihy, A., Barren, J., Goodale, C., Novak,
K., Liu, L., Dennis, R., Dubois, J. J. D., Lynch, J. (2012). Ecological effects of air pollution in the U.S.:
What do we know? Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 10, 365-372
Millennium Assessment (MA). (2005). Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Health Synthesis:
A Report of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. World Health Organization.
Nutrient Innovations Task Group. (2009). An Urgent Call to Action - Report of the State-EPA
Nutrient Innovations Task Group, http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/criteria/
nutrients/upload/2009 08 27 criteria nutrient nitgreport.pdf
National Research Council (NRC). (2012). Science for Environmental Protection: The Road Ahead.
http://op.bna. com/env.nsf/r?Open=smiv-8xuqup.
Puckett, L. J. (1994). Nonpoint and Point Sources of Nitrogen in Major Watersheds of the
United States. U.S. Geological Survey. Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4001.
SAB (Science Advisory Board to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). (2011). Reactive
Nitrogen in the United States; an analysis of inputs, flows, consequences, and management
Options. US Environmental Protection Agency: Washington, DC. EPA-SAB-11-013.
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Memo from Acting AA, Nancy Stoner.
Working in Partnership with States to Address Phosphorus and Nitrogen Pollution
through Use of a Framework for State Nutrient Reductions, http://water.epa.gov/scitech/
swguidance/standards/criteria/nutrients/upload/memo nitrogen framework.pdf
Woodside, M. D. and Hoos, A. B. (2014). Nutrients in streams and rivers in the lower Tennessee
River basin. U.S. Geological Survey. National Water Quality Assessment Program. FS-025-01.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs02501/
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Appendix D. Inventory of ORD Nr and Co-Pollutant
Research Projects (2012) Relevant to SAB Recommendations
ACE: Air, Climate and Energy research program
HHRA: Human Health Risk Assessment research program
SHC: Sustainable and Healthy Communities research program
SSWR: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research program
NOTE: This Table was developed in 2012 based only on EPA/Office of Research and Development
projects and does not reflect Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Water, or regional office
research efforts. This is not EPA's formal response to the SAB.
No.
SAB Recommendation
ORD Research Projects
Research Summary
Increase the specificity
and regularity of
data acquisition for
fertilizer application to
agricultural crops and
facilitate monitoring
and evaluation
of impact from
implemented policies
and mitigation efforts.
ACE MDST-3 Modeling
air quality impacts on
pollutant deposition
and water quality
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
ACE MDST-3 A fertilizer tool from USDA
to allow crop fertilizer management
scenarios to be easily incorporated in
CMAQ to assess impacts of agricultural
management policies
SHC 3.3.1 Integrated scalable framework
of response relationships between N
loads and the ecosystem goods and
service production, human health and
well-being, and economic benefits
functions
2a
Generate data on
N fertilizer use
efficiency and N mass
balance based on
measurements from
production scale fields
for major crops.
SHC 1.2.3 EnviroAtlas
SHC 1.2.3 Multiple national data layers
developed related to atmospheric
deposition, pollutant loading, and N
sources and sinks
2b
Promote efforts to:
(1) Increase the rate
of gain in crop yields
on farm land while
increasing N fertilizer
uptake efficiency
and (2) Explore the
potential for more
diverse cropping
systems with lower
N fertilizer input
requirements.
-------
No.
2c
SAB Recommendation
Identify research and
education priorities
to support more
efficient use and
better mitigation of Nr
applied to agricultural
systems.
ORD Research Projects
ACE MDST-3 Modeling
air quality impacts on
pollutant deposition
and water quality
SHC 1.2.3 EnviroAtlas
Research Summary
ACE MDST-3 A fertilizer tool from USDA
to allow generation and evaluation of
alternative agriculture management
scenarios
SHC 1.2.3 Multiple national data layers
developed related to atmospheric
deposition, pollutant loading, and N
sources and sinks
Reduce uncertainty in
estimates of nitrous
oxide emissions from
crop agriculture.
SEE-2 Energy from
Biomass: Managing the
Impact of Emerging
Bioenergy Pathways
ACE EM-2 Improving
emissions inventories
SSWR 1.2 Development
and integration of
models relating to
water resource integrity
and sustainability
SSWR 4.3 Green
infrastructure modeling
tools and data
inventories
SEE-2 N2O agricultural emissions data for
switchgrass and corn for development of
regional N2O budgets. Enhanced CMAQ
modeling capability with respect to
biofuels, feedstock production and N20
fluxes
ACE EM-2 Evaluated EPIC estimates of
nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer
application and nitrous oxide emissions
incorporated into CMAQ
SSWR 1.2 Improve methods for statistical
modeling of individual stressor-response
relationships from observational data
given the influence of other stressors
and spatial relationships
SSWR 4.3 Reliably predict natural
infrastructure and engineered green
infrastructure water quality impacts at
watershed scale
Improve
understanding and
prediction of how
expansion of biofuel
production will affect
Nr inputs and outputs
from agriculture and
livestock systems.
SHC 2.1.2.1 (also ACE
SEE-2) Ecosystem
goods and services
production and
benefit functions (and
conclusion of Future
Midwestern Landscapes
Study, including air
quality impacts)
ACE EM-2 Improving
emissions inventories
SSWR 1.2 Development
and integration of
models relating to
water resource integrity
and sustainability
SSWR 4.3 Green
infrastructure modeling
tools and data
inventories
SHC 2.1.2.1 (also ACE SEE-2) Enhanced
CMAQ modeling capability with respect
to biofuels, feedstock production and
N2O fluxes
ACE EM-2 Evaluated EPIC estimates of
nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer
application and nitrous oxide emissions
incorporated into CMAQ
SSWR 1.2 Improve methods for
statistical modeling of individual
stressor-response relationships from
observational data given the influence of
other stressors and spatial relationships
SSWR 4.3 Establish databases on green
BMPs performance for stormwater
management under regionally-relevant
conditions
-------
No.
SAB Recommendation
ORD Research Projects
Research Summary
Monitor and assess
gases and participate
matter precursors
emitted from
agricultural emissions
(e.g., NOs'and NH4+
utilizing a nationwide
network of monitoring
stations.
ACE NMP-6
Atmospheric deposition
tools to inform
secondary NAAQS
ACE EM-2 Improving
emissions inventories
ACE NMP-6 Integrated flux measurement
platform to measure dry and wet
deposition fluxes of ozone, nitrogen and
sulfur compounds to provide guidance
on monitoring methods
ACE EM-2 Description, development
and evaluation of crop residue burning
emission estimates
Develop a policy,
regulatory, and
incentive framework
to improve manure
management to
reduce Nr load and
ammonia transfer,
taking into account
phosphorus load
issues.
7a
Coordinate
research with other
agencies and state
extensions to ensure
that fertilization
recommendations are
accurate and promote
awareness of the
issue.
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
SHC 3.3.1 New regional work centered
on groundwater and nutrient trading
7b
Promote improved
turf management
practices.
8a
Reexamine the criteria
pollutant "oxides of
nitrogen" and the
indicator species
NO2 and consider
adding Nr as a criteria
pollutant, and NHX and
NOy as indicators to
supplement the NO2
National Ambient Air
Quality Standard.
HHRA 2.2.1 Integrated
Science Assessment
(ISA) of the Ecological
Effects of NOX and SOX
ACE NMP-6
Atmospheric deposition
tools to inform
secondary NAAQS
HHRA 2.2.1 The ISA is a review and
integrated synthesis of published
literature on the effects of N and S
deposition on US ecosystems. It is the
scientific foundation for the NAAQS
review of NOX and SOX
ACE NMP-6 Improved methods for
quantifying N and sulfur concentrations
and air-surface exchange fluxes with high
temporal resolution
-------
No.
SAB Recommendation
ORD Research Projects
Research Summary
8b
Monitor of NHxand
NOy to supplement
the existing network
of NO2 compliance
monitors.
ACE NMP-6
Atmospheric deposition
tools to inform
secondary NAAQS
ACEEM-1 Methods for
measurement to inform
policy decisions
ACE NMP-6 Integrated flux measurement
platform to measure dry and wet
deposition fluxes of ozone, N and sulfur
compounds to provide guidance on
monitoring methods
ACE EM-1 FRMs in support of other
NAAQS reviews (i.e., NO2-2014-2015,
SO2 - 2014-2015, CO-2016, PM-2016,
NOX-SOX Secondary-2016
8c
Monitor and measure
individual components
of Nr, such as NO2, NO
and PAN, and HNO3,
and other inorganic
and reduced forms.
ACE NMP-6
Atmospheric deposition
tools to inform
secondary NAAQS
ACEEM-1 Methods for
measurement to inform
policy decisions
ACE EM-2 Improving
emissions inventories
ACE NMP-6 Improved methods for
quantifying N and sulfur concentrations
and air-surface exchange fluxes with high
temporal resolution
ACE EM-1 FRMs in support of other
NAAQS reviews (i.e. NO2-2014-2015,
SO2 - 2014-2015, CO-2016, PM-2016,
NOX-SOX Secondary-2016)
ACE EM-2 Revised soil NO emission
estimates for the US
8d
Increase scope and
spatial coverage of Nr
concentration and flux
monitoring networks
and appoint an
oversight review panel
for these networks.
ACE NMP-6
Atmospheric deposition
tools to inform
secondary NAAQS
ACE NMP-6 Integrated flux measurement
platform to measure dry and wet
deposition fluxes of ozone, N and sulfur
compounds to provide guidance on
monitoring methods
8e
Improve
measurements
and models for the
following:
Deposition directly
bothattheCASTNET
sites and in nearby
locations with
nonuniform surfaces.
Convective venting
of the planetary
boundary layer and of
long range transport.
Atmospheric organic
N compounds in
vapor, particulate, and
aqueous phases.
NH3fluxtothe
atmosphere from
major sources
especially agricultural
practices.
NOy and NHX species
ACE NMP-6
Atmospheric deposition
tools to inform
secondary NAAQS
ACE MDST-2 Regional
to continental scale MP
air quality modeling
ACE MDST-3 Modeling
air quality impacts on
pollutant deposition
and water quality
ACE NMP-6 Integrated flux measurement
platform to measure dry and wet
deposition fluxes of ozone, N and sulfur
compounds to provide guidance on
monitoring methods
ACE MDST-2 Improved meteorological
modeling fields for CMAQ through
refined PBL mixing, land-surface
characterization, and data assimilation
strategies
ACE MDST-3 CMAQ with bi-directional
NH3 air-surface exchange for improved
flux estimations
-------
No.
SAB Recommendation
ORD Research Projects
Research Summary
Quantify N budgets of
terrestrial systems and
define magnitudes of
major loss vectors.
ACE EM-2 Improving
emissions inventories
ACE MDST-3 Modeling
air quality impacts on
pollutant deposition
and water quality
SHC 1.2.3 EnviroAtlas
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
ACE EM-2 Revised soil NO emission
estimates for the United States
ACE MDST-3 Improved sulfur and N
deposition estimates, including bi-
directional NH3, from CMAQfor critical
loads support regarding acidification and
nutrients
SHC 1.2.3 Multiple national data layers
developed related to atmospheric
deposition, pollutant loading, and
nitrogen sources and sinks
SHC 3.3.1 Integrated scalable framework
of response relationships between N
loads and the ecosystem goods and
service production, human health and
well-being, and economic benefits
functions
10
Quantify
denitrification in soils
and aquatic systems.
SHC 1.2.3 EnviroAtlas
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
SHC 1.2.3 Multiple national data layers
developed related to atmospheric
deposition, pollutant loading, and N
sources and sinks
SHC 3.3.1 Integrated scalable framework
of response relationships between N
loads and the ecosystem goods and
service production, human health and
well-being, and economic benefits
functions
11
Develop a uniform
assessment and
management
framework that
considers the effects
of Nr loading over
a range of scales
reflecting ecosystem,
watershed, and
regional levels.
ACE MDST-3 Modeling
air quality impacts on
pollutant deposition
and water quality
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
SSWR 1.2 Development
and integration of
models relating to
water resource integrity
and sustainability
ACE MDST-3 A modeling system to
allow the assessment of the effects of
Nr loading across air, land and water
media at the national scale through
connections of the N cascade
ACE MDST-3 Through incorporation of
bi-directional exchange of NH3, improved
estimates of the impact of NH3 on fine
particulate formation and lifetimes
SHC 3.3.1 Integrated scalable framework
of response relationships between N
loads and the ecosystem goods and
service production, human health and
well-being, and economic benefits
functions
SSWR 1.2 Improve methods for
statistical modeling of individual
stressor-response relationships from
observational data given the influence of
other stressors and spatial relationships
-------
No.
11
SAB Recommendation
(Continued from
previous page.)
Develop a uniform
assessment and
management
framework that
considers the effects
of Nr loading over
a range of scales
reflecting ecosystem,
watershed, and
regional levels.
ORD Research Projects
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
SSWR 4.3 Green
infrastructure modeling
tools and data
inventories
SSWR 6.1 Narragansett
Bay and Watershed
Sustainability
-Demonstration
Project
Research Summary
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
SSWR 4.3 Reliably predict natural
infrastructure and engineered green
infrastructure water quality impacts at
watershed scale
SSWR 6.1 (1) Trend analysis of stressors
and ecological responses, particularly
nutrients, in the Narragansett Bay
Watershed; (2) Quantitative models
describing current and future nutrient
fluxes and associated responses in the
Narragansett Bay watershed and estuary
ecosystem
12
Reevaluate water
quality management
approaches, tools, and
authorities to ensure
Nr management
goals are attainable,
enforceable, and cost-
effective.
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
SSWR 6.1 Narragansett
Bay and Watershed
Sustainability
-Demonstration
Project
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
SSWR 6.1 Trend analysis of stressors
and ecological responses, particularly
nutrients, in the Narragansett Bay
Watershed
13
Account for the
presence of Nr in
appropriate forms
(air, land, and
water) and through
periodic accounting
documents.
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
SHC 3.3.1 Integrated scalable framework
of response relationships between N
loads and the ecosystem goods and
service production, human health and
well-being, and economic benefits
functions
14
Consider the impact
of different metrics
and examine the range
of traditional and
ecosystem response
categories as a
basis for expressing
Nr impacts and
supporting integrated
management efforts.
