Information to Action
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science
Partnerships for Environmental Protection
National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy
and Technology (NACEPT)
April 2018 EPA 220-R-18-001
-------
Environmental Protection
Belongs to the Public
Information to Action—Strengthening EPA Citizen Science
Partnerships for Environmental Protection is the follow-
on document to the National Advisory Council for
Environmental Policy and Technology's (NACEPT) 2016
report to the EPA Administrator, Environmental Protection
Belongs to the Public—A Vision for Citizen Science at EPA.
The previous report is available at www.epa.gov/faca/
nacept-2016-report-environmental-protection-belongs-
public-vision-citizen-science-epa.
Cover Photos
Top Left: Participating in the Colorado River Watch program. Photo credit: Michaela Taylor.
Top Right: The campus of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland, contains numerous
colonial archaeological sites. Citizen scientists sift through soil to uncover artifacts that will provide insight about how the
land was used by previous owners. Photo credit: Copyright 2017 Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
Bottom Left: From The Crowd & The Cloud, a four-part public television series on citizen science, viewable at www.
crowdandcloud.org. Jose Barros (left), President of Tropical Audubon, and Paul Bithorn participating in the Audobon
Christmas Bird Count in the Florida Everglades. The Bird Count began in 1900 and is one of America's longest running
citizen science projects. Instead of killing birds for bragging rights, founder Frank Chapman suggested counting, eventually
generating data that can show environmental change over time. Photo credit: Nathan Dappen/Courtesy The Crowd & the
Cloud, supported by the National Science Foundation.
Bottom Right: Local teens from a Rockaway school visit the Gateway National Wildlife Refuge, near New York City, as part
of a project run by the New York Phenology Project. They plot pollinator numbers to help restore local habitat following
Superstorm Sandy and see science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines come to life in a real-world setting.
Photo credit: Sean Feuer/Courtesy The Crowd & the Cloud, supported by the National Science Foundation.
To request a hardcopy of this report, contact the National Service Center for Environmental Publications at
1-800-490-9198 or via email at nscep@lmsolas.com and request publication number EPA 220-R-18-001.
www.epa.gov/faca/strengthening-epa-citizen-science-partnerships-environmental-protection
The NACEPT members would like to thank Dr. Alison j. Parker, ORISE Research Fellow hosted by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Ms. Shannon Dosemagen, President and Executive Director, Public
Laboratory for Open Technology and Science; and Mr. Daniel Bator, ASPPH Environmental Health Fellow hosted
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their energy and diligence during the writing, editing and
production of this report.
-------
Table of Contents
List of Figures iii
List of Tables iii
Transmittal Letter to the Administrator From the National Advisory Council for
Environmental Policy and Technology v
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY vii
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction 1
CHAPTER TWO: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen
Science From Data and Information to Action 7
Recommendation 1: Catalyze action from citizen science data and information by
providing guidance and leveraging collaboration 9
Recommendation 2: Build inclusive and equitable partnerships by understanding partners'
diverse concerns and needs, including prioritizing better support for
grassroots and community-based partnerships in EPA grant-funding
strategies 19
CHAPTER THREE: Increase State, Territorial, Tribal and Local Government
Engagement With Citizen Science 25
Recommendation 3: Provide EPA support and engage states and territories to better
integrate citizen science into program goals 25
Recommendation 4: Build on the unique strengths of EPA-tribal relationships 28
Recommendation 5: Align EPA citizen science work to the priorities of local governments 30
CHAPTER FOUR: Leverage External Organizations for Expertise and Project
Level Support 33
Recommendation 6: Co-create EPA citizen science priorities through consultation with
external organizations 33
Recommendation 7: Create EPA policies, incentives and guidance that encourage
engagement with stakeholders in citizen science projects 34
CHAPTER FIVE: Encourage Transparency Through Open Data and Advanced
Technology Policies 37
Recommendation 8: Expand public engagement in EPA work by prioritizing open licensing
and making data and tools more transparent, accessible and usable 37
Recommendation 9: Encourage EPA collaboration with the private sector and other
stakeholders on big data initiatives with careful consideration for
transparency and EPA's governmental role 38
Recommendation 10: Build EPA expertise in advanced technology to facilitate collaboration and
strategically engage in citizen science at national and international levels 39
Conclusion 40
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
-------
APPENDICES 43
Charge to the Council 43
National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology Membership Roster 45
Acknowledgments 46
List of Acronyms 47
Glossary of Terms 48
Notes and References 49
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. The spectrum of citizen science data use 11
Figure 2. Pathways from information to action 12
Figure 3. EPA contributes to a broader network of citizen science programs and projects 14
Figure 4. Equality versus equity. 21
Figure 5. Community engagement continuum 23
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Future EPA Opportunities to Use Citizen Science for Environmental Protection 9
Table 2. EPA Citizen Science Addressing Environmental Challenges Across Media
and Programs 16
Table 3. Examples of Successful Current or Historic EPA Collaborations 18
Table 4. Partnership Opportunities: Connecting Organizations to Work With One Another
and With EPA 34
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Soil is sifted by citizen scientists to uncover the mysteries of how this land was used by the Sellmd
families, dating back to the 1700s. The land is now part of the campus of the Smithsonian Enviroi
Photo credit: Copyright 2017 Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
-------
Transmittal Letter to the Administrator
The poet Muriel Rukeyser said, "The universe is made of stories, not of atoms." During the researching and writing of
this report, the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT or Council) discovered
three important things about citizen science. First, it is a universe of stories about people participating in science in
ways that are voluntary and meaningful and that bring change. Second, the universe of citizen science is a rapidly
expanding one, driven in part by emerging technologies that allow the public—in the words of Dr. Caren Cooper,
author of the new book Citizen Science: How Ordinary People are Changing the Face of Discovery—to take the pulse of
the planet and promote community-based problem solving. Third, there is magic in the way citizen science connects
citizens and science, and EPA can tap that magic more effectively to connect the Agency with the public.