SHC 2.1.2.1 (also ACE
SEE-2) Ecosystem goods
and services production
and benefit functions
(and conclusion of
Future Midwestern
Landscapes Study,
including air quality
impacts)
SHC 2.1.2.1 (also ACE SEE-2) Synthesis
document on use of Sustainability
metrics to complement life cycle
approaches
-------
No.
14
SAB Recommendation
(Continued from
previous page.)
Consider the impact
of different metrics
and examine the range
of traditional and
ecosystem response
categories as a
basis for expressing
Nr impacts and
supporting integrated
management efforts.
ORD Research Projects
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
SSWR 6.1 Narragansett
Bay and Watershed
Sustainability
-Demonstration
Project
Research Summary
SHC 3.3.1 Integrated scalable framework
of response relationships between N
loads and the ecosystem goods and
service production, human health and
well-being, and economic benefits
functions
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
SSWR 6.1 SSWR l.lb contributions
to: (1) Trend analysis of stressors
and ecological responses, particularly
nutrients, in the Narragansett Bay
Watershed; and (2) Quantitative models
describing current and future nutrient
fluxes and associated responses in the
Narragansett Bay watershed and estuary
ecosystem
15a
1. Evaluate regulatory
and non-regulatory
tools to manage Nr in
populated areas from
nonpoint sources,
stormwater, domestic
sewage, and industrial
wastewater treatment
facilities.
2. Determine
regulatory and
voluntary mechanisms
to apply to each
source type with
special attention to
the need to regulate
nonpoint source
and related land use
practices.
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
SHC 3.3.1 Integrated scalable framework
of response relationships between N
loads and the ecosystem goods and
service production, human health and
well-being, and economic benefits
functions
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
-------
No.
SAB Recommendation
ORD Research Projects
Research Summary
15b
1. Review regulatory
practices for point
sources, including
wastewater treatment
plants and stormwater.
2. Consider technology
limitations, multiple
pollutant benefits,
funding mechanisms,
and potential impacts
on climate change
from energy use
and greenhouse gas
emissions.
SSWR4.1 Determine
integration of green
infrastructure in
communities
SSWR 5.2 Innovation
for water treatment
system efficiency and
integration
SSWR 5.3 Water
Technology Innovation
Cluster
SSWR 5.4 Develop and
implement innovative
approaches to water
infrastructure based on
resource recovery
SSWR 5.6 Determine
the new and innovative
technologies and
approaches that can
be used to monitor
and mitigate aging
distribution systems
SSWR 4.1 Develop effective integrated
green and gray approaches at the
sewershed/watershed scale
SSWR 5.2 Develop innovative
technologies and approaches for small
drinking water and wastewater systems
including those that combine pollution
prevention, water reuse, resource
recovery and potential economic
advantages with low capital, operations
and maintenance costs
SSWR 5.3 Develop sustainable processes
for contaminant (including nutrient)
removal below the limits of current
technologies that minimizes costs,
energy consumption, environmental
burden, chemical consumption, and
associated greenhouse gases production
SSWR 5.4 Identify and develop and
demonstrate technologies that optimize
recovery of energy, nutrients, and water
within water systems
SSWR 5.6 Improved water conveyance
technologies and innovative approaches
to assess and replace/rehabilitate aging
water infrastructure
15c
1. Set Nr management
goals on a regional/
local basis.
2. Consider "green"
management
practices along with
traditional engineered
best management
practices.
SSWR 1.2 Development
and integration of
models relating to
water resource integrity
and sustainability
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
SSWR 4.3 Green
infrastructure modeling
tools and data
inventories
SSWR 1.2 Improve methods for statistical
modeling of individual stressor-response
relationships from observational data
given the influence of other stressors
and spatial relationships
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
SSWR 4.3 Reliably predict natural
infrastructure and engineered green
infrastructure water quality impacts at
watershed scale
-------
No.
SAB Recommendation
ORD Research Projects
Research Summary
15d
1. Research best
management practices
that are effective
in controlling Mr,
especially for nonpoint
and stormwater
sources, including land
and landscape feature
preservation and
set Nr management
targets that reflect
management
and preservation
capacities.
2. Construct a decision
framework to assess
and determine
implementation
actions consistent with
management goals.
SSWR 1.2 Development
and integration of
models relating to
water resource integrity
and sustainability
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
SSWR 4.3 Green
infrastructure modeling
tools and data
inventories
SSWR 1.2 Improve methods for
statistical modeling of individual
stressor-response relationships from
observational data given the influence of
other stressors and spatial relationships
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
SSWR 4.3 Establish databases on green
BMPs performance for stormwater
management under regionally-relevant
conditions
15e
Develop programs to
encourage wetland
restoration and
creation with strategic
placement of wetlands
where Nr is highest in
ditches, streams, and
rivers.
SSWR 1.3 Decision-
support tools to aid
development of market
based activities that
promote watershed
integrity
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
SHC 3.3.1.5 Sustainable
nitrogen management
tools and case studies
SSWR 1.3 Decision-support tools to aid
development of market-based activities
that promote watershed integrity
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
SHC 3.3.1.5 Geospatial tool for
managers to describe sources and
sinks of nitrogen in a watershed for
use in conservation and restoration
prioritization
16
Adopt the critical loads
approach concept
in determining
thresholds for effects
of excess Nr on
terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems.
HHRA 2.2.1 Integrated
Science Assessment
(ISA) of the Ecological
Effects of NOX and SOX
ACE MDST-3 Modeling
air quality impacts on
pollutant deposition
and water quality
HHRA 2.2.1 The ISA is a review and
integrated synthesis of published
literature on the effects of N and S
deposition on US ecosystems. It is the
scientific foundation for the review of
the secondary NAAQS for NOX and SOX
ACE MDST-3 Improved sulfur and N
deposition estimates, including bi-
directional NH3, from CMAQfor critical
loads support regarding acidification and
nutrients
-------
No.
16
SAB Recommendation
(Continued from
previous page.)
Adopt the critical loads
approach concept
in determining
thresholds for effects
of excess Nr on
terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems.
ORD Research Projects
ACE MA-1 (also SCH
3.3.1) Vulnerable
people and ecosystems
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
SSWR 1.2 Development
and integration of
models relating to
water resource integrity
and sustainability
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
SSWR 4.3 Green
infrastructure modeling
tools and data
inventories
Research Summary
ACE MA-1 (also SHC 3.3.1) Analysis
of terrestrial ecosystem exposure to
nitrogen in comparison to critical loads
for biodiversity in those ecosystems
SHC 3.3.1 Integrated scalable framework
of response relationships between N
loads and the ecosystem goods and
service production, human health and
well-being, and economic benefits
functions
SSWR 1.2 Improve methods for
statistical modeling of individual
stressor-response relationships from
observational data given the influence of
other stressors and spatial relationships
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
SSWR 4.3 Establish databases on green
BMPs performance for stormwater
management under regionally-relevant
conditions
17
Address NH3 as
a harmful PM2.5
precursor.
ACE MDST-2 Regional-
to continental-scale
multipollutant air
quality modeling
ACE MDST-3 Modeling
air quality impacts on
pollutant deposition
and water quality
ACE NMP-6
Atmospheric deposition
tools to inform
secondary NAAQS
ACE MDST-2 Advanced aerosol physics in
CMAQ to address the interactions of the
inorganic system, including the effects of
NH3 in forming fine particulates
ACE MDST-3 Through incorporation of
bi-directional exchange of NH3, improved
estimates of the impact of NH3 on fine
particulate formation and lifetimes
ACE NMP-6 Improved methods for
quantifying N and sulfur concentrations
and air-surface exchange fluxes with high
temporal resolution
18
Develop integrated
strategies for Nr
management to
be developed in
cognizance of the
tradeoffs associated
with Nr in the
environment.
ACE MDST-3 Modeling
air quality impacts on
pollutant deposition
and water quality
SSWR 1.2 Development
and integration of
models relating to
water resource integrity
and sustainability
ACE MDST-3 A modeling system to
allow the assessment of the effects of
Nr loading across air, land and water
media at the national scale through
connections of the N cascade
SSWR 1.2 Improve methods for
statistical modeling of individual
stressor-response relationships from
observational data given the influence of
other stressors and spatial relationships
43
-------
No.
18
SAB Recommendation
(Continued from
previous page.)
Develop integrated
strategies for Nr
management to
be developed in
cognizance of the
tradeoffs associated
with Nr in the
environment.
ORD Research Projects
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
SSWR 4.3 Green
infrastructure modeling
tools and data
inventories
Research Summary
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
SSWR 4.3 Reliably predict natural
infrastructure and engineered green
infrastructure water quality impacts at
watershed scale
19
Support cross-
disciplinary and
multiagency research
on climate and Nr
interactions.
ACE MDST-3 Modeling
air quality impacts on
pollutant deposition
and water quality
ACE MDST-4
Hemispheric- to global-
scale multipollutant
air quality and climate
models
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
SSWR 1.2 Development
and integration of
models relating to
water resource integrity
and sustainability
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
SSWR 4.3 Green
infrastructure modeling
tools and data
inventories
ACE MDST-3 With the coupled
meteorology and hydrology in
dynamically downscaled regional climate
simulations, assessments of the impact
of climate change on N management
in air, land, and water media will be
conducted
ACE MDST-4 Methodologies for
downscaling NASA/NOAA/NCAR global
models using WRF as a regional climate
model
SHC 3.3.1 Integrated scalable framework
of response relationships between N
loads and the ecosystem goods and
service production, human health and
well-being, and economic benefits
functions
SSWR 1.2 Improve methods for
statistical modeling of individual
stressor-response relationships from
observational data given the influence of
other stressors and spatial relationships
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
SSWR 4.3 Reliably predict natural
infrastructure and engineered green
infrastructure water quality impacts at
watershed scale
-------
No.
20
SAB Recommendation
Develop a national,
multi-media
monitoring program
that monitors
sources, transport
and transition, effects
using indicators where
possible, and Nr sinks
in keeping with the N
cascade concept.
ORD Research Projects
SHC 3.3.1 Informing
sustainable decisions
about nitrogen
SSWR 2.3 Optimal
solutions for
sustainable nutrient
management
Research Summary
SHC 3.3.1 Integrated scalable framework
of response relationships between N
loads and the ecosystem goods and
service production, human health and
well-being, and economic benefits
functions
SSWR 2.3 Scientific approaches
supporting the development of numeric
nutrient criteria and interpretation of
narrative standards for inland waters
and downstream estuarine and coastal
waters
-------
Appendix E. Summary of Research Gap Analysis
Science Challenges
Overarching EPA Nitrogen and Co-pollutant Roadmap Outcome
Reduced and avoided ecological and public health impacts from nitrogen and co-pollutant
pollution to air, water, and land.
Overarching EPA Nitrogen and Co-pollutant Roadmap Output
Models, tools and technologies that incorporate scientific, social, economic, and cross media
factors to inform regulatory and non-regulatory solutions to nitrogen and co-pollutant issues.
Common gaps across all Science Challenges:
Develop a process to insure integrative success of nitrogen and co-pollutant research housed in
multiple tasks, projects, ORD RAPs and office and regional efforts.
Develop a process to identify relevant external (academic, Federal, state, NGO) research efforts
that address key management steps identified.
Develop a formal, collaborative process between ORD, the program offices and regional offices
to discuss how best to provide tools for the Program Offices to make national decisions and
for the regional offices and states to use in developing prioritized load reductions.
Develop an ongoing process for identifying additional research gaps that were missed in
this analysis.
Ensure results of case studies (e.g. GOM, Chesapeake Bay, Narragansett Bay) are mutually
informative and can start to address research scaling issues.
Science Challenge 1 - Where should we be targeting to reduce nitrogen and co-pollutant loads?
Nitrogen and co-pollutant loading from atmospheric, aquatic and terrestrial sources is far from
uniform, regionally or nationally. Likewise, the effects of nitrogen and co-pollutant pollution vary
across receptors; some types of ecosystems, human subpopulations, and water supplies are more
vulnerable than others to the risks of exposure to excess nitrogen and co-pollutants. Locating
priority areas requires knowledge of the magnitude and sources of the loads, as well as the risks
associated with expected ecological and human exposures, both within a particular area, and in
other areas to which nitrogen and co-pollutants are exported, such as coastal waters. Societal and
economic costs/benefits should be considered, when appropriate and not restricted by law, in
determination of optimized nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction strategies. National-scale assess-
ments require information across several finer scales on all relevant populations, ecosystem-types
and regions.
Sub-outcome: Programs and stakeholders know where nitrogen and co-pollutant reductions are
most needed to prevent harmful ecological and public health impacts.
Sub-output: Effective approaches to evaluate (a) N and co-pollutant occurrence and sources,
(b) Exposure to N and co-pollutant pollution by receptor, (c) N and co-pollutant pathways through
ecosystems, (d) ecological and human endpoints and thresholds, (e) a range of target levels, and
(f) decision-support tools for meeting targets that incorporate social and economic costs and ben-
efits of N and co-pollutant management.
-------
Step 1.1 Synthesis:
Compile and synthesize existing scientific knowledge to inform the identification of geographic
areas that are vulnerable to N pollution and identify critical research gaps.
Needs:
Better integration of ORD,OW, regional, and other Agency efforts, similar to the Integrated
Science Assessments (ISA) for NAAQS (See details in Research Inventory Table).
An assessment of nitrate and nitrites on human health.
Supporting research:
ISA's for NOX and SOX NAAQS (HHRA 2.2.1); Mapping N sources and N-impacted ecosystems at
scales for national, regional and local decisions (SHC 3.3.1.1).
Multi-agency refinement of Critical Loads and impacts database (SHC 3.3.1.3, ACE 145).
Step 1.2 Endpoints and Thresholds:
Determine no-effect (critical concentrations/levels and critical loads, maximum contaminant level
goal, water and air quality criteria) exposure levels for nitrogen and co-pollutants in ecological
systems or human populations of interest, including an evaluation of impacts of multiple
contaminants or other confounding factors (includes dose-response relationships).
Needs:
Better definition of atmospheric deposition contribution to the total nitrogen load in aquatic
systems.
Determine whether changing climate patterns may threaten endpoints or require
reconsideration of threshold values.
Quantifying the non-point source contribution of nutrients to drinking water contamination,
both surface and ground water.
Better data on human health responses, particularly related to nitrate in drinking water and
harmful algal blooms.