In its first report to EPA on citizen science in December 2016, Environmental Protection Belongs to the Public—A Vision
for Citizen Science at EPA, the Council recommended that the Agency proactively and fully integrate citizen science
into the work of EPA. In this second report, NACEPT has focused on how EPA might best move citizen science from
data and information to action. The Council recommends that the Agency fully embrace action in response to citizen
science and collaborate with the governments and governing bodies of states, tribes, territories, and local and
external organizations, with a focus on open technology.
Based on our interviews with citizen science practitioners and experts, the NACEPT members strongly believe that
a laissez faire approach by EPA will be insufficient. EPA must advance a positive, proactive agenda—to work in
partnership with communities and state, territorial and tribal governments in ways that strengthen citizen science
infrastructure and standardize citizen science methods. As we prepared this report, the Council members learned
that the keys to success are for EPA to focus on effective communication and authentic collaboration. One of the
great benefits that citizen science offers EPA is the opportunity to leverage the expertise, networks and resources
of other parties.
EPA's leadership role is crucial. This NACEPT report contains recommendations for how to create the conditions in
which citizen science can at EPA; in communities; in state, territorial and tribal environmental programs; and in the
many partner organizations that work to protect human health and the environment. The benefits of using citizen
science approaches to accelerate scientific research and data acquisition, improve science literacy, and connect
citizens to EPA's missions are clearly defined by recent congressional legislation (the Crowdsourcing and Citizen
Science Act of 2016, part of the American Innovation and Competitive Act).
In the coming years, every level of government and organization will write its own story in the rapidly expanding
universe of citizen science. We on the Council appreciate the opportunity to present this report and its
recommendations to EPA. We hope that, going forward, the citizen science stories that EPA and other governments
and organizations write will be stories whose happy endings are the strengthening of the economic, environmental
and health dimensions of the communities and people they serve.
Respectfully,
William G. Ross, Jr.
Chair
National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology
v
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Cassandra Martin and her family suffer from asthma, but she joined with neighbors to count trucks emitting pollutants as part of
the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, which resulted in positive changes in local air quality. Now she shares lessons
about the value of community science with local teens each summer, using science, technology, engineering and mathematics
knowledge to track particles above ground and in BART train stations. Photo credit: Courtesy The Crowd & the Cloud, support-
ed by the National Science Foundation.
-------
Executive Summary
This report was developed by the National Advisory
Council for Environmental Policy and Technology
(NACEPT or Council), which consists of 25 members
representing academia; business and industry;
nongovernmental organizations; and state, local and
tribal governments. NACEPT conducted extensive
interviews in the process of developing its most
recent recommendations about citizen science. These
recommendations outline the ways in which EPA can
foster collaboration and partnership to use citizen
science information and data for action that improves
human health and the environment. The Council has
provided high-level, overarching recommendations in
this report for strengthening collaborations to support
pathways of moving citizen science from information
to action. Specific implementation actions should be
determined internally within the Agency and enacted
throughout EPA's programs and regions. Below, the
Council highlights recommendations that are explored
in more depth in the body of the report.
The large number of citizen science projects that exist
offer high-impact opportunities for EPA to apply citizen
science to its mission. The diversity of citizen science
projects across various media can be applied to the
diversity of the Agency's programmatic responsibilities,
and EPA can utilize new, lower cost technologies as
innovative tools to address priority problems and
challenges. Bold thinking will allow EPA to create valu-
able new avenues for citizen science use and address
the vision in the Agency's strategic plan that all parts of
society will have access to accurate information that will
allow effective participation in managing their human
and environmental health risks.
Cultural Shift to Citizen Science
The world is changing, and EPA will require an
evolutionary shift to use its available resources
to efficiently and effectively address current and
future environmental challenges. This shift will
require the Agency to apply innovation to its
business model. Citizen science is an effective
tool to achieve this, and EPA leadership must
integrate this powerful movement into the
Agency's core mission and work. Various EPA
regions and programs have begun to experience
the potential of citizen science. Although the use
of citizen science data and networks is not yet
an EPA cultural norm, citizen science is becoming
a prominent factor in environmental and public
health. The Agency cannot afford to be left
behind; therefore, NACEPT's recommendations
cannot be viewed as "add-ons." EPA must
immediately implement those recommendations
that do not require additional funding and
develop strategies to leverage resources for those
that require additional funding or adjustments.
This bold change on EPA leadership's part will
help the Agency to address the environmental
challenges it faces and protect public health and
the environment.
vii
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Executive Summary
Invest in partnerships and collaboration
to move citizen science from data and
information to action
Citizen science is catalyzing collaboration; new data
and information brought about by greater public
participation in environmental research are helping to
drive a new era of environmental protection. As the body
of citizen-generated data and information in the public
realm continues to grow, EPA must develop a clear
strategy to lead change and encourage action beyond
the collection of data. EPA should recognize the variety
of opportunities that it has to act as a conduit between
the public and key partners, including state, territorial,
tribal and local governments; nongovernmental
organizations; and leading technology groups in the
private sector. The Agency should build collaborations
with new partners, identify opportunities to integrate
equity into all relationships, and ensure that grassroots
and community-based organizations are well supported
and fairly resourced in funding strategies.
Increase state, territorial, tribal and local
government engagement with citizen
science
The Agency should reach out to tribes, states, territories
and local governments throughout the country to
understand the best practices and strategies for
encouraging and incorporating citizen science in
environmental protection. For states and territories
looking for ways to engage in citizen science, EPA can
help design strategies that recognize the community
perspectives while building capacity in state and
territorial governments. Recognizing the direct
connection between EPA and tribes, the Agency should
seek tribal input and support tribes in using citizen
science for environmental priorities. EPA should help
to increase awareness for citizen science and where
jurisdictional efforts already exist, assist in making
citizen science accessible through local government
agencies. EPA should more proactively listen to the
voices of local stakeholders and encourage partners
to embrace a vision for citizen science to accelerate
the achievement of environmental goals. As part of
this approach, EPA should find ways to define and
communicate the Agency's role as a resource in helping
communities achieve environmental outcomes.
Key recommendations under this theme:
• Recommendation 3. Provide EPA support and
engage states and territories to better integrate
citizen science into program goals.
• Recommendation 4. Build on the unique
strengths of EPA-tribal relationships.
• Recommendation 5. Align EPA citizen science
work to the priorities of local governments.
Leverage external organizations for
expertise and project level support
Collaborations between communities and other external
organizations—including educational institutions, civic
organizations, and community-based organizations-
are accelerating the growth of citizen science. Because
EPA's direct connection with members of the public
often is limited, the Agency could benefit significantly by
consulting with key external organizations to leverage
citizen science efforts to provide the greatest benefit for
the protection of human health and the environment.
EPA should look to external organizations as vital
connections to communities engaged in collaboratively
led scientific investigation to address community-defined
questions, referred to as community citizen science.
External organizations can help EPA in assessing gaps
in community-driven research and help the Agency to
design effective support tools and best management
practices for facilitating effective environmental citizen
science programs.
Key recommendations under this theme:
• Recommendation 1. Catalyze action from
citizen science data and information by providing
guidance and leveraging collaboration.
• Recommendation 2. Build inclusive and
equitable partnerships by understanding
partners' diverse concerns and needs, including
prioritizing better support for grassroots and
community-based partnerships in EPA grant-
funding strategies.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
viii
-------
Executive Summary
Visitors observing plants at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland. Photo credit: National Aquarium.
Key recommendations under this theme:
• Recommendation 6. Co-create EPA citizen
science priorities through consultation with
external organizations.
• Recommendation 7. Create EPA policies,
incentives and guidance that encourage
engagement with stakeholders in citizen science
projects.
Encourage transparency through open
data and advanced technology policies
As citizen science increasingly builds on open data and
advanced technology, EPA should extend efforts to
increase public engagement in environmental research
and protection through embracing transparent and
accessible data and tools. The growing technology
sector is an important but underutilized partner for
expanding the scope and impact of citizen science, and
EPA should enhance these collaborations while carefully
managing expectations and transparency in public-
private partnerships. EPA can strategically engage and
understand the future ramifications of citizen science
by providing training and encouraging expertise for EPA
employees on advanced technologies.
Key recommendations under this theme:
• Recommendation 8. Expand public engagement
in EPA work by prioritizing open licensing and
making data and tools more transparent,
accessible and usable.
• Recommendation 9. Encourage EPA
collaboration with the private sector and other
stakeholders on big data initiatives with careful
consideration for transparency and EPA's
governmental role,
• Recommendation 10. Build EPA expertise in
advanced technology to facilitate collaboration
and strategically engage in citizen science at
national and international levels.
ix
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
A Trout Unlimited volunteer in North Central Pennsylvania captures stream quality data as part of Trout Unlimited's Eastern Shale
Gas Monitoring Program. Trout Unlimited members use an EPA-developed checklist, and their data are trusted sufficiently to be
used by universities and government environmental agencies. Photo credit: Courtesy The Crowd & the Cloud, supported by the
National Science Foundation.
Opposite page: From The Crowd & The Cloud, a four-part public television series on citizen science, viewable at
www.crowdandcloud.org. Photo credit: Courtesy The Crowd & the Cloud, supported by the National Science Foundation
-------
m
-W-OMI
4
—
i
t
1
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction
What is citizen science?
As discussed in the National Advisory Council for
Environmental Policy and Technology's (NACEPT or
Council) first report on citizen science,1 in the last
decade, a surge of enthusiasm has led to thousands of
projects and efforts that engage members of the public
in scientific research, allowing millions of volunteers
and community researchers to contribute to science
and policy and take advantage of technology advances
that expand the boundaries of public participation in
scientific research. Many organizations have adopted
the term "citizen science" to describe a range of
related efforts, and this term is gaining acceptance
in public use. Other related terms and approaches
include civic or community science, community-based
monitoring, popular epidemiology, participatory
sensing, crowdmapping, public participation in scienti-
fic research, public science, community environmental
policing, street science, do-it-yourself or DIY science,
participatory science, crowd science, open science,
and crowdsourcing. These approaches often are
rooted in different disciplines or emphasize different
goals, but common to all is an emphasis on openness,
democratization of science, and the mobilization of
diverse people and communities. Citizen science is an
approach to environmental information that actively
and genuinely encourages and solicits public input in the
scientific process and incorporates data and information
generated outside of traditional institutional boundaries.
In citizen science, the public participates voluntarily in
the scientific process, addressing real-world problems
in ways that may include formulating research
questions, conducting scientific experiments, collecting
and analyzing data, interpreting results, making new
discoveries, developing technologies and applications,
and solving complex problems. EPA has engaged in
citizen science primarily by working with community
groups engaged in community citizen science.
Community citizen science is collaboratively led scientific
investigation and exploration to address community-
defined questions, allowing for engagement in the
entirety of the scientific process. Unique in comparison
to citizen science, community citizen science may or may
not include partnerships with professional scientists,
emphasizes the community's ownership of research and
access to resulting data, and orients toward community
goals and working together in scalable networks to
encourage collaborative learning and civic engagement.
"[Citizen science] has always been
valuable to encourage citizens of all ages
to participate in science; to appreciate it,
learn about it, and maybe someday make
a career in it."2
-Djanette Khiari, Water Research
Foundation
The importance of community citizen science (many
times driven by community groups and civil-sector
intermediary organizations) and the power of this type
of methodological process are in providing people with
the tools to ask their own questions, collect their own
data, and advocate for themselves.
1
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 1: Introduction
Educating elementary school students about sustainable and healthy communities outside the school in Oakland, California.
Photo credit: Ryder Freed.