Identify the endpoints and thresholds that can best be used in national assessments, including
nitrogen enrichment of terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity changes.
Determine ways to aggregate endpoints and thresholds within ecoregions and watersheds.
Supporting research:
ISA for NOxand SOX NAAQS periodically evaluate all published N deposition to ecological
response relationships (HHRA 2.2.1). ISA for NOX evaluates NO2 relationships to human health
response (HHRA 2.1.4).
Economic and social aspects of nutrient reduction efforts are included in the Narragansett Bay
(SSWR6.1) and Chesapeake Bay (SSWR 6.5) watershed studies.
Critical Loads development (SHC 3.3.1.3, ACE 145, OAR critical loads database).
-------
Step 1.3 Exposure:
Determine the current and projected future levels of nitrogen and co-pollutant exposure in
targeted ecological systems and human populations across relevant spatial and temporal scales.
Needs:
Better data on drinking water and human exposure via nitrosamines and disinfection
byproducts, and cyanotoxins.
Develop low cost and transportable, low energy NOy and speciated NOy instruments to
characterize ambient nitrogen levels and complete certification process for existing NOy
technology.
Improve characterization of natural sources of nitrogen (e.g., soils and lightning), organic
nitrogen, and cloud and fog deposition in high elevation areas.
Evaluate dry deposition model performance.
Improve and expand soil weathering rate estimates nationally.
Supporting research:
Research on modeling emissions to exposure pathways for N species (ACE MDST-3).
Research on air monitoring methods with transfer to OAR/OAP and OAQPS (ACE EM-1 and
NMP-6).
ACE, SSWR, and SHC development of data layers for the EnviroAtlas (SHC 1.2.3.3).
ORD, National Park Service and Forest Service development of total deposition maps (ACE
MDST-3).
ORD/USGS collaboration on SPARROW modeling.
Assessment of spatial specificity of statistically based condition assessments for program office
needs (SSWR 1.1).
Step 1.4 Services:
Establish issue-defined metrics based on environmental, societal, and economic costs and benefits
for use in prioritization of locations, exposed populations, or ecological systems for nitrogen load-
ing/exposure reductions.
Needs:
Coordinate existing work and establish new collaborations with USGSfor use of the Nitrogen
and Phosphorus Pollution Data Access (NPDAT) tool.
Develop relationships between thresholds, incremental changes in nitrogen and co-pollutant
loads, and effects on ecosystem services.
Supporting research:
Research on N deposition impacts on biodiversity leading to impacts on recreation, intrinsic
value and timber production (SHC 3.3.1.4).
Determination of economic and social costs and benefits of nutrient reduction (SSWR 1.2; 6.5;
SHC 3.3.1.2; SSWR 6.5; OW-OST Nutrients in the Economy).
Effects of nitrogen and co-pollutant loads on the provision of ecosystem services (SHC 3.3.1;
SSWR 6.5; OW).
-------
Step 1.5 Climate Change:
Assess robustness of chosen metrics under scenarios of climate change; e.g., increased water tem-
perature and precipitation changes.
Needs:
Need to improve downscaled climate models to better predict future air exposures and
threshold levels of nitrogen and co-pollutants.
Need to determine total N exposure to humans and the environment from the emissions of
both reduced and organic N, which historically have been less of a focus than oxidized N.
Need improved data on how climate will alter terrestrial ecosystem sensitivity to N and
co-pollutants.
Need to develop approaches to estimate the anthropogenic contribution to acidification
that comes from inputs of nitrogen to coastal/estuarine systems.
Supporting research:
OW studies on the impact of climate change on N and co-pollutants.
Step 1.6 Exceedance:
Identify ecosystems, human populations, watershed units or areas that are in exceedance of the
criteria or critical concentration/level or critical load; or that are reasonably likely to be exposed to
critical concentrations/levels.
Needs:
Determine how magnitude, requency and duration of nutrient loading affect expression of
impairment for aquatic endpoints, with coordination of efforts in OW and ORD.
Determine extent of critical load exceedance on a national scale of multiple endpoints for
aquatic and terrestrial acidification and aquatic and terrestrial nitrogen enrichment.
Supporting research:
Development of a modeling framework for prediction of deposition fields to allow estimation
of critical load exceedances (ACE MDST-3).
OW and ORD model based approaches may address potential vulnerabilities to exceedances of
water quality standards (SHC 3.3.1.1).
Physical condition assessment approaches (e.g. NARS) provide statistically valid, scalable
assessments of whether critical levels (e.g. water quality criteria values for nutrients) are being
exceeded.
Satellite based measurements to determine whether TMDL values are being exceeded and for
measurement of cyanobacterial blooms (SSWR 2.3B, 2.3C).
Numeric nutrient criteria development (SSWR 2.3A).
Development of national critical loads database (OAR).
-------
Step 1.7 Tools:
Develop approaches and tools to support prioritization of locations, systems, etc. for management
action to reduce nitrogen loads and exposures based on environmental, social and economic risks.
Needs:
A formal assessment of existing and proposed decision-support tools, together with some
attempt to walk through some scenarios of desired outcomes.
Tools that can assess human health non-attainment areas, terrestrial effects from deposition,
and water quality issues and rank an area in terms of its priority for interventions.
Compilation in publicly accessible format of existing information on ecological critical loads for
terrestrial metrics (e.g. terrestrial biodiversity, soil acidification, aquatic acidification, etc.)
Develop a process to ensure integrative success of nutrient research housed in multiple tasks,
projects, ORD RAPs and Office and Regional efforts. In particular, insure results of case studies
(e.g. GOM, Chesapeake Bay, Narragansett Bay) are mutually informative and can start to
address research scaling issues.
Develop and integrate ecosystem service metrics and accountability measures for social and
economic endpoints of concern into exposure-response models for nutrients.
Supporting research:
OW's Recovery Potential Screening tool incorporates a range of indicators and allows the user to
examine particular watersheds for potential actions to address N and other stressors
(http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/tmdl/recoverv/index.cfm).
Current ecosystem service and economic work being done in Narragansett and the Chesapeake
Bay programs (SSWR 6.1, 6.5); national-scale work (SHC 3.3.1.2).
Science Challenge 2 - How do we set nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction goals for priority
areas? Establishing goals for nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction is a policy matter, but goals must
be grounded in the best available science. Research should be applied to estimate effectiveness,
feasibility (economic and engineering), and uncertainties of a range of potential reduction goals.
Narrative nutrient standards for ambient waters that the majority of states have in place have not
consistently proved effective in adequately protecting aquatic life and downstream ecosystems.
Similarly, current ambient air quality standards do not fully protect the most sensitive aquatic
and terrestrial ecosystems. Ozone, particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen in the ambient air
also cause significant human health concerns and must be considered when making decisions
about reducing nitrogen and co-pollutants in a geographic area. Appropriately protective and
implementable criteria and standards will be important elements of a comprehensive nitrogen
and co-pollutant reduction strategy. We should also consider ground water quality goals expressed
in state regulations as well as MCLs, and understand the fate and transport of nitrogen from land
surface to ground water and then to surface water.
Sub-outcome: Each prioritized area has a range of science-based reduction targets to inform
policy and management decisions.
Sub-output: Models, technologies, and decision-support tools that include economic and
sustainability approaches to aid with setting reduction goals and optimize implementation
approaches.
-------
Step 2.1 Synthesis:
Compile and synthesize existing scientific knowledge to inform setting reduction goals and identify
critical research gaps.
Needs:
A synthesis of N input and effects from sources other than air, specifically designed to help set
reduction goals in priority areas.
An assessment of nitrate and nitrites on human health.
National database or synthesis of nutrient-related TMDLs and criteria.
Research providing improved relationships between nutrient source and nutrient-related
impairments. Potential syntheses include impaired waters or waters that exceed the proposed
criteria with source attribution, and exposure and effects indicators from NARS.
Supporting research:
HHRA conducts the Integrated Science Assessments (ISA) and Integrated Risk Information
System (IRIS) on the ecological and human health effects caused by specific chemical species of
N (HHRA 2.2.1, 2.1.4 and 1.1.17).
OW is creating a database of 5000+ nutrient TMDLs with N and P target values, waterbody type,
methods etc. (A Comparison of Nutrient Water Quality Targets and EPA - Recommended
Ecoregional Water Quality Criteria).
OST effort to collate and publish criteria via the Web at the following site
http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/criteria/nutrients/progress.cfm
Step 2.2 Sources:
Determine the key assessment endpoints and identify the sources and their relative contribution
to nitrogen and co-pollutant loadings, exposure and exceedances affecting priority areas, including
downstream effects.
Needs:
Methods to improve source attribution estimates for nitrogen and co-pollutants at the
ecoregion and small watershed scale.
Formal assessment of strengths and weaknesses of models for use in source apportionment
(e.g. CMAQ, SWAT, SPARROW, VELMA, HAWQS) to provide guidance on appropriate use for
particular management or regulatory needs.
Improve methods to estimate ambient air concentration to deposition ratios on a broad scale.
Supporting research:
Nitrogen source identification research using stable isotopes can provide a tool to estimate
relative source importance (SSWR 2.3A).
The EnviroAtlas (SHC 1.2.3.3) delineates nitrogen sources to terrestrial ecosystems characterized
at the 12 digit HUC level.
SHC 3.3.1.1 provides input source apportionment by HUC 8 and HUC 12 for land and coastal
inputs.
-------
Modeling efforts using NARS data for input will apportion the relative contributions of different
sources contributing to the conditions observed (SSWR 1.1).
Transport and transformation from emissions to exposure, and exposure of terrestrial
ecosystems from atmospheric deposition, are dealt with in the EPA air quality tools
(ACE MDST-2, MDST-3).
Source attribution from emitting sectors and/or from geographic regions is available for air
concentrations and air deposition, and updates to CMAQwill address ammonia bi-directional
exchange (ACE MDST-2).
Receptor oriented source attribution tools at the local, regional, and national scales are being
developed (ACE MA-4).
Integrated air-water nitrogen budgets and source apportionment to attribute the delivery of
nutrients to the Gulf of Mexico (ACE MDST-3).
N source apportionment to the coastal zone and scenarios of N loading to conterminous US
coastal zones (SHC 3.3.1.1.).
HHRA conducts the Integrated Science Assessments (ISA) and Integrated Risk Information
System (IRIS) on the ecological and human health effects caused by specific chemical species of
N (HHRA 2.2.1, 2.1.4 and 1.1.17).
Step 2.3 Exposure Response:
Identify source to exposure relationships (how exposure responds to source reduction) and
quantify air concentration-to-deposition and terrestrial-to-aquatic relationships.
Needs:
Research is needed on N transformations in freshwater stream and or lake systems; links to
VELMA for soil to stream transformation and CADDIS should be explored.
Assess how changes in emissions affect nitrogen deposition and transport across terrestrial
and aquatic ecosystems.
Supporting research:
ACE research addresses multiple issues of concentration, deposition, and transport relationships
(NMP-6; MDST-3; MDST-2).
Linked ocean, land atmospheric models of Nr to predict Gulf hypoxia versus source reduction
(SSWR2.3D).
Developing empirical relationships between land use and nitrogen loads for west coast estuaries
(SSWR 2.3A).
Sources of N associated with land use variation affecting loads to lakes and expression of
cyanobacterial blooms (SSWR 2.3C). Determine sources of Nr and expression in Narragansett
Bay (SSWR 6.1).
HHRA conducts the Integrated Science Assessments (ISA) and Integrated Risk Information
System (IRIS) on the ecological and human health effects caused by specific chemical species of
N (HHRA 2.2.1, 2.1.4 and 1.1.17).
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Step 2.4 Endpoint Response:
Develop system-wide ecosystem exposure-response relationships reflecting alternative load
reduction scenarios (how ecosystem responds to changes in reduction scenarios), including
downstream effects.
Needs:
Research on exposure-response for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem components in relation
to nitrogen and co-pollutant deposition.
Improve understanding of how other stressors (e.g. ozone, pests, and drought) may exacerbate
nitrogen and co-pollutant impacts.
Linking freshwater river and stream nutrient response models.
Inclusion of societal and economic endpoints (in assessments of load reduction scenarios).
Supporting research:
Meta-analysis on the impacts of nitrogen deposition on herbaceous biodiversity using several
existing data sources nationally (SHC 3.3.1.3).
The ISA for NOy evaluates all relevant published literature regarding the ecological effects of NOy
deposition as it contributes to effects caused by total N loading. (HHRA 2.2.1).
Statistical models that relate condition of specific aquatic resources to spatial indicators derived
from nationally available datasets (SSWR 1.1B).
Interlinked exposure-response models which deal with multiple marine aquatic trophic levels
(SSWR2.3D).
Methods for estuarine source determination of which N inputs are going to biological response
endpoints (e.g. macroalgae) (SSWR 2.3.A).
Human health endpoints related to cyanotoxins (SSWR 2.3C).
Step 2.5 Services:
Determine services of ecosystems and their value and quantify ecosystem service response
functions, and metrics, including tools for tradeoff analyses, to assess impacts from nitrogen and
co-pollutant sources and loads for ecological systems or human populations of interest.
Needs:
Nitrogen and co-pollutant impacts on ecosystem services and benefits should be quantified for
ecosystem scale metrics such as biodiversity or productivity.
Ecosystem service metrics should be developed for incremental changes in nitrogen and
co-pollutant loadings.
Public welfare impacts of specific N sources such as ammonia should be quantified.
Current projects on WQ trading and TMDLs should be connected to nutrient loading and
ecosystem services to inform regulatory and management decisions.
Supporting research:
SHC 3.3.1.2 is synthesizing existing information on connections between nitrogen and social and
economic systems.
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Step 2.6 Climate Change:
Determine how climate change might affect system-wide ecosystem exposure-response
relationships.
Needs:
Models being developed by ACE, SHC, and SSWR should be extended, where possible, to
provide estimates of the effect of climate on nutrient delivery to coastal estuaries
nationwide.
Ecosystem endpoints and thresholds should be evaluated with changing climate parameters,
e.g., drought and weather extremes.
Supporting research:
Regional scale research is bringing together meteorology, hydrology, deposition, and watershed
delivery of nutrients to coastal estuaries (MARB/GOM) under climate change conditions
(ACE, SHC and SSWR).
Step 2.7 Tools:
Provide tools to conduct integrated environmental, societal and economic analyses to establish
nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction goals for the priority locations.