Citizen science is more than the participation
of volunteers in research. It is a model for the
democratization of research and policy making. In
addition, it is an environmental movement that is
changing the way the government and institutions
interact with the public.
Citizen science and other crowdsourcing approaches
that promote open collaboration offer the opportunity
to educate, engage and empower members of the public
to apply their curiosity and contribute their talents
to advancements in science and technology. Active
volunteers, community researchers and environmental
advocates can provide broad geographic observations
and information that could not otherwise be obtained
by agencies because of time, geographic and/or resource
constraints.
For purposes of brevity, throughout this report, the term
"citizen science" is used to include both institutionally
driven citizen science and community citizen science. The
term "citizen science" also includes volunteer monitoring
and other related approaches.
Recent history in citizen
science
In September 2015, EPA asked NACEPT to develop
recommendations on how the Agency might best use
citizen science for the protection of the environment and
health. Three overarching questions framed the review:
1. How can we sustain and improve current EPA projects
and programs?
2. How can EPA invest in citizen science approaches for
the greatest gain?
3. How can EPA help increase the impact of knowledge
and data generated via citizen science?
NACEPT's First Report: Environmental
Protection Belongs to the Public—A Vision
for Citizen Science at EPA
In response to the 2015 charge from EPA, NACEPT
explored current activities in citizen science both within
and outside the Agency, interviewed citizen science
practitioners and stakeholders in a diverse set of
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
2
-------
Chapter 1: Introduction
Students working on a water quality project.
Photo credit: Colorado River Watch.
was that EPA integrate citizen science into the core
work of the Agency, including community engage-
ment, environmental education, screening (condition
indicators), research, management, regulatory decisions
and standard setting, and enforcement.
In the 2016 NACEPT report, the Council recommended
that EPA embrace citizen science as a core tenet of
environmental protection, articulate and implement a
vision for citizen science at EPA, and take a collaborative
approach to citizen science. NACEPT recommended that
EPA:
• Invest in citizen science for communities, partners
and the Agency, including improving technology and
tools and building technical capacity.
• Enable the use of citizen science data by adopting
organizations, and drafted a set of recommendations.
During this process, the Council obtained feedback from
senior career staff at EPA, as well as external experts in
the field.
In December 2016, NACEPT transmitted to the EPA
Administrator its report, Environmental Protection Belongs
to the Public: A Vision for Citizen Science at EPA (referred
to hereafter as "the 2016 NACEPT report"). The report
highlighted the transformational potential of citizen
science for environmental protection and identified
citizen science efforts as the best approach for the
Agency to connect with the public. NACEPT assessed
EPA's approach to citizen science in the context of
current activities and recommended that the Agency
proactively and fully integrate citizen science into the
work of EPA.
The report was the first comprehensive review of how
citizen science supports the core work of EPA and helps
to frame technical, policy and social issues that need
attention. The Council strongly recommended that
EPA take a proactive approach to citizen science to be
better prepared for a transition in how environmental
data are collected and shared. A key recommendation
Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act
of 2016
Recent legislation—specifically, the Crowdsourcing
and Citizen Science Act of 2016 (www.congress.gov/
bill/114th-congress/house-bill/6414/text)—provides
clear congressional authority and direction that
encourages federal agencies to use citizen science.
This congressional interest in citizen science is an
important impetus for EPA to expand and broaden its
current citizen science activities.
The underlying rationale presented in the Act is that
"granting Federal science agencies the direct, explicit
authority to use crowdsourcing and citizen science
will encourage its appropriate use to advance Federal
science agency missions and stimulate and facilitate
broader public participation in the innovation
process, yielding numerous benefits to the Federal
Government and citizens who participate in such
projects. "a
The Act also lists some of the unique benefits of
crowdsourcing and citizen science projects "including
accelerating scientific research, increasing cost
effectiveness to maximize the return on taxpayer
dollars, addressing societal needs, providing hands-on
learning in STEM, and connecting members of the
public directly to Federal science agency missions and
to each other[.]"b
aCrowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act, 15 U.S.C. § 3724(2016).
bCrowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act, 15 U.S.C. § 3724 (2016).
3
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Educating elementary school students about sustainable and
healthy communities inside the school in Oakland, California.
Photo credit: Ryder Freed.
a positive, cooperative agenda that increases the
use of citizen science data, adopt standards for
citizen science data, and provide guidance and
communicate data quality needs for different data
uses.
• Integrate citizen science into the work of the Agency,
including its regulatory functions.3
In May 2017, NACEPT assembled four workgroups to
build on the research and recommendations from the
2016 NACEPT report. Each workgroup represented
core focus areas around which EPA citizen science
collaborations could take place; (1) state, territorial,
tribal and local partnerships; (2) open technology
and data; (3) nongovernmental organizations; and
(4) moving information to action. During the summer
and fall of 2017, workgroups conducted extensive
interviews and research into each focus area to develop
recommendations.
Since the release of the 2016 NACEPT report, enthusiasm
for citizen science approaches has continued. According
to a 2017 Pew Research Center report, 16 percent
of Americans report some participation in citizen
science.4 In addition, institutions around the United
States interested in embracing citizen science as a
central tenet of environmental research have made
additional contributions. Organizations, including the
RAND Corporation, Harvard Law School and EPA's
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council,
also are interested in embracing citizen science as
a way to broaden interaction and participation In
scientific research among individuals, communities
and governments. These groups have recognized
that the unique environmental challenges facing local
communities require approaches that can harness the
shared commitment of partnerships to achieve action
beyond research.
RAND Corporation Report on Community
Citizen Science
In late 2017, the RAND Corporation released The
Promise of Community Citizen Science, which highlights
the unique capacity and promise of community citizen
science projects that "tend to be action-oriented,
highly collaborative, or independently led by citizen
volunteers, with research conducted to support
interventional activities or policy change."5 The report
situates community citizen science in a larger context
of a society in which the idea of expertise is being
broadly challenged. The report also provides historical
context for volunteer involvement in science, from
early models of self-financed science to the rise of
government research spending and "big science" after
World War II. Citizen science broadly, and community
citizen science specifically, represents a questioning
of this traditional model of science and a new need
for broader public involvement. RAND emphasizes
the potential for community citizen science to achieve
change by "building community capacity, promoting
education, strengthening community engagement, or
influencing decision-making."6 RAND also describes
case studies in Flint, Michigan; Sunset Park, New York;
the Gulf States; and across Pennsylvania that highlight
the potential for community citizen science to not
only generate data, but also effect change. The report
recommends that institutions broaden traditional
measures and processes for science to account for the
unique barriers and benefits of working with the public;
for example, incentivizing community-engaged research
and modifying peer-review processes.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
4
-------
Chapter 1: Introduction
Harvard Law School Emmett
Environmental Law & Policy Clinic's
A Manual for Citizen Scientists Starting
or Participating in Data Collection and
Environmental Monitoring Projects
In September 2017, the Harvard Law School Emmett
Environmental Law & Policy Clinic published A Manual
for Citizen Scientists Starting or Participating in Data
Collection and Environmental Monitoring Projects. This
manual is a practical guide for citizen scientists that
includes technical suggestions for project design and
implementation, explanations of legal and technical
frameworks, and a look at laws and regulations with
potential implications for environmental monitoring
projects. The manual focuses on "those projects designed
to remediate environmental problems that threaten
community health and well-being."7 As such, the goals
of this manual are to support action beyond data and
information gathering or generation. These may include
citizen actions such as promoting education, stimulating
public awareness, informing legislators, notice and
comment rulemaking, petitioning for rulemaking, filing
citizen suits, and stimulating future agency action.
These also may include government actions such as
a criminal prosecution, civil trial or administrative
adjudication or to form the underpinnings of natural
resource management decisions, planning for future
activities, regulatory decisions, regulations/standards or
enforcement.
An individual deploying a device to monitor for cyanobacteria.
Photo credit: Mark Howarth, Candiewood Lake Authority.
National Environmental Justice Advisory
Council's Recommendations and Guidance
for EPA to Develop Monitoring Programs in
Communities
Often, one of the main drivers for community citizen
science is environmental justice, a social movement
that focuses on the fair distribution of environmental
benefits and burdens regardless of race, color, national
origin or income when developing, implementing or
enforcing environmental laws, regulations and policies.
The National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
(NEJAC) is a Federal Advisory Committee that provides
independent advice and recommendations on the issue
of environmental justice to the EPA Administrator and
other Agency officials. In October 2015, EPA asked NEJAC
to provide advice and recommendations on how EPA
can address the needs of communities when providing
monitoring data through negotiated enforcement
settlements and permits; NEJAC also was asked how
the Agency can provide environmental data that are
meaningful and relevant to communities and support
these communities in improving their environmental
conditions.
In its report in response to EPA's request, NEJAC
recommends that the Agency collect timely and
useful data, provide accessible and accurate data,
deliver monitoring reports in ways most accessible
to the affected community, and build community
capacity.8 NEJAC provides specific and actionable
recommendations about how to allow a community
to better understand a facility's environmental impact
and act on data and information made available
under settlement agreements or permits to improve
community outcomes and advance environmental
justice. NEJAC identifies website design features that
would increase communities' ready access to data
posted on a website and provides examples of effective
websites. This report also presents other useful and
meaningful ways of providing data and information to
communities and recommends usable formats for data
and information. Finally, NEJAC recommends forms of
technical assistance that would help communities in
gaining a greater understanding of the significance of
environmental data.
5
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
HI-! I
Citizen scientists dig at an archaeological site at Shaw's Folly during the summer qj
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center,
Photo credit: Copyright 2.015
Opposite page: The archaeology laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center hosts public dig days for
citizen scientists. Citizen scientists are sifting through the soil dug up at an archaeological site in front of the Sellman House on
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center grounds in July 2017. Photo credit: Copyright 2017 Smithsonian Environmental
Research Center.
-------
CHAPTER TWO: Invest in Partnerships and
Collaboration to Move Citizen Science From
Data and Information to Action
'
A call for action
Citizen science is changing the way the government
interacts with the public. Citizen science is making
environmental protection more socially relevant, while
accelerating and enabling participation and open
collaboration between communities, institutions and the
private sector. It allows contributions to environmental
and health research that would otherwise be impossible,
including data and information to fill current gaps, early
warning of environmental issues and problems, and data
and information on problems not adequately covered
by monitoring networks. The surge of new scientific
knowledge and public involvement enabled by citizen
science presents an opportunity for EPA to improve
support for groups hoping to use citizen science data
and information to generate actionable outcomes.
These outcomes exist across the spectrum of EPA's core
work, including community engagement, environmental
education, screening (condition indicators), research,
management, regulatory decisions and standard setting,
and enforcement.
Successful action cannot be achieved in isolation, it is
built from trust, collaboration and innovation, all of which
are catalyzed by citizen science. The work of EPA could
benefit greatly from existing relationships that states,
territories, tribes, local governments, nongovernmental
organizations, colleges and universities, extension
programs, and other organizations have with com-
munities and individuals engaged in citizen science
projects. These groups can serve as intermediaries
between scientists, policymakers, communities and
individuals. Improved support of citizen science
outcomes can be achieved through strong investment
in partnerships and collaboration with key stakeholders
whose work aligns with EPA's mission of protecting
human health and the environment.
"Communities who engage in citizen
science are often trying to be recognized
as people who have something important
to contribute. They are often trying to
document what they are experiencing
in a way that regulators will notice. They
understand that science talks and will be
heard while they will not because they
are poor or black or women. That is not
to say that science isn't relevant—it is—
but they're asking for more than that.