Needs:
Cross RAP coordination on production of nitrogen and co-pollutant related decision-support
tools.
Increased research effort on human health effects of nitrogen, particularly nitrate in drinking
water.
Development and testing of tools to help develop nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction plans
that include tools for source apportionment (e.g. NPDat) together with performance
monitoring.
Supporting research:
Studies of nitrate in drinking water under RESERV and RARE in Yakima River Basin Groundwater
Management Area, and Southern Willamette Valley Groundwater Management Area.
OWOW's Nitrate Epidemiological Data Scoping Study.
Science Challenge 3 - What's in our toolbox to manage and reduce nitrogen and co-pollutant
loads and does it work? A suite of tools is available for setting standards and then monitoring,
managing, and reducing nitrogen and co-pollutant loadings. These include regulatory controls
in the form of criteria, standards, and permits to limit the amount of nitrogen and co-pollutant
in discharges from wastewater treatment plants, concentrated animal feeding operations, and
other point sources to water and limits on atmospheric emissions from stationary and mobile
sources. Technologies for nutrient removal are available but additional knowledge is needed in
the areas of integrated management, sustainable treatment for small systems, and innovative
and sustainable nutrient treatment technologies. A variety of tools are generally lumped under
the term "best management practices" (BMPs) and "inspection and maintenance" (I/M) practices
particularly for nonpoint sources. These include techniques for monitoring and managing nitrogen
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and co-pollutants at any point in the life cycle, in inputs such as fuels and industrial feedstocks,
in improved industrial and agricultural treatment processes, and in waste streams through
sequestration and removal in wetlands, ponds, and vegetated buffers.
Sub-outcome: Effectiveness of existing nitrogen and co-pollutant standards implementation and
management tools to reduce nitrogen and co-pollutant loadings is understood and improved.
Sub-output: Improved technologies and management practices to monitor and reduce nitrogen
and co-pollutant loadings to achieve regulatory targets for nitrogen.
Step 3.1 Synthesis:
Compile and synthesize existing information to identify critical research gaps.
Needs:
Develop better data on ammonia emissions and their environmental and human health impacts.
Improve collaboration with USDA in the areas of technological improvements to reduce losses
of nutrients from agricultural fields and terrestrial BMPs to improve both surface and ground
water.
Supporting research:
NPDAT tool efforts to map and determine the relative importance of different N sources to air,
land, freshwater, and coastal systems (OW-USGS collaboration), to aid states and regions in
prioritizing areas for optimal management action.
Modeling and economic studies to include economic factors and tradeoffs in an N reduction
strategy, and to model future loading scenarios and impacts (SSWR 6.1; SSWR 6.5; SHC 3.3.1).
Developing of a decision tool (N-sink) to assist states in planning their reduction strategies by
illustrating the spatial arrangement of agricultural or urban N sources and soil and
wetland N sinks (SHC3.3.1.5).
Evaluation of the effectiveness, the economic costs and benefits of green infrastructure (Gl)
(SSWR4.2A).
Ongoing collaboration with USDA to improve nutrient trading, the National Water Quality
Initiative, the White House nutrient challenges, and the joint USDA-USGS-EPA workshop on
nitrogen management.
A suite of GIS-based tools for siting Low Impact Development in an urban watershed is being
developed as one BMP siting tool (SSWR 4.3; SSWR 2.3E).
Step 3.2 Technologies:
Develop new or improved technologies and evaluate their effectiveness to support place-based
and problem-based nitrogen pollution reduction decisions.
Needs:
Development of rapid, cost effective technologies for monitoring of water quality response to
management actions is needed to determine which reduction interventions are successful.
A critical review of strengths, weaknesses and interoperability of the models (available and
under development) related to nitrogen and co-pollutant management.
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Conduct an assessment of the impediments (social, economic, environmental) to implementa-
tion of nitrogen and co-pollutant management technologies, whether established or novel,
at the scales necessary to solve the problem.
Evaluate and improve mobile source estimates of NOX.
Improve emission factors for oil and gas extraction processes.
Supporting research:
National Center for Sustainable Water Infrastructure Modeling Research. STAR RFAfor Center
funding, 2014.
Step 3.3 Data:
Develop mechanisms to improve quality and quantity, including non-EPA data, as input into step
3.1 for model input to assess the potential effectiveness of management approaches for nitrogen
sources.
Needs:
Develop methods to distinguish between variations in contributions of surface and ground
water inputs, and the organic and inorganic nitrogen species, in settings where non-point source
nitrogen and co-pollutants represent the major input.
Develop a common georeferenced format for data management and data exchange to facilitate
evidence based nitrogen and co-pollutant management decisions.
Develop means to leverage other agency national monitoring networks to determine changes in
ecosystem condition resulting from management choices (e.g. US Forest Service Forest
Inventory and Analysis database, the National Parks Service Inventory and Mapping database).
Increase ambient measurements of NOy and NHX.
Increase measurements in the mountainous West of ambient air and water quality.
Supporting research:
The EPA GeoPlatform has been established to provide a common georeferenced format.
The development of the proposed national monitoring network (http://acwi.gov/monitoring/
network/) involving primarily USGS, EPA, NOAA.
Nitrogen loading from multiple sources to the atmosphere and to aquatic systems is being
modeled at national scales (SHC 3.3.3.1; ACE MDST-3).
A conceptual approach for research integration designed to inform a variety of management
interventions has been developed for Narragansett Bay, and will document some of the
estuarine effects of management interventions, and can be transferred to other locations (SSWR
6.1).
Step 3.4 Cost impacts:
Develop scalable and transferable methods to quantify economic costs and benefits of changes in
nitrogen load and impact due to control technologies and management practices.
Needs:
Develop improved data on the relation between green infrastructure approaches, levels of
resultant reductions in nitrogen and co-pollutants, particularly in ground water, and the
costs per unit reduction.
-------
Compile and synthesize individual case studies and systems-level approaches that directly relate
decisions by a regulator or institution to the total N load reduction and associated suite of costs.
With collaboration of WERF and other user groups, develop common cost accounting units or
currency for decisions at POTWs and drinking water treatment facilities to help make better and
more reasonable comparisons in costs.
Supporting research:
Chesapeake Bay Restoration: ecosystem services and market based aspects of TMDL
implementation for nutrients and sediment (SSWR 6.5).
Science Challenge 4 - What are some new, innovative approaches we haven't tried before?
Traditional regulatory and non-regulatory measures may not be sufficient to achieve the goals
established for a priority area. Innovative approaches that go beyond individual sources may be
necessary to be more effective, efficient, socially acceptable and sustainable.
Sub-outcome: Cost effective, innovative, sustainable solutions for large scale, multimedia,
nitrogen and co-pollutant management approaches are available to program offices, regional
offices, states, tribes, and communities. These solutions include sustainable nitrogen and co-
pollutant management of important unregulated sources of nitrogen and co-pollutants in high
priority areas.
Sub-output: Provide technical support to design sustainable approaches, beyond current
regulatory approaches, to manage nitrogen and co-pollutants that consider multimedia pathways
of nitrogen and co-pollutants. Issues may involve: whole farm analysis of Nr and co-pollutant
pathways; modeling of nitrogen and co-pollutant emissions generation from alternative energy
systems; co-management of animal manure and municipal biosolids in anaerobic digesters; WWTP
nutrient recovery from wastewater streams; and calibration of fertilizer application rates for site-
specific conditions.
Step 4.1 Synthesis:
Compile and synthesize existing scientific knowledge to inform the development of new strategies
to meet reduction goals and identify critical research gaps.
Needs:
Compilation and synthesis of new approaches to meeting nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction
goals.
Specific plan for funding and staffing information compilation and synthesis on new strategies to
meet reduction goals.
Supporting research:
Evaluation of the effectiveness of new tools and techniques focused at local and regional scales
(SSWR 4.2.C - STAR grant focused on Chesapeake Bay).
Step 4.2 Innovative Strategies:
Develop scalable, transferable, sustainable, and innovative management approaches that include
unregulated sources of nitrogen (e.g., agriculture, septic systems, urban stormwater and
unpermitted air sources).
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Needs:
Increased research on control approaches for unregulated air source.
Compilation and integration of results from the numerous water-focused research efforts in
ORD and the Offices for input into Step 4.4.
Supporting research:
STAR funded four research centers based on an RFA that is directly related to the goal of this RE
(SSWR2.3F).
Step 4.3 Future Factors:
Determine the robustness of innovative nitrogen management approaches under scenarios of
future change (climate, demography, land use).
Needs:
Further research to connect the management practices to groundwater contamination,
particularly in groundwater dependent regions, requires attention. Changes in demography and
agricultural practices will shift pressures of nitrogen pollution to different locations and
the effect of those changes to nitrogen loading in water may be substantial.
Develop ability to predict how agricultural land use changes from animal husbandry and crop
production will alter future nutrient inputs.
Supporting research:
One-environment model development to estimate agricultural management and land use
change effects on atmospheric and aquatic systems under climate change (ACE MDST-3;
SSWR2.3D).
Step 4.4 Analysis of Strategy Effectiveness:
Determine the effectiveness in terms of environmental, economic and societal metrics of
proposed innovative management approaches that include unregulated sources of nitrogen.
Needs:
Expand the BenMAP model to include economic and social costs and benefits associated with
nitrogen and co-pollutant reductions.
Expand and improve collaboration with USDA on analyses of air and water quality changes
associated with land management.
Develop external collaboration to leverage and extend current research to acidification of forest
soils and to develop the required concentration-response functions.
Through collaboration with other agencies, expand work on impact of nitrogen on biodiversity
from the northeastern United States to the western United States and to include grasslands and
rangelands, encompassing research on acidification of forest soils.
Supporting research:
Research on aquatic acidification due to nitrogen and co-pollutant deposition.
Current research on air deposition impacts on ecosystem services in coastal estuaries,
particularly the Chesapeake Bay, is connecting the Hydrologic and Water Quality System
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(HAWQS) with CMAQto address air deposition impacts on nutrients in freshwater systems
(OAR/OW/ORD collaboration), with linkage to BenMAP for valuations.
STAR research center has been awarded at Penn State, with a focus on the Chesapeake Bay,
that proposes to develop an integrated, holistic approach to understanding drivers and
pressures related to nitrogen and phosphorus, valuation of ecosystem services and alternative
decision scenarios.
OW is working to improve benefits analysis tools, including (1) updating the Water Quality Index
tool used to define designated uses, (2) updating the meta-analysis of water quality
valuation studies for more robust support of assessments, and (3) developing methods to more
consistently include avoided costs in benefit-cost analyses of regulations.
Science Challenge 5 -Are we getting the reductions and ecosystem and human health benefits
we expect? Integrated nitrogen and co-pollutant management for priority areas will require load
reductions from various combinations of atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic sources, involving
regulatory and non-regulatory actions. Determining overall accountability for the reductions
and verifying the expected amelioration of impacts implies the need for novel approaches to
monitoring and assessment. This Science Challenge underscores the importance of (1) collecting
appropriate baseline data on nitrogen and other pollutants to provide a basis for tracking changes,
and (2) collecting information on other factors that are expected to cause changes in nitrogen
loadings, such as economic growth or cause changes in effects of nitrogen loadings, such as
climate and land use changes.
Sub-outcome: Account for the impact of nitrogen and co-pollutant loading reductions on human
health and ecosystems and verify co-benefits of nitrogen and co-pollutant management.
Sub-output: Metrics, monitoring designs, and methods to assess changes in accountability
endpoints indicating condition of the ecosystem, human health, and societal benefits resulting
from application of management actions.
Step 5.1 Synthesis:
Compile and synthesize existing information to identify critical research gaps.
Needs:
Research to quantify the relation of nitrogen and co-pollutant reductions and ecosystem and
human health benefits. The NAPAP report documents emission reductions under the CAA but
was unable to quantify the monetary role of deposition in many cases, and defined the need for
an adequate assessment of ecosystem service benefits.
Establishment of a more comprehensive cross-Agency effort is needed to answer this question
for the United States.
Supporting research:
NARS surveys will assess data from surveys repeating over time to track changes in nutrient
levels, but the survey sites are generally not tied to management or policy efforts to achieve
nutrient reductions.
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The USGS NAQWA program provides relevant data for specific watersheds and may contribute
to this issue.
OAR's annual Air Trends Report tracks nitrogen reductions in the ambient air.
Step 5.2 Models:
For priority areas identified in RE 1 and 2, develop multimedia models (conceptual or computer-
based) of the causal chain from sources to effects, and establish accountability measures for
environmental, economic, and social endpoints of concern.
Needs:
Socio-economic techniques that provide (1) the ability to model the span of ecosystem
responses to changes in exposure at numerous locations, and (2) the ability to model
the socioeconomic metrics of key ecosystem endpoints of concern.
Modeling systems for terrestrial effects that integrate biogeochemical and vegetation models
and link with ecosystem services that can model biodiversity change as part of an accountability
assessment.
Improved modeling capability that includes accountability measures for social and economic
endpoints, and improved ability to tie quantitative biological responses in a rigorous fashion to
quantitative loads or concentrations of nutrients in natural water bodies.
Supporting research:
Efforts to link CMAQ with aquatic acidification models, such as MAGIC, and to link CMAQ with
estuarine models, such as the Chesapeake Bay model (ACE MDST-3).
The secondary NOX-SOXstandard review could be used to prioritize areas for additional effort to
support accountability assessments.
Demonstration studies in Chesapeake Bay and Narragansett Bay are evaluating changes in
nutrient loading from atmospheric deposition, non-point sources from land, and point
sources to waterways (SSWR 6.1 and 6.5).
Watershed and estuarine indicators and metrics are being tested in SSWR 6.1.
Step 5.3 Metrics:
Incorporate methods, models, and metrics developed for RE 1 through RE4 to characterize
environmental, economic, and social endpoints of concern and define accountability metrics for
key points along the entire causal chain.
Needs:
Carefully designed longitudinal studies focused on human health impacts at local to regional
spatial scales to determine if management interventions are effective.
Scalable socioeconomic methods, models, and metrics to assess the effectiveness of
management interventions, such as terrestrial BMPs.
Development of methods for quantification of intervention costs, ability and willingness to pay,
multiple benefits and co-benefits related to BMPs.
Improved access to relevant micro-economic data is required to address social and economic
metrics to document ecosystem and human health benefits at finer spatial scales.