They're asking for the EPA to protect
them and to respect them as people who
can credibly be believed in terms of what
they are experiencing."9
-Dr. Gwen Ottinger, Drexel University
EPA must evolve to be more efficient and effective to
succeed in addressing current and future environmental
challenges. An evolutionary shift requires identifying and
committing to new ways to apply innovation in EPA's
7
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
"Water quality issues are community
issues. Monitoring and the data collected
can be used to understand and address
issues, as well as to document water
quality successes. Has this worked?
Resulted in positive results? Yes, natural
resource agencies and natural resource
nongovernmental organizations have
used the citizen-collected data."10
-Peggy Compton, Wisconsin Water Action
Volunteers Stream Monitoring Program
business model, in addition to systematic intention,
persistence, communication and resource allocation
over a critical period. Integrating citizen science data into
the Agency's existing structure must be supported by
strategic collaboration and empowerment vertically and
horizontally to ensure the proper protection of human
health and the environment. Various EPA regions and
programs have begun to realize and experience this
potential. The use of citizen scientist networks and data
is not yet an EPA cultural norm and not yet systematically
accepted or utilized across the country. Citizen
science, however, is becoming a prominent factor in
environmental and public health, with or without EPA,
and the Agency cannot afford to approach this from the
sidelines. Therefore, the recommendations issued by
the Council must not simply be viewed as "add-ons" to
current duties and programs. To utilize citizen science
to its fullest extent, EPA will need clear commitment
and leadership from EPA's programs and regions. The
Agency can and must immediately implement those
recommendations that require no additional funding. At
the same time, EPA must develop strategies to leverage
current and future resources for recommendations that
"Citizens help us find and track pollution,
identify needs for cleanups, watch over
sensitive environmental areas, educate
each other, and sometimes even train
others."11
-Gary Burlingame, Philadelphia Water
Department
need additional funding or programmatic adjustments.
It will mean bold change, but a change that will produce
results for public health and the environment and
directly meet current and future challenges.
Bold action required to target new citizen
science work to help achieve environmen-
tal priorities
The Agency should strategically identify high-impact
opportunities for applying citizen science to EPA's
mission. Currently, a large number of citizen science
projects focus on biology and conservation, and
others monitor water and air pollution, but a growing
number of innovative projects address other ecological
and public health issues, such as digital health tools
(AIR Louisville asthma collaboration and study, www.
airlouisville.com), monitoring invasive species (Pacific
Northwest Invasive Plant Council, www.pnw-ipc.org),
studying the microbial composition of the human gut
(American Gut Project, americangut.org), drug discovery
from the soil (The University of Oklahoma Citizen Science
Soil Collection Program, www.whatsinyourbackyard.org),
and improving understanding of weather (Community
Systems and
ring the insta
Tim McArthur (left) and Alex Korff of Science Systems and
Applications, Inc. make final adjustments during the installation
of the portable, low-cost air monitors (P-pods) in Kansas City,
Kansas, on October 18, 2017, for a year-long air monitoring
study. Photo credit: EPA Region 7 Digital Team.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
8
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
"Science, even when done by citizens,
has a purpose to produce reliable data
and facts upon which sound decisions
can be made. We should not depreciate
the meaning of science and how science
is done. Citizens can understand this. It
should be maintained as unbiased and
objective and disciplined."11
-Gary Burlingame, Philadelphia Water
Department
Collaborative Rain, Hail &Snow Network, www.cocorahs.
org).
There is huge potential to apply citizen science and
crowdsourcing to the diversity of EPA's programmatic
responsibilities, each meriting strategic thought and
experimentation. For example, the development of new,
lower cost technology—such as wearable air pollution
sensors or water test strips that change color to indicate
the presence of lead, dissolved oxygen, bacteria and
other contaminants—often opens up opportunities to
apply these innovative tools to help find solutions to the
priority problems and challenges that the Agency must
address.
Bold thinking by EPA can result in valuable new avenues
for citizen science. This can help to advance the element
of EPA's strategic plan that envisions that "all parts of
society—communities, individuals, businesses, and
state, local and tribal governments—have access to
accurate information sufficient to effectively participate
in managing human health and environmental
risks."12 Table 1 presents some promising areas for EPA
and its partners to explore, areas in which citizen science
may offer the most effective way to gather needed data
and engage communities in solving environmental
problems. This list provides examples and is not
comprehensive. Rather, it is intended as a starting point
for discussion.
Recommendation 1. Catalyze
action from citizen science data
and information by providing
guidance and leveraging
collaboration.
Action resulting from data and information gathered
through citizen science can be realized through a wide
range of uses (Figure 1). Understanding how citizen
science data and information can be used to achieve
a desired action is critical to finding opportunities to
catalyze the flow of data and information to action.
This involves identifying groups that have data and
information to provide, the actions that can be achieved,
and who can influence the utility of data and information
to achieve a specific action (Figure 2).
When data and information can achieve action by
individuals and communities, EPA should support
collaborative efforts by developing guidance to help
Table 1. Future EPA Opportunities to Use Citizen Science for Environmental Protection
Drinking
water
In a December 2016 report, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology described how
science and technology could more effectively help to ensure the safety of the Nation's drinking water.
One of the recommendations was for EPA, working with other agencies, to "develop and support research
to enable efforts to expand measurement and monitoring of drinking-water supplies in the United States
by actively funding citizen-science activities such as home water testing, with an emphasis on including
activities focused on drinking-water sources, small systems, and private wells."13 Figuring out how to
efficiently monitor drinking water at the tap for contaminants like lead is a high priority that must involve
home residents.
Groundwater
The Wisconsin Well Water Quality Interactive Viewer (www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/watershed/Pages/
WellWaterViewer.aspx) is a tool that helps people better understand the state's groundwater resources,
particularly households that rely on private wells as their primary water supply. This "citizen science" data
set primarily comprises well water samples voluntarily submitted by homeowners and collected by state
agencies during the past 25 years. Anyone can use the online portal to view the spatial distribution of 14
different water quality parameters. This impressive state effort, which could be replicated in other states,
allows comparisons of water quality in different towns or counties, raises awareness of local groundwater
quality issues, and encourages well testing in areas where few data exist.
9
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Table 1. Future EPA Opportunities to Use Citizen Science for Environmental Protection (continued)
Disaster
response and
recovery
Several federal agencies (Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) are now tapping citizen science and crowdsourcing in domestic
and global responses to hurricanes, earthquakes and floods. Volunteers provide timely information for
emergency responders on the ground and contribute to research related to the environment, hazards
and disasters. For example, after the Caribbean hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017, thousands
of volunteers worldwide helped analyze satellite imagery through an online citizen science platform
(Zooniverse).14
Microplastics
The EPA-sponsored expert workshop in June 2017 on microplastics ( ww.epa.gov/trash-free-waters/
microplastics-expert-workshop-repor ) highlighted the need to better understand the distribution of
microplastics (plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in size) in water and improve understanding of
their potential effects. Citizen science offers the potential to raise awareness of the issue of microplastics
among citizens and have volunteers help to monitor microplastics in water bodies. For example, since
2013, the Adventure Scientist Global Microplastics Initiative ( 'ww.adventurescientists.org/microplastics.
html, run by a nongovernmental organization, has helped to train thousands of volunteers around the
world to help monitor microplastic pollution in marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Electronic
waste
(e-waste)
As the use of electronic products has expanded during the past 20 years, there is a dramatic need to
improve environmental stewardship. One of the fastest growing components of municipal solid waste,
e-waste has low recycling rates despite the fact that almost all of e-waste is recyclable.15 It is possible that
a citizen science approach, which engages individuals and households, could improve understanding of
waste streams and define intervention points in the management of electronics throughout the product
lifecycle both in the United States and abroad.
Toxic
chemicals
New technologies allow the public to collect information about personal exposure to chemicals. For
example, lightweight silicone wristbands now are being tested to measure environmental exposures to
toxic organic chemicals.16 Scientists hope to use these kinds of new tools to better understand people's
exposure to pesticides, flame retardants, fragrances and endocrine disruptors.
Indoor air
pollution
Citizen science approaches can be invaluable in monitoring indoor environments. For example, a
local neighborhood in Northeast Denver, working with scientists, started a citizen science project to
investigate local indoor air quality for perchloroethylene (PERC) and radon—gases that enter homes
from groundwater and soil.17 The goal is to help a local community "understand if they are at risk, raise
awareness of air quality issues, and test a low-cost method for PERC detection that could allow anyone to
screen their home."18
Stormwater
and green
infrastructure
In the same way that citizen science contributes to urban forestry, there is potential to apply this
approach to urban stormwater. Citizen science provides an excellent opportunity for local residents to
learn about green infrastructure, contribute new data about the presence and performance of these
low-tech stormwater management techniques, and potentially help lead to technology improvements and
exploration of new ways of approaching stormwater issues. More information about green infrastructure
and community engagement can be found in EPA's Green Infrastructure in Parks: A Guide to Collaboration,
Funding, and Community Engagement ( ww.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2017-05/documents/
gi_parksplaybook_2017-05-01_508.pc ).
Abandoned
mines
There are approximately 500,000 abandoned hard-rock mines across the United States, primarily in the 12
western states, which pose potential risks to human health and the environment. Federal agencies, such
as the U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Land Management, are working to identify abandoned mines
and assess the need for environmental cleanup.19 Given the magnitude and scope of these issues, it is
likely that citizen science approaches could supplement the work of technical experts in both field work
and analysis of remote sensing data.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
10
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Community engagement:
awareness, partnership, develop-
ment, stakeholder engagement,
public outreach
Condition indicator: media
campaign, cross-sector stake-
holder involvement, request for
further study or involvement
by government agency and/or
research institutions
Management decisions: reme-
diation, restoration, community
solution enactment
Regulatory standard setting:
new mandatory and voluntary
standards, development of best
practices, revision of prior stan-
dards, changes in methodologies
for measuring compliance status
Condition
Indicator
Education: Environmental and
STEAM literacy, civic participa-
tion, stewardship
Research: creating baseline
datasets, identifying trends and
hotspots in health and ecological
change over time, filling gaps in
datasets
Regulatory decisions: permits,
licenses, leases, environmental
permits, zoning and rezoning,
site plan approvals, mitigation
requirements
Enforcement: launching of
inspections; investigations; pros-
ecution of administrative, civil or
criminal violations; imposition of
new permit conditions; liability
Figure 1. The spectrum of citizen science data use.3
"Input and collaboration with citizens
and volunteers can help to collect and
provide some of the critical data and
information necessary to support the
needs of environmental protection."20
-Barry Woods, Retired Technical
Assistance Provider
individuals and local communities move from data
collection to action. This guidance may take the form
of a roadmap or toolkit and should include information
about accessible contacts at local, state, territorial, tribal
and national environmental agencies and support for
increasing the value and use of data and information
collected in citizen science projects.
Who has the information?
A wide range of groups can collect and use citizen science
data, including local community organizations; nonprofit
organizations; state, territorial, and tribal governments;
federal agencies; and various combinations of these
groups. Data and information gathered by citizen science
projects can be initiated and implemented almost
entirely by nonprofessional scientists or by institutions
aided by EPA, as well as through collaborations by
organizations of all types.3 Therefore, EPA's efforts to
encourage, support and utilize citizen science would be
more successful if these efforts are predicated on strong
collaborative relationships with each of these groups.
Who can act?
Often, whether or not an outcome can be achieved will
hinge on the capacity and level of participation and
partnership from collaborating groups. For instance,
a group interested in using citizen science to increase
the scientific literacy of children in a tribal community
may benefit from partnering with local tribal leaders
in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
education or a local teachers' union. Partnerships and
"An honest dialog and a solid partnership
with the public would be very beneficial
to obtain valuable data and establish
trust of the public in science. The
ultimate goal being to protect 'public'
health, we need to include the 'public' in
science."2
-Djanette Khiari, Water Research
Foundation
11
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Pathways From Information to Action
Who Has the
Information?