60
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Improved methods for collaborative knowledge sharing and problem solving.
Supporting research:
State level effort focused on tracking and mapping asthma incidence at fine scales, in relation
to socioeconomic and environmental co-factors, to determine the effectiveness of local
management interventions designed to improve human health outcomes.
Step 5.4 Verification Procedures:
Establish verification and reporting procedures (e.g. management action database) to confirm
needed load reduction practices are in place for priority areas.
Needs:
If a system is currently lacking, program offices should establish a process for acquisition of the
needed information and establish a database. This could be accomplished across programs or
agencies. For example, the USGS nitrate monitoring program may be one example of supporting
research.
Step 5.5 Monitoring Systems:
Develop scalable and transferable monitoring systems to detect changes in both exposure and
human and ecosystem responses to changing levels of nitrogen.
Needs:
Support and enhance monitoring programs that provide the information needed to assess
system-level, long-term response to policies and management.
Investigation of cross-agency efforts is particularly needed. The USDA-led interagency
Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds (MRBI) should be assessed to determine whether
its methods and results are transferable to other regions of the country. The USFS-FIA and NPS-
I&M programs should be similarly assessed for relevant information.
Supporting research:
Support for ongoing monitoring networks (OAR) including State and Local Air Monitoring
Stations (SLAMS). NCore is a new NAAQS-related, multipollutant network that integrates
several advanced measurement systems for particles, pollutant gases and meteorology.
Three other national networks address and report out on regional trends connected to
nonurban and ecosystem exposure: The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), the
Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) and the Interagency Monitoring of Protected
Visual Environments (IMPROVE).
The development of scalable and transferable monitoring designs for measurement of any of
a range of environmental metrics is well advanced within the technical support efforts in ORD
(SSWR 1.1) and the NARS within OW.
Temporally Integrated Monitoring of Ecosystems (TIME) and Long-term Monitoring (LTM)
Projects provide some consistent monitoring of lakes and streams for acidity.
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Science Challenge 6 - How do we best maintain inter-office accountability, assess progress,
and communicate results to the public? The program offices, regional offices, and ORD need to
hold each other accountable for fully engaging in the research planning process, carrying out the
research plan, and reporting on research progress. Also following directly from the accountability
established under Science Challenge 5, the public, which has ultimate responsibility for the
nitrogen and co-pollutant reduction goals, needs to understand the impacts of nutrient pollution
and the impacts of alternative load reduction actions and their efficacy in achieving the reduction
goals and the impact on human health, the environment, and co-benefits.
Sub-outcome: The program Offices, regional offices, and ORD stay fully engaged and informed.
The public understands (1) baseline nitrogen and co-pollutant loadings and their impacts on
human health, ecosystems, and local/national economies; (2) the impact nitrogen and co-
pollutant load reductions have on human health, ecosystems, and local/national economics; and
(3) actions they can take to reduce loads and recover ecosystem services.
Sub-output: Communication strategies, tools, techniques, and reports to support EPA program
offices, regional offices, and the public to assess and interpret trends, changes in accountability
metrics, and potential outcomes of implementing alternative load reduction approaches.
Step 6.1 Inter-office Accountability:
Develop efficient processes to insure inter-office accountability.
Needs:
Annual stakeholder meetings between program offices, regional offices, and ORD to discuss
research priorities, progress, and potential collaborations around specific topics of common
interest.
An annual Nitrogen and Co-Pollutant Roadmap meeting to improve communication and
review priorities on ongoing research across the ORD, OW, OAR, and the regional offices.
Supporting research:
ORD research program annual meetings (ACE Jamboree, SHC Communique, SSWR L'eau Down)
currently discuss nitrogen and co-pollutant research.
Step 6.2 Inter-office Points of Contact:
Program office points of contact will establish regular interaction and communication on
key individual research projects, and inform their management of research status.
Needs:
OAR, OW and regional contacts should be assigned to track progress of key individual ORD
research projects, and may participate in and coordinate with specific projects, as required.
Supporting research:
ORD research projects currently have points of contact in the offices and regional offices,
but interactions tend to be ad hoc and variable among individual research projects.
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Step 6.3 Synthesis:
Catalog current EPA efforts to communicate nitrogen and co-pollutant tools and information
to the public.
Needs:
An assessment of the inventory of current OAR, OW, ORD, and regional communications efforts
and tools nutrient issues.
Supporting research:
The EPA Nutrient Pollution website (http://www2.epa.gov/nutrientpollution) has information
and links to Communication, Teaching and Technical Resources.
Various existing reporting tools, (e.g., Report on the Environment, annual Air Trends
Report, 305b report, NAPAP report).
Water Sense and Energy Star websites and staff can provide insight/how to's about empowering
the public and stakeholders to take action.
"Economic Analysis of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution in the U.S.," a report on the costs
associated with nutrient pollution (OST-SHPD).
Developed a mobile phone application for rapid dissemination of satellite data to stakeholders
(SSWR2.3B).
Exploration of social media communications strategies for cyanobacterial research results,
including the Harmful Algal Blog, an Internal EPA Blog (SSWR 2.3C).
Step 6.4 Communication Strategy:
Develop a coordinated One-EPA public education strategy to inform and educate the public
about nitrogen and co-pollutant issues.
Needs:
Develop a coordinated EPA public education campaign to inform the public about the impact of
nitrogen and co-pollutant loadings on ecosystems, human health, and the economy, and the
actions they can take to reduce their impacts.
Assess strategies to communicate with differing stakeholders, e.g. individuals, school children,
other scientists, key decision makers, homeowners, farmers, municipalities, state or Federal
agencies, environmental or recreation organizations.
Determine what behavioral changes would have the most impact on reducing nitrogen and
co-pollutants.
A clear plan to get the results of research findings into the heads and hands of our non-EPA
partners, NGOs, etc.
Supporting research:
OW offered training "Water Words that Work," which was very helpful identifying how to phrase
and meet the target audience at its need.
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SHC (3.3.1) is reaching out to organizations that have developed a nitrogen footprint tool for use
by individuals to reduce their N footprint, in order to apply this tool at institutional and
community scales.
The Energy Star program would be a good source of information on developing a public
communication strategy.
Step 6.5 Communications Evaluation and Measurement:
Design measures to determine whether public behaviors changed as a result of EPA actions.
Needs:
Develop metrics for impact of programs and actions; e.g. evaluation of appearance of messages
in media, speeches, changes in sales (or marketing) of products or processes that use or reduce
Nr and co-pollutants; website visits; number of downloads; social media measurements;
research citations; meeting attendance.
Supporting research:
Many of the NEP programs have developed nutrient reduction programs, nutrient issue
communication programs, and may be an important source of information for successful
evaluation approaches.
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Appendix F. Inventory of EPA Research Related to
Nitrogen and Co-Pollutants
Color Codes:
Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Safe and Sustainable Water Resource
Human Health Risk Assessment
Office of Water
Office of Air and Radiation
Office of Environmental Information
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
EM-1/Task 176
EM-2/Task 077
EM-3/Task 109
EM-3/Tasks
244, 245, 175
EM-3/Tasks
245,175
MA- I/Task 145
MA-2/Task 137
MA-2/Task 252
MA-3/Task 041
MA-4/Task 110
Product
Development of Federal reference methods
forNO2andSO2
N2O emissions from nitrification and
denitrification using trace gas spectroscopy
Fusion of data and model outputs for spatial
fields across time
Satellite monitoring to track regional NH3
change with time
Satellite top down constraints on NH3
emissions
Modeling terrestrial individual and interac-
tive effects from climate change and nitrogen
deposition change on ecosystem biodiversity
in light of critical loads.
Population, land use change and climate
change tools
Stream flow and nitrogen flux change under
climate change
Down-scaled regional climate application -
drive air and water models
CMAQ adjoint for receptor-oriented source
attribution
End Date
FY15
FY15
FY15
FY14, FY17
FY15
FY15
FY17
FY16
FY15
FY14/15
Point of Contact
Russell Long
David Williams
Dave Holland;
Val Garcia
Jim Sykman;
Jesse Bash
Jim Sykman;
Jesse Bash
Chris Clark
Britta Bierwagen
Tom Johnson
Chris Nolte
Rob Pinder
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Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
MDST-2/Task
174
MDST-2/Task
174
MDST-2/Tasks
174, 167
MDST-3
MDST-3
MDST-3
MDST-3
MDST-3/Task
008
MDST-3/Task
008
MDST-3/Task
008
MDST-3/Task
008
MDST-3/Task
008
MDST-3/Task
008
MDST-3/Task
008
MDST-3/Task
056
MDST-3/Task
057
MDST-4/Task
155
NMP- I/six
tasks
Product
Modeling regional and urban exposure of
air pollutants
Regional air quality with meteorology-air
quality feedbacks
CMAQ DDM-3D for source-oriented source
attribution
Processed deposition fields for nitrogen
deposition exposure and critical load esti-
mates using state of the science modeling
Multi-media modeling for GOM Hypoxia in
collaboration with SSWR 2. 3D
Integrated air-water nitrogen budgets
Modeled air concentration-to-deposition
relationships
Simulation of regional deposition and
associated air quality
Improvement of CMAQ soil NO flux
Multi-media modeling linked to BenMAP
benefits model
Multi-media CMAQ model with crop
agriculture management
One environment modeling (in
collaboration with SSWR 2.3D)
One environment modeling (in
collaboration with SHC 3.3.1.2)
Integrated multi-media modeling of air-
driven component
Couple meteorology and hydrology for
climate studies
Sensitivity of deposition to downscaled
climate
Down-scaled regional climate methods -
coupling meteorology and hydrology
Research to determine human exposure
and health effects of air pollutant mixtures
as well as single pollutants in a multipol-
lutant context, spanning from in vitro to
multi-city studies
End Date
FY14, FY17
FY14
FY16
FY14, FY17
FY16
FY16
FY14, FY17
FY14, FY17
FY15
TBD
(unfunded)
FY16
FY16
FY16
FY14, FY17
FY15
FY17
FY16
Point of Contact
Jon Pleim
Jon Pleim
Sergey Napelenok
Ellen Cooter
Ellen Cooter,
John Lehrter
Ellen Cooter
Donna Schwede
Jesse Bash
Jesse Bash
Christine Davis
Ellen Cooter;
Jesse Bash
Ellen Cooter
Ellen Cooter;
Jana Compton
Donna Schwede
Tanya Spero
Ellen Cooter
Tanya Otte
Robert Devlin
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
NMP-6/Tasks
064, 105
NMP-6/Tasks
064, 105
NMP-6/Tasks
064, 105
NMP-6/Tasks
105, 064
SEE- I/Task 017
SEE- I/Task 251
SEE-2/Task 027
SEE-2/Task 178
SHC 1.2.3.3
SHC 1.2.3.3
SHC 1.2.3.3
SHC 2.61
SHC 2.61
SHC 2.61
Product
Development of reliable air-surface
flux measurements and model
parameterizations using empirical
measurement
Air-surface flux measurements design for
monitoring system
More reliable air-surface flux
measurements and model
parameterizations
Air concentration-to-deposition
relationships
Energy system modeling using MARKAL
optimization tool
Water demand associated with energy
production
Biofuels and optimized energy system with
MARKAL (in collaboration with MDST-3)
N2O emissions from agricultural systems
Atlas of modeled hydrologic N loadings
under climate scenarios summarized at 12
digit HUC for Nation
Spatially connected metrics for Ag N
source-sink relationships summarized at 12
digit HUC for Nation
CMAQ N deposition summarized at 12 Digit
HUC for Nation
Report on the characterization of
beneficiaries of PEGS to support
incorporation of ecosystem services into
community- and national-scale decision
making
Report on a framework and metrics
for assessing the transferability of EGS
production functions and estimates
Change in air-quality ecosystem services
(Ozone, PM, SO2 and visibility) and stress-
ors (N and S deposition, acid deposition) in
the Midwest, associated with a scenario of
increased corn production.
End Date
FY14, FY17
FY14, FY17
FY14, FY17
FY15
FY14/15
FY14
FY17
FY13
FY15
FY16
FY16
Point of Contact
John Walker;
Jesse Bash
John Walker,
Jesse Bash
John Walker;
Jesse Bash
John Walker;
Jesse Bash
William Yelverton
Rebecca Dodder
Rebecca Dodder
Rebecca Dodder;
Ellen Cooter
Megan Mehaffey
Megan Mehaffey
Robin Dennis
Dixon Landers
Ted DeWitt
Ellen Cooter
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SHC 2.1.2; SHC
2.1.5
SHC 2.1.2.1
SHC 3.3.1.1
SHC 3.3.1.1
SHC 3.3.1.1
SHC 3.3.1.1
SHC 3.3.1.1
SHC 3.3.1.1
SHC 3.3.1.1
Product
Scaling and transferability of ecosystem
services provided by PNW estuaries [co-
produced by Project 2.1.2 (Ecological
Production Library Task) and Project 2.1.5
(Uncertainty, scalability & transferability
EGS Task)]
Web-ready, searchable database of
ecological production functions for
multiple scales and multiple geographies.
Report on Sustainability and efficiency in
the nitrogen cycle: Interventions to benefit
human well-being and ecosystems. (Pub-
lication that connects N inputs by region
to the impacts of these sources and the
management approaches)
Quantification of nitrogen loading impacts
by source on community-relevant end-
points to inform decisions in Mississippi
Basin (3.3.1.4) and other sensitive coastal
draining watersheds. (Paper published
FY14)
Publications on current and future N loads
with source attribution to watersheds and
coastal waters, including information about
the potential environmental, social and
economic impacts.
Quantification of nitrogen loading impacts
by source on integrated environmental,
social and economic endpoints for conter-
minous U.S. to inform decisions in sensitive
coastal draining watersheds.
Publication on relationships between
future coastal N loading and potential
community-relevant coastal water quality
and eutrophication impacts in the U.S.
GIS layer compilations of all N input data
at the HUC12 level to identify dominant
sources and rates of N inputs to the
landscape for watersheds at this scale.
Report: Sustainability and efficiency in the
nitrogen cycle: Interventions to benefit
human well-being and ecosystems
End Date
FY13
FY14
FY13
FY15
FY16
FY16
FY15
FY13
FY15
Point of Contact
Ted DeWitt
Randy Bruins
Jana Compton
Jana Compton
Jana Compton
Jana Compton
Jana Compton
Jana Compton
Jana Compton
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SHC 3.3.1.1
SHC 3.3.1.1
SHC 3.3.1.1
SHC 3.3.1.10
SHC 3.3.1.11
SHC 3.3.1.11
SHC 3.3.1.2
SHC 3.3.1.2
SHC 3.3.1.2
Product
Quantification of nitrogen loading impacts
by source on community-relevant water
quality endpoints, including NRSA water
quality data and other available water
quality information.
Landscape N sources - what is the current
spatial pattern and amount of N input
to the landscape, and where are the
gaps and largest uncertainties? GIS layer
compilations of all N input data at the HUC
8 level (FY12) to identify dominant sources
and rates of N inputs to the landscape for
watersheds at this scale.
Estuary Data Mapper: Geospatial data
layers to define N loadings to coastal
watersheds and estuaries of the
conterminous U.S.
Evaluations of natural and engineered N
removing structures as a combination of
EPA reports or journal articles.
Technical report on cultural eutrophication
effects on belowground structure of
northeast salt marshes.
Model and technical report relating com-
bined eutrophication and climate change
effects on New England coastal wetlands
will be developed to assist in forecasting
combined effects of nutrient loadings, sea
level rise, and climate change.
Integrated scalable framework of response
relationships between N loads and the
ecosystem goods and service production,
human health and well-being, and
economic benefits functions.
RESERV Project findings: Ecosystem
services impacts of reactive N loading in
Lower Yakima River Basin.
Physical input-output tables for economic
commodities and sectors that release
reactive N into the environment for use in
scenarios and LCA.
End Date
FY16
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY14
FY14
FY13
FY13
FY14
Point of Contact
Jana Compton
Jana Compton
Naomi Detenbeck
Ken Forshay
Cathy Wigand
Cathy Wigand
Jana Compton
Jana Compton
Jana Compton
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SHC 3.3.1.3
SHC 3.3.1.3
SHC 3.3.1.3
SHC 3.3.1.4
SHC 3.3.1.4
SHC 3.3.1.4
SHC 3.3.1.4
SHC 3.3.1.5
SHC 3.3.1.5
SHC 3.3.1.9
Product
Meta-analysis on the impacts of nitrogen
deposition on herbaceous biodiversity us-
ing several existing data sources nationally.
Analysis on the impacts of nitrogen
deposition on herbaceous biodiversity
using newly collected data that will cover
important gap areas.
Workshop report/journal article on the
interactive impacts of nitrogen deposition
and climate change on ecosystems and
ecosystem services, focusing on water and
hydrology, biodiversity, biogeochemical
cycling, acidification, and ozone.
New national CMAQ nitrogen and sulfur
multi-pollutant scenarios using bi-direc-
tional ammonia air-surface exchange based
on the latest regulatory rules.
Air-water nitrogen budget scenario(s) for
the Mississippi River Basin using the linked
EPIC, CMAQ, VIC and NEWS models.
Air-water nitrogen budgets and associated
ecosystem services scenarios(s) for the
Mississippi River Basin connecting ecosys-
tem service algorithms to the linked EPIC,
CMAQ, VIC, NEWS system.
Scenarios of the impact of climate change
on air-water nitrogen budgets and
associated ecosystem services for the
Mississippi River Basin.
N-Sink: Simple geospatial tool for managers
to describe sources and sinks of nitrogen
in a watershed and field test at two case
study areas.
Science In Action: Explanation and
summary of the use of N-Sink as a nitrogen
management tool.
Manuscript on N mass balance and the
importance of nitrification/denitrification
potential in peatlands of the Upper
Mississippi River Basin.
End Date
FY14
FY15
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16
FY13
FY14
FY14
Point of Contact
Christopher Clark
Christopher Clark
Christopher Clark
Robin Dennis
Robin Dennis
Ellen Cooter
Ellen Cooter
Ken Forshay
Ken Forshay
Brian Hill
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SHC4.61
SHC4.61
SHC4.61
SHC4.61
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
Product
3.3.1.2 Institutional footprint tool - Data
template and user's manual to calculate
and display an institution's nitrogen use.
Estuary Data Mapper: Report on tools to
map/predict potential seagrass habitat
zones in estuaries and N loading impacts
with pilot application in multiple estuaries
with diverse geographic settings.
Journal article on the changes in forest
tree composition for the Northeast U.S.
from N deposition and climate change and
the associated changes in key ecosystem
services.
Report from REServ project connecting nu-
trients to aquatic ecosystem services and
designated uses in California streams.
1.1A.1 Development of an integrated
assessment of large lakes using in situ
sensor technologies: linking nearshore
conditions with adjacent watersheds.
1.1A.2 Report on options for combining
microbial, algal, macrobenthos, and fish in-
dicators of condition in lakes and streams.
1.1A.3 ORD contribution to National
Coastal Condition Assessment.
1.1A.4 ORD contribution to National
Wetlands Condition Assessment.
1.1A.5 ORD contribution to National Rivers
and Streams Condition Assessment.
1.1A.6 ORD contribution to National Lake
Condition Assessment.
1.1A.7 Develop causal analysis approach
to include multiple stressors at multiple
scales.
1.1A.8 Integrated assessment designs and
indicators for large lakes.
1.1A.9 Report on the development
and use of metagenomic methods for
bioassessment of aquatic environments.
1.1B.1: Elements of a watershed
classification system for the U.S.
End Date
FY15
FY15
FY15
FY15
FY13 Q4
FY15 Q4
FY13 Q4
FY13 Q4
FY13 Q4
FY13 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY15 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY14 Q4
Point of Contact
Jana Compton
Naomi Detenbeck
Christopher Clark
Naomi Detenbeck
Jack Kelly
Steve Paulsen
Steve Paulsen
Steve Paulsen
Steve Paulsen
Steve Paulsen
Scot Hagerthey
Jack Kelly
Erik Pilgrim
Scott Leibowitz
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.1
SSWR 1.2
SSWR 1.2
SSWR 1.2
Product
1.1B.2: Report summarizing results for
extensive national study for predicting
aquatic condition and watershed integrity
nationally
1.1B.3: Report summarizing results for
intensive case studies for predicting
aquatic condition and watershed integrity
nationally.
1.1B.4: Report synthesizing results from
extensive and intensive studies for
predicting aquatic condition and watershed
integrity nationally.
1.1C.2 Evaluate linked watershed-water
body models, including to develop
alternative future forecasts.
1.1C.4 Application of stressor gradient and
coral reef condition models to land use and
best management options.
1.1C.5 Modeled watershed sources of
stress, including climate, for multiple
aquatic resources.
1.1C1 Bayesian decision support system for
sediment transport in coastal systems.
1.1C3 Status of an Integrated Coastal
Observing/Modeling System for the U.S.
Basin draining into the Great Lakes.
1.1D1 Peer reviewed journal article on
EPA's definition of watershed integrity.
1.2. A.I Systems modeling approach
for linking watershed and water
quality conditions for economic-based
management.
1.2. B.I Translating ecological and economic
indicators for WQ trading.
1.2.C.1 Report summarizing the derivation
of landscape scale metrics for use in
understanding ecological thresholds at
local to watershed scales and completed
analyses identifying various steady-state
populations and indicators of tipping
points/thresholds for anthropogenic
stressors at multiple watershed scales.
End Date
FY16 Q4
FY16 Q4
FY17 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY16 Q4
FY16 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY16 Q4
FY16 Q4
FY16 Q4
Point of Contact
Tony Olsen
Scott Leibowitz
Scott Leibowitz
Russ Kreis
Pat Bradley;
Bill Fisher
Jack Kelly
Bill Fisher
Jack Kelly
John Stoddard
Chris Nietch
Matthew Heberling
Charles Lane;
Heather Golden
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SSWR 1.3
SSWR 1.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
Product
1.3. A.I. Project Plan for Topic 1 Interoper-
ability with cross-ORD demonstration (SHC
Task 1.1.2.2).
I.3.A.2. Demonstration Project for Topic 1
Interoperability.
2. 3. A.I Report on determining depth
of colonization of seagrasses in Florida
estuaries for application to numeric
nutrient criteria development.
2.3.A.10 Development of simulation
modeling tools to examine the effect
of climate change and other drivers on
estuarine water quality.
2.3.A.2 Report on determining the
dissolved oxygen requirements of
Florida-resident salt water species, with
application to development of marine
water quality criteria for dissolved oxygen.
2.3.A.5 Report on approaches for
developing stream criteria to protect
downstream estuaries and coastal waters.
2.3.A.6 Technical synthesis of approaches
for developing numeric nutrient criteria
for estuarine and coastal waters: decision
support tools for application at site-specific
to regional scales.
2.3.A.8 Evaluation of systems modeling
approaches to support nutrient
management decision processes that
consider nutrient loading, nutrient effects
on ecosystem condition and services, as
well as social and economic outcomes.
2.3.A.9 Method evaluation of the use
of existing hydrodynamic models for
estimating distribution of nutrients, chl a
and dissolved oxygen within Narragansett
Bay, Rl, and potential for their use
throughout the Northeast.
2.3. B.I Report on satellite (HICO) water
quality maps of environmental response
variables and feasibility of technology to
support compliance monitoring.
End Date
FY14 Q4
FY15 Q4
FY12 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY12
FY15 Q2
FY16 Q4
FY16 Q3
FY13 Q4
FY13
Point of Contact
John Johnston
John Johnston
Jim Hagy
Jim Hagy
Jim Hagy
Jim Hagy
Jim Hagy
Jim Hagy
Jim Hagy
Darryl Keith
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
Product
2.3. B.2 An EPA Report to the State of NC
DENR and the Albemarle-Pamlico National
Estuary Program on effectiveness of Chi a
based TMDL
2.3.B.3 Prototype smart phone application
to report water quality conditions.
2.3.B.4 Database and maps of satellite
chlorophyll a for multiple NC estuaries.
2.3.C.1 Report on approaches to predicting
cyanobacteria abundance and toxicity
based on nutrient inputs and other
ecosystem attributes in lakes.
2.3.C.2 Report on models of cyanotoxin
effects on mammalian endpoints and the
identification of biomarkers of exposure for
human health risk assessment.
2.3.C.3 Decision support system to predict
the level of human health risk posed by
cyanobacteria toxins based on anticipated
changes in land use and consequent
alteration in nitrogen and phosphorus
loads to receiving waters.
2. 3. D.I Report on the Gulf Ecology Model
(GEM) and the Gulf of Mexico Dissolved
Oxygen Model (GoMDOM), state of the
art hypoxia models that will be used to
assess the relationship between freshwater
discharge and nutrient loads from the
Mississippi River Basin and the extent and
frequency of hypoxia on the Louisiana
continental shelf.
2.3.D.2 Report on GEM and GoMDOM
predictions of the effects of nutrient load
reduction and climate change scenarios on
Gulf of Mexico hypoxia.
2.3.D.3 Report on multi-media scenarios
of air quality and deposition, watershed
processing, water quantity and water
quality using state of the science models
to address sustainability of nutrient
management in the face of changes in
climate and land use.
End Date
FY13 Q4
FY12
FY12
FY15
FY16
FY17
FY13
FY14
FY16
Point of Contact
Darryl Keith
Darryl Keith
Darryl Keith
Brian Milstead
Brian Milstead
Brian Milstead
John Lehrter
John Lehrter
John Lehrter
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
SSWR 2.3
Product
2.3.D.4 National maps of edge-of-field
water yield and N and P losses under
selected climate change scenarios and
BMPs.
2.3.E.3 Watershed modeling tools of the
effects of restoration BMPs on stream
hydrology and water quality.
2.3.E.4 Report on BMP effectiveness for
controlling P in watersheds.
2.3.E.5 Decision support tool and user
interface for Best Locator Tool.
2.3.E.6 Stream daylighting Technical
Report.
2.3.E.7 Watershed modeling tools of
the effects of agricultural conservation
practices/BMPs on stream hydrology and
water quality.
2.3.E.8 Report describing an automated,
online screening-level TMDL modeling
system.
2.3.E.9 Conceptual models illustrating
how land use and climate change affect
stream flow patterns, stream health and
flooding risk, and how BMPs and floodplain
strategies can contribute to sustainable
solutions.
2. 3. F.I Center for Integrated Multi-scale
Nutrient Pollution Solutions, Pennsylvania
State University.
2.3.F.2 Center for Reinventing Aging
Infrastructure for Nutrient Management
(RAINmgt): University of South Florida.
2.3.F.3 Project 3: Center for
Comprehensive, Optimal, and Effective
Abatement of Nutrients, Colorado State
University
2.3.F.4 Project 4: National Center
for Resource Recovery and Nutrient
Management, Water Environment
Research Foundation (WERF).
End Date
FY16 Q4
FY16 Q4
FY13 Q4
FY15 Q4
FY15 Q4
FY15 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY13 Q4
FY19 Q4
FY19 Q4
FY19 Q4
FY19 Q4
Point of Contact
Ellen Cooter
Ann Keeley
Ann Keeley
Ann Keeley
Ann Keeley
Ann Keeley
Ann Keeley
Ann Keeley
Dale Manty
Dale Manty
Dale Manty
Dale Manty
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SSWR4.1
SSWR4.1
SSWR4.1
SSWR4.1
SSWR4.1
SSWR4.1
SSWR4.1
SSWR4.1
SSWR 4.2
Product
4.1. A.I Develop a framework for
incorporating economic data and
stakeholder and citizen preferences into
the planning of green infrastructure in
neighborhoods and communities.
4.1. A.2 Guidance for effective use of
community assets such as city/county
parks, vacant lands and brownfields for
green infrastructure BMPs for stormwater
discharge permitting and SSO/CSO
management.
4.1. A.3 Guidance on municipal-level best
practices to facilitate increased adoption
of Gl BMPs by community stakeholders
(commercial, institutional, private home-
owners).
4.1. A.4 Case study report on the green-
grey impacts at aggregate sewer shed
scale on hydrology, stormwater runoff, and
contaminants.
4.1. A.5 Green Infrastructure and
Stormwater Utility Credit Program Design.
4.1. A.6 Report Catchment-scale effects of
distributed and centralized stormwater
best management practices and land cover
on urban stream hydrology.
4.1.C.1 Case study report on how adaptive
management can be used to monitor and
assess Gl performance for stormwater
management, identify socio-economic
and ecosystem service impacts, respond
to citizen preferences, and adapt or refine
green-gray approach as necessary during
implementation.
4.1. D.I STAR Grant - Bibliography of
grantee publications; Final reports posted
on website.
4.2. A.I Identify green infrastructure BMP
performance data needs/gaps.
End Date
FY13 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY15 Q4
FY14
FY13 Q4
FY16 Q4
FY17 Q4
FY12
Point of Contact
Bill Schuster
Bill Schuster
Bill Schuster;
Marilyn TenBrink
Bill Schuster;
Tony Tafuri
Bill Schuster;
Olivia Green
Bill Schuster
Ahjond Garmestani
Angela Page
Michele Simon
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SSWR 4.2
SSWR 4.2
SSWR 4.2
SSWR 4.2
SSWR 4.2
SSWR 4.2
SSWR 4.2
SSWR 4.2
SSWR 4.3
SSWR 4.3
Product
4.2. A.2 Evaluate select Gl BMPs for their
ability to manage stormwater and reduce
contaminant runoff under varying regional
environmental conditions.
4.2. B.I Assessment report on the
effectiveness of Gl BMPs in protecting
stream habitat and aquatic communities in
multiple climate regions.
4.2. B. 2 Draft publication of a case study on
the N uptake and ecosystem function of
buried and daylighted streams.
4.2. B. 3 Integrated Watershed Management
Decision Support Tool.
4.2. B. 4 Assessment of environmental
outcomes of alternative growth scenarios
(smart-growth/LID alternatives) to inform
Maryland county-level planning in the
Chesapeake Bay watershed.
4.2. B. 5 Meta-analysis of green
infrastructure performance at the
watershed scale.
4.2.C.1 Highlights on improvements in
urban stormwater conditions through the
increased adoption of hot spot-specific
BMPs via a Community-Based Participatory
Research Process.
4.2. D.I Grant. Evaluation of the
effectiveness of new tools and techniques
focused at local and regional levels
to promote sustainable stormwater
management in the Chesapeake Bay area,
including examining the socio-behavioral
reasons why past reduction programs
failed.
4.3. B.I HSPF BMP Reference Manual (with
HSPF BMP application examples and case
studies).
4.3. B. 2 Updated version of HSPF model
with enhanced GI\BMP modeling
capabilities needed to support the
implementation of complex TMDLs (e.g.,
pathogens) in urban environments.
End Date
FY13
FY16 Q4
FY13 Q4
FY13 Q4
FY14 Q4
FY13 Q4
FY17 Q3
FY17 Q4
FY15 Q4
FY14 Q4
Point of Contact
Michael Borst
Naomi Detenbeck
Naomi Detenbeck
Naomi Detenbeck
Naomi Detenbeck
Naomi Detenbeck
Angela Page
Angela Page
Yusuf Mohamoud
Yusuf Mohamoud
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
Product
End Date
Point of Contact
SSWR 4.3
4.3.C.1 Enhanced version of the VELMA
ecohydrological modeling and decision
support framework to address engineered
and natural applications of green
infrastructure for reducing nonpoint inputs
of nutrient, contaminants and sediments.
FY14 Q4
Bob McKane
SSWR 4.3
4.3.C.2 GIS Data Layer: The gradient
in natural green infrastructure across
different watersheds and watershed
segments.
FY16 Q4
Tony Olsen
SSWR6.1.A
6.I.A.I Trend analysis of stressors and
ecological responses, particularly nutrients,
in the Narragansett Bay Watershed.
Trend analysis will document changes in
nutrient sources over the past century, and
environmental consequences (assessment
endpoints), that will help in identifying
opportunities for targeting reductions for
current nutrient sources.
FY15 Q4
Suzanne Ayvazian
SSWR6.1.B
Quantitative models will relate nutrient
loading and sources to environmental
responses in the Narragansett Bay and
Watershed, to help target nutrient
load reductions from both point and
non-point sources.Currently nutrient
loading reductions are primarily relying
on point source permits, and adaptive
management, in absence of an established
TMDL. Monitoring data and models are
used to document current & future Nr
loading and ecological effects, and will help
determine if additional nutrient controls
are needed to restore and protect the
aquatic ecosystems.Nr related estuarine
acidification could also affect valued
resources (e.g. shellfish), and this work
can be used with parallel funded efforts
focused on environmental finance options
and low impact development policies that
could contribute to solutions.
FY15 Q4
Brenda Rashleigh
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
SSWR6.1.C
SSWR 6.5
SSWR 6.5
SSWR 6.5
HHRA 1.1.17
HHRA 2.2.1
HHRA 2.1.4
Product
6. I.C.I Decision Support Tool(s) to inform
decisions affecting nutrient flux and pos-
sible changes to systems (e.g., ecosystems,
communities, and economies) within the
Narragansett Bay Watershed. With the in-
put of 1-3 key partners we will develop, as
a demonstration, decision support tool(s)
which incorporate and integrate data,
model output, and maps which promote
sustainable management of aquatic re-
sources.
6.5A.1 Contract report: Ecosystem Services
and Environmental Markets in Chesapeake
Bay Restoration.
6.5A Contract report: Final Upstream
Benefits report, July 31, 2014.
6.5B.1 Contract Report: Other Benefits of
the Chesapeake Bay TMDL
IRIS assessment of the Human Health
Effects of NH3. Literature review and
synthesis of effects of ammonia on
human health. Dose response metrics are
evaluated to determine effects on human
health.
Integrated Science Assessment of the
Ecological Effects of NOx and SOx. Includes
a literature review of deposition response
relationships, as a synthesis of published
CL for ecosystems in the U.S.
Integrated Science Assessment of the
Human Health Effects of NOx. Literature
review and synthesis of effects of nitrogen
oxides on human health. Dose response
metrics are evaluated to determine effects
on human health.
End Date
FY16 Q4
FY14 Ql
FY14 Q3
FY15
FY14 Draft
FY16
FY16
Point of Contact
Jane Copeland
Brenda Rashleigh;
Naomi Detenbeck
Brenda Rashleigh;
Naomi Detenbeck
Brenda Rashleigh;
Naomi Detenbeck
Audrey Galizia
Tara Greaver
Molini Patel
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
Hypoxia Task
Force
Hypoxia Task
Force
Hypoxia Task
Force
OGWDW
OGWDW
Product
The Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR)
Pollutant Loading Tool is a new tool
designed to help you determine who is
discharging, what pollutants they are
discharging and how much, and where
they are discharging. The tool calculates
pollutant loadings from permit and
DMR data from EPA's Permit Compliance
System (PCS) and Integrated Compliance
Information System for the National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(ICIS-NPDES). Data is available for the
years 2007-2011. Pollutant loadings are
presented as pounds per year and as toxic-
weighted pounds per year to account for
variations in toxicity among pollutants.
The tool ranks dischargers, industries,
and watersheds based on pollutant mass
and toxicity, and presents 'top ten' lists to
help you determine which discharges are
important, which facilities and industries
are producing these discharges, and which
watersheds are impacted.
Coordinated federal agency monitoring
in designated MRBI watersheds.
Collaboration with USDA, USGS, EPA,
states, and other partners to implement
a long-term, 3-tiered monitoring strategy
to assess the effectiveness of conservation
systems.
Gather cost benefit analysis information
to provide to agricultural communities
regarding nutrient pollution best
management practices; characterize the
socioeconomic barriers towards increased
adoption of practices.
Nutrient Reduction Partnerships with
Ag Community: Wisconsin, Wyoming,
Pennsylvania.
USDA Collaboration - One watershed/
State recommended for FY13 funding and
monitoring for water quality impacts.
End Date
Completed
Ongoing
Completed
FY13
FY13
Point of Contact
Kate Pinkerton
(OWOW)
http://cfpub.epa.
gov/dmr/
Katie Flahive (R7)
Katie Flahive (R7)
OGWDW
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
OGWDW
OGWDW
OW
OW
OW
OW
Product
Source Water Workshops (nutrient
reduction and CWA-SDWA collaboration).
Add nitrate MCL violations to the public
water system (PWS) layer of the Nitrogen
and Phosphorus Data Access Tool (NPDAT)
- a GIS tool to identify HUC 12s with high N
impacts (pending funding).
Nutrient Indicators Dataset. This Dataset
consists of a set of indicators and
associated state-level data to serve as
a regional compendium of information
pertaining to potential or documented
nitrogen and phosphorus pollution,
impacts of that pollution, and states'
efforts to minimize loadings and adopt
numeric criteria for nutrients into state
water quality standards.
Evaluate ecosystem costs and benefits with
nutrient management.
Guiding principles for integrating nutrient
causal and response variables-Offer clarity
to states about an optional approach for
developing a numeric nutrient criterion
that integrates causal (nitrogen and
phosphorus) and response parameters into
one water quality standard (WQS).
Nutrient Adoption Toolkit (including cost).
Economic analysis of the costs of nutrient
pollution compared to the costs of nutrient
mitigation, treatment and water body
restoration-2013 - coming soon to the
Website - Toolkit of Resources to Provide
States with Flexibility in Adopting and
Implementing Numeric Nutrient Criteria.
End Date
FY13
depending
on funding
TBD
Completed
Ongoing
Completed
FY15
Point of Contact
OGWDW
Mike Muse
(OGWDW)
http://www2.epa.
gov/nutrient-policv-
data/nitrogen-
and-phosphorus-
pollution-data-
Corey Buffo (SHPD)
http://www2.epa.
gov/nutrient-policv-
data/nutrient-
indicators-dataset
Mario Sengco (OST)
Corey Buffo
(SHPD-OST)
Dana Thomas
(HECD-OST)
Corey Buffo (SHPD)
http://www2.
epa.gov/nutrient-
policv-data/
toolkit-resources-
provide-states-
flexibilitv-adopting-
and-implementing-
numeric
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
Product
End Date
Point of Contact
OW
Recovery Potential Screening - Tools for
Comparing Impaired Waters Restorability.
This website provides technical assistance
for restoration programs to help states
consider where to invest their efforts for
greater likelihood of success, based on
the traits of their own geographic area's
environment and communities. There are
three main website components. Step-
by-step instructions in recovery potential
screening provide watershed managers
with a methodology for comparing
restorability differences among their
waters. The steps in the methodology link
to several online tools and resources that
are used in recovery potential screening.
A library of recovery potential indicators
offers technical information on specific
recovery-related factors (ecological,
stressor, and social), how they influence
restorability, and how to measure them.
Ongoing
Doug Norton
(OWOW)
http://water.epa.
gov/lawsregs/
lawsguidance/cwa/
tmdl/recoverv/
index.cfm.
OW
Gene expression methods for nitrification
inhibition monitoring and management
(collaborating with WERF study).
FY14 Ql
Phil Zahreddine
(OWM)
OW
Workshop on indicators of nutrient
pollution. Progress towards numeric
nutrient criteria adoption has been limited
in part due to the technical challenge of
developing numeric nutrient criteria when
multiple factors influence responses and
confound nutrient response models. Such
conditions can make it difficult to predict
nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations
that adversely affect aquatic life. States are
seeking improved methods to overcome
such challenges and to reduce uncertainty
when implementing numeric criteria, for
example, by integrating biological response
indicators into a numeric nutrient criterion
decisional framework.
Completed
Dana Thomas
(OST)
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
OW
OW
OW
OW
OW
OW
OW, OWOW,
WB
OW, OWOW,
WB
OWM, OST,
OWOW
Product
Reevaluate eco-region nutrient
recommendations for lakes and provide a
target for downstream protection.
Evaluate and synthesize current literature
on the need to manage both nitrogen
and phosphorus concentrations in
water to prevent eutrophication and the
proliferation of harmful algal blooms.
Evaluate the state of the science of
potential assessment endpoints for the
effects of nitrogen and phosphorus in
streams, such as user perception surveys
and diatom assemblage indices.
Improving benefits analysis for OW based
on established priorities.
Analysis of NARS National Lakes
Assessment 2012 data to include changes
between 2007 and 2012 lakes surveys. Use
of NARS National Lakes Assessment 2007
and 2012 for analysis of correlation and
predictive discrimination among causal and
response variables.
Analysis of NARS National Rivers and
Streams Assessment 2013/14 to include
changes in nutrients since 08/09 for rivers
and streams and since 2004 for streams.
Analysis conducted for national, regional
and major river basin population estimates
and change.
Application of Maryland's Assessment
and Scenario Tool (MAST) to evaluate
alternative management scenarios in order
to meet pollutant allocations derived in
TMDLs.
Collection of resources containing
BMP information valuable for TMDL
development including BMP applicability,
cost, and/or pollutant reduction efficiency.
Case Studies on Implementing Low
Cost Modifications to Improve Nutrient
Reduction at Wastewater Treatment Plants.
End Date
FY16
FY15
FY16
FY16
FY17
Completed
Completed
FY15
Point of Contact
Dana Thomas
(OST)
Dana Thomas
(OST)
Dana Thomas
(OST)
Joel Corona
Amina Pollard;
Lester Yuan
(OWOW, OST)
Richard Mitchell
(OWOW) and
collaborators in
ORD, OST
Michael Haire
(OW, OWOW, WB)
Menchu Martinez
(OW, OWOW, WB)
Tim Connor (OWM);
Lisa Larimer (OST);
Katharine Dowell
(OWOW)
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
Product
End Date
Point of Contact
OWOW
Recovery Potential Screening - Tools for
Comparing Impaired Waters Restorability.
This website provides technical assistance
for restoration programs to help states
consider where to invest their efforts for
greater likelihood of success, based on
the traits of their own geographic area's
environment and communities. There are
three main website components. Step-
by-step instructions in recovery potential
screening provide watershed managers
with a methodology for comparing
restorability differences among their
waters. The steps in the methodology link
to several online tools and resources that
are used in recovery potential screening.
A library of recovery potential indicators
offers technical information on specific
recovery-related factors (ecological,
stressor, and social), how they influence
restorability, and how to measure them.
Recovery Potential Screening Tools are
available to implement these methods for
a wide range of watershed comparison
settings, including nutrients management.
Completed
2012
Doug Norton
(OWOW)
http://water.epa.
gov/lawsregs/
lawsguidance/cwa/
tmdl/recoverv/
index.cfm.
OWOW
Recovery Potential Screening - Statewide
Watershed Comparison Tools. Based
on the approach above, user-friendly
watershed comparison tools with over
200 watershed indicators at the HUC12
scale were developed and distributed to
state water quality programs throughout
the lower 48 states. Each tool contains
all statewide data and can calculate
watershed condition indices, display data
tables, rank order watersheds, plot graphs
and maps all within Excel.
Completed
2014
Doug Norton
(OWOW)
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
OWOW
OWM
OWM
OWM
OWOW
OWOW
OWOW
OWOW
Region 1
Region 1
Region 2
Product
Recovery Potential Screening State Projects
Supporting Watershed Prioritization
for Nutrients Management. Using tools
and approaches as above, EPA has
demonstrated a watershed nutrients
prioritization approach that implements
the 2011 nutrients policy memorandum
appendix. Reports and data will be
available for several states who engaged in
joint RPS projects with EPA.
Evaluation of performance, reliability
and cost of full scale innovative nutrient
removal technologies (planned, pending
availability of funds).
Spokane Regional Phosphorus
Bioavailability Study Phase II (collaborating
with WERF study).
Pilot the NPDES Permit Writers Training on
nutrient WQBELs.
"Infographics" - Outreach to the general
public on nutrient pollution education
through pictures and graphics.
Farmer Hero campaign w/ National
Association of Conservation Districts, NEPs,
and NGO partners.
Protocol for Developing Nutrient TMDLs,
2nd Edition.
MOD w/ Humane Society- Impacts to pets
from HABs.
Nutrient Permitting Activities - NH @
3.0 mg/L TN from POTWs to Great Bay
Estuary; NH draft MS4for reduction in
phosphorus per TMDLs using BMPs and
track stormwater sources to Great Bay
Estuary.
TMDL Activities - Maine (20 TMDLs w/
load reduction targets for N PS/Agriculture;
Vermont (8 TMDLS with load reduction
targets for phosphorus from agriculture).
PR draft numeric nutrient criteria for rivers.
End Date
4th Q
FY2015
24 months
from
funding/
startup
FY14 Q3
FY15
Ongoing
Ongoing
Complete
Complete
FY13
FY13-16
Point of Contact
Doug Norton
(OWOW)
Phil Zahreddine
(OWM)
Phil Zahreddine
(OWM)
Phil Zahreddine
(OWM)
OWOW
OWOW
Carol Peterson
(OWOW)
OWOW
Toby Stover
(Rl)
Toby Stover
(Rl)
Izabela Wojtenko
(R2)
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
Region 2
Region 2
Region 2
Region 2
Region 3
Region 3
Region 4
Product
NY draft nutrient criteria for total
phosphorus in rivers and lakes.
Conscience Bay Stormwater Treatment &
Wetland Enhancement. NY, Village of Old
Field w/ EPA-Long Island Sound Study:
35 subsurface infiltration units to treat
194 million gallons of stormwater runoff,
vegetation w/ 17,075 upland and wetland
plants to reduce N loading to Conscience
Bay.
Peconic Estuary Program septic system
management for nutrient reduction and N
loads to groundwater for determining cost-
effective reduction strategies.
Nutrient Bioextraction by Seaweed in
the Long Island Sound. University of
Connecticut Kelp demonstration project.
Virginia Draft Nutrient Assessment
Protocols Pilot studies in priority
watersheds.
Trend reporting on the Susquehanna
River. The USGS, in cooperation with
the Maryland Department of Natural
Resources and theU.S.EPA's Chesapeake
Bay Program, calculates the loads of
nutrients and suspended sediments
contributed to the Chesapeake Bay from
non-tidal areas using data collected at the
nine major Bay tributaries through the
river input-monitoring (RIM) program. The
USGS calculates loads with a statistical
model using flow data and nutrient and
suspended sediment samples collected
at these sites. Calculated loads to the Bay
are used to examine trends for effects
of management actions, such as the
implementation of best management
practices and upgrades to wastewater
treatment plants, and as input to the Bay
watershed model.
MS draft numeric nutrient criteria.
End Date
FY13
FY13
FY13
FY13
FY13
Ongoing
FY13
Point of Contact
Izabela Wojtenko
(R2)
Izabela Wojtenko
(R2)
Izabela Wojtenko
(R2)
Izabela Wojtenko
(R2)
Mark Barath
(R3)
Mark Barath
(R3)
http://www.dnr.
state, md.us/bav/
monitoring/river/
load flow.html
Stephen Maurano
(R4)
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
Region 5
Region 5
Region 5
Region 6
Region 6
Region 6
Region 6
Region 6
Region 6
Region 6
Product
MN proposed nutrient criteria for
rivers and streams, nutrient criteria
recommendations for the Great Lakes.
The Ohio Trophic Index Criterion (TIC) is
a composite index that brings together
the measures of nutrients, periphyton,
dissolved oxygen, and biological
assemblages by awarding points to
successive ranges of each indicator, where
the ranges are defined by benchmarks
identified in the nutrient study. Hence,
the TIC provides a structured method
of aggregating data collected on Ohio's
streams and rivers into a nominal scale
that is essentially a translator for the
condition of a water body relative to
nutrient enrichment.
TMDL Activities (50 nutrient TMDLS, 40 in
MRB; integrate TMDL-319 for both point
and non-point source reductions.)
NM nutrient proof-of-conceptfor perennial
wadeable systems.
TX chlorophyll a criteria for reservoirs.
Louisiana Nutrient Reduction Strategy.
New Mexico Economic Analysis.
Louisiana TN-TP criteria development for
rivers and streams.
N-STEPS New Mexico TN-TP Numeric
Criteria for Perennial wadeable systems.
N-STEPS Red River Multijurisdictional
Modeling for TN-TM numeric criteria for
riverine system (OK, TX, AR, LA, University
of AR).
End Date
FY13
FY13
Completed
Completed
Completed
Ongoing
FY15 Ql
FY15 Ql
Completed
Point of Contact
Brian Thompson
(R5)
Brian Thompson
(R5)
Brian Thompson
(R5)
Forrest John
(R6)
Forrest John
(R6)
Forrest John (R6)
http://dea. state.
la.us/oortal/Por
tals/0/permits/
Ipdes/pdf/Louisiana
NutrientReduction
Strategy, odf
Jack Oliver (OST);
Brent Larsen (R6)
Henry Brewer (R6);
Forrest John (R6)
Jack Oliver (OST);
Forrest John (R6)
Jack Oliver (OST);
Interagency
Agreement;
Mike Bira (R6)
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
Product
End Date
Point of Contact
Region 6
Arkansas Watershed Monitoring,
L'Anguille, Lake Conway, Little River
Ditches Watershed. The project partners
will assist agricultural producers in 15
sub-watersheds of the Lake Conway-
Point Remove basin to adopt a systems
approach with a variety of core and
supporting conservation practices to
address natural resource concern of water
quality pertaining to nutrient runoff and
water management. They will focus on
avoiding excess application of nutrients
and water on fields; controlling the amount
of nutrient and water runoff from fields
into the watershed; and trapping nutrients
before they leave the field. The project
area includes 6 adjacent sub-watersheds in
the Little River Ditches watershed located
in Craighead, Mississippi, and Poinsett
Counties. The goal of the conservation
partners involved is to reduce the nutrient
loss from agricultural land (primarily
cropped to cotton) through improved
nutrient use efficiency and reduced runoff
from agricultural fields.
Ongoing
Brad Lamb
http://www.nrcs.
usda.gov/wps/
portal/nrcs/detail/
ar/programs/?cid
=nrcs!42p2 0348
06
http://www.nrcs.
usda.gov/wps/
portal/nrcs/detail/
ar/programs/?cid
=nrcs!42p2 0348
17
Region 6
Louisiana Watershed Monitoring: Turkey
Creek Watershed; Bayou Chene Watershed;
Bayou Lacassine Watershed in support
of MSRBI. The Mississippi River Basin
Initiative (MRBI) Watershed Water Quality
Monitoring in Bayou Chene and Lacassine
Bayou Project. NRCS has been working
with agriculture producers and land
owners since 2011 to implement voluntary
conservation practices to improve water
quality. Three small watersheds in Bayou
Lafourche were chosen to implement best
management practices to reduce nutrients,
total suspended solids, and turbidity.
These elements have been identified
as suspected sources of impairment to
fish and wildlife. In addition, four small
watersheds were identified in Turkey
Creek as part of the MRBI. The practices
implemented through this initiative are
designed to reduce organic and sediment
loads in the watershed.
Ongoing
Robert Cook
(R6)
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
Product
End Date
Point of Contact
Region 6
Nutrient TMDL for Illinois River Basin.
Ongoing
Richard Wooster
(R6)
Region 6
DO criteria for Louisiana coastal waters.
Decide whether to list coastal waters in
Louisiana as impaired for dissolved oxygen
(DO). While LDEQfound that three coastal
segments were not meeting dissolved
oxygen criteria, the state designated the
waters as category 4b, a classification for
waters that are impaired but for which
pollution limits, known as a total maximum
daily load (TMDL), is not needed because
other controls will lead to meeting water
quality standards.
Ongoing
Forrest John
(R6)
Region 6
Water Quality Monitoring for the Lake
Conway-Point Remove Watershed
(Hydrologic Unit Code 11110203)
Project 11-600 CWA Section 319(h).
Monitoring stations were established
in multiple sub-basins (10- and!2-digit
HUCs) within the Lake Conway-Point
Remove watershed in order to estimate
pollutant loads as "unit area loads."
The environmental data and unit area
loads were used as an effort to identify
problematic sub-basins (12-digit HUCs)
with excessive non-point source pollution.
Completed
Melissa Benfer
(R6)
Region 6
FY 15-300 CWA Section 319(h). Water
Quality Monitoring for the Lake Conway
Point Remove Watershed (Hydrologic
Unit Code 11110203). This project aims
for monitoring water quality in the Lake
Conway Point Remove Hydrologic Unit
Code. The primary goal of this project is
collecting, analyzing and reporting water
quality and discharge data to provide
parameter loadings and unit area loadings
in assorted 12-digit HUC in the greater Lake
Conway Point Remove HUC.
Proposed
Melissa Benfer
(R6)
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
Region 6
Region 7
Region 7
Region 7
Region 8
Region 8
Region 8
Region 9
Region 9
Region 10
Region 10
Product
Texas, City of Waco Surface Water
Treatment Economic Analysis (drinking
water costs due to source water
contamination).
Kansas City Urban Stream Monitoring
Network utilizes similar protocols and
approach as NRSA efforts, but provides
data and information at a much finer
resolution. 36 sites are sampled for
numerous contaminants including
TN, TP and microcystins as well as
biology (periphyton, phytoplankton,
macroinvertabrates, and fish
assemblages).
Kansas City Urban Lakes Monitoring
Network is similar to the Urban Streams
effort collecting information on ~30 Lakes
(including TN, TP, microcystins, and Chl(a)).
Missouri and Mississippi Big Tributaries
Nutrient Monitoring, conducts Spring,
Summer, and Fall sampling at ~45 sites
including all of the major tributaries to the
Missouri and Mississippi River in Region 7
(as well as several sites in Region 5).
Montana, Utah, Colorado nutrient criteria
rules/submittals.
Nitrogen reductions associated with septic
systems is an area that MT's trading policy
focuses on.
NPS Program engagement with agriculture
(NRCS).
CA numeric nutrient endpoint project for
streams, bays, and estuaries.
Air and Water workshop to define nutrient
sources and control strategies for loading
reduction to Central Valley.
NPDES permits for phosphorus in Idaho
(SOppb).
Via the NSTEPS HQfunding RIO is working
with Idaho DEQto develop reference
site analysis and stressor-response
relationships for Idaho streams.
End Date
Completed
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
FY13
FY13
FY13
FY13
FY13
FY14-15
Point of Contact
Kim Ngo
(R6)
Gary Welker;
Laura Webb
Laura Webb;
Gary Welker
Gary Welker;
Laura Webb
Tina Laidlaw
(R8)
Tina Laidlaw
(R8)
Judy Bloom
(R8)
Terrence Fleming
(R9)
Terrence Fleming
(R9)
Rochelle Labiosa
(RIO)
Rochelle Labiosa
(RIO)
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
Region 10
Region 10
Region 10
Region 10
Product
Via the NSTEPS HQfunding, RIO is working
with Oregon DEQto develop ecoregionally
based stressor-response relationships for
all ecoregions that intersect the state of
Oregon.
RIO is developing a GIS-based tool that
combines USGS Sparrow modeling and
land use parameters to determine whether
policy actions are corresponding to the
areas of the Pacific Northwest with the
highest probability of nutrient loading per
the available modeling and monitoring
data.
EPA RIO, EPA ORD Newport are working
with Oregon State University, to collect
data to ascertain the range of temporal
variability of ocean acidification
parameters in the nearshore in a more
agriculturally influenced site as compared
to a more ocean-upwelling-influenced site.
City of Boise permit phosphorus offset on
agricultural drain (Dixie Drain). The EPA
and IDEQ conducted a technical analysis
of the watershed and proposed offset to
determine whether, and to what extent
the proposed offset would improve
conditions in the Boise River compared
to the alternative of advanced filtration
treatment to achieve the phosphorus goal
for the river (70 u.g/L) at end-of-pipe. The
results are provided in Predicted Effects
of Dixie Drain Project on Phosphorus
Concentrations in the Boise River, March
2012.
End Date
FY14-15
FY14-15
FY15
FY13
Point of Contact
Rochelle Labiosa
(RIO)
Rochelle Labiosa
(RIO)
Rochelle Labiosa
(RIO, ORD)
Rochelle Labiosa
(RIO)
http://www.epa.
gov/regionlO/pdf/
permits/nodes/
id/west boise
dixie mod fs
id0023981 091312.
pdf
-------
Project/Task
RAP, Title, #
OW- Nutrient
Adoption Tool-
kit (including
cost)
Product
Economic analysis of the costs of
nutrient pollution compared to the
costs of nutrient mitigation, treatment
and water body restoration-2013 -
coming soon to the Website - Toolkit
of Resources to Provide States with
Flexibility in Adopting and Implementing
Numeric Nutrient Criteria http://www2.
epa.gov/nutrient-policv-data/toolkit-
resources-provide-states-flexibilitv-
adopting-and-implementing-numeric.
End Date
Operational
Point of Contact
http://www2.
epa.gov/nutrient-
policv-data/
toolkit-resources-
provide-states-
flexibilitv-adopting-
and-implementing-
numeric
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