Federal, state,
tribal or local
government
Who Can Act?
• • •¦ •
* * *.
Federal, state,
tribal or local
government ^
V—*»*
Desired Actions
. *
Community *r
engagement
Education
Desired Outcomes
and Results
I
%
Engaged and
restored
communities #
Scientifically literate
and educated
children and adults
Educational
institutions
* S
Nongovernmental
\ organizations *
N
E
R
S
H
I
P
Private
sector
Educational
institutions
Nongovernmental
organizations
Private
sector
P \
A *
H
W
A
Y
S
T
0
A
C
T
1
O
N
Condition
indicators
\ Research
\
/ *
Management
* _ _ #
Regulatory
decisions
Regulatory
standard
setting
P
A
T
H
W
A
Y
S
T
O
Knowledge of
environmental
conditions
Informed
public and
government
O
u
T
C
o
M
E
S
* Effective and efficient
management
* k decisions ^ *
Reduced pollution
and increased
environmental quality
Clean air,
water and
land
Communities
Communities
Enforcement
Improved health
and environmental
quality
- - The gray arrows represent a hypothetical example of a pathway from information to action at work. In this example, a nongovernmental agency
approaches a government agency with information, which leads to community engagement, with the desired outcome of an engaged and restored
community. It also leads to management of the issue, with the desired outcome of effective and efficient management decisions.
Figure 2. Pathways from information to action.
"[Citizen science] has triggered pollution track down, area cleanup, best
management practice improvements, community awareness."11
-Gary Burlingame, Philadelphia Water Department
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
12
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
collaboration at this level across the spectrum are
essential to effectively use citizen science data and
information to generate action. To help facilitate the
movement of data and information into action, EPA
should work with partners to identify opportunities that
effectively align the goals of citizen science initiatives
with the expertise required to achieve desired outcomes.
What action can occur?
Citizen science data and information can provide a basis
for organizations and communities to take action. The
2016 NACEPT report illustrates a spectrum of citizen
science data use that touches on different areas of
EPA's work, from community engagement, education,
screening (condition indicators), research, management,
regulatory decisions, regulatory standard setting and
enforcement.3 The spectrum can, therefore, provide a
useful framework for approaching a desired action of
groups.
"[Citizen science is] involving the public in
providing information from their location
as scientists cannot vet everywhere all
the time. Important information can be
overlooked if the public is not involved."2
-Djanette Khiari, Water Research
Foundation
Actions to outcomes
Effective citizen science efforts are ones that generate
action translated into measurable outcomes.
Outcomes often can be directly linked to areas within the
spectrum of citizen science. For instance, an education-
related project that exposes farmers to information and
assessment tools on seed varieties can help improve
knowledge in crop selection and allow these farmers
to better cope with unpredictable weather conditions.
The measurable outcomes from this type of project may
include improved crop resilience, increased efficiency
of water use and on-farm inputs, and decreases in
excessive agricultural runoff. Identifying clear pathways
to action can improve the efficiency and effectiveness
"Our citizen science program is partially
funded by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. It is purely
educational, although we are looking
into trying to find funding to broaden
our reach to engage the public in data
collection that helps identify if there are
issues that need to be addressed."21
-Kris Stepenuck, Ph.D., Lake Champlain
Sea Grant Program, The University of
Vermont
of EPA's citizen science support and build stronger
collaborations with groups seeking to move information
to action (Figure 2).
In many ways, EPA already supports action through
citizen science data and information (Figure 3). Well-
established EPA programs already engage the public in
collecting and using data for environmental protection,
and in many ways, citizen science is built into legislation
governing environmental protection, including the
Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act,
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, and
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. These laws
sometimes "invite citizen science into public decisions,"
and in many of the resulting systems and processes,
communities can play an important role in the collection
of data.22 Although they are not identical, these acts all
allow EPA to communicate with the public and for the
public to interact with the Agency. They also often grant
the public access to data and enable the public to get
involved in reviewing permits or take direct action for a
cleanup or other response.23
"The volunteers...collect information that
was used by the state to list waterbodies
as impaired in the required biennial
report to EPA."21
-Kris Stepenuck, Ph.D., Lake Champlain
Sea Grant Program, The University of
Vermont
13
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Partnership Pathways to Citizen Science
EPA provides
tools, technical
support, funding,
requirements and
initiatives.
•\
State/
Tribe
«
* \
i* \
Local
Gov't
J
n
State/
Tribe
Local
Gov't
CITIZEN SCIENCE
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
Funding, equipment, training,
laboratory analysis, communication.
Funding, equipment, training,
data exchange, promoting
data needs, etc.
Funding, promoting, technology,
data exchange, etc.
Same services, operating
different programs.
I
National/State
Key NGOs
Federal
¦ - fc-
State/
..w
• Agencies
Tribe
• Academia
¦ Other NGOs
¦:/
NGO = Nongovernmental organization
Funding, advertising, training,
project, data exchange, etc.
Indirect but large potential
opportunities.
Figure 3. EPA contributes to a broader network of citizen science programs and projects.
EPA plays a key role in a larger network of government and nongovernment groups that—by working together—can vastly expand the amount
and quality of citizen science work that supports environmental protection. EPA provides valuable support (either directly or indirectly through
partners) for citizen science projects. A larger and more systematic approach at EPA would help build the capacity in external organizations
that interact directly with individuals and communities. The types of EPA support needed include funding, equipment, training, technical
assistance, guidance, data management and laboratory analysis.
Citizen science is supported by legislation and regulations
that provide a framework for close collaboration
between government and the public. Some examples in
which environmental legislation and EPA process provide
for public participation follow:
1. Superfund legislation provides for the development
of studies to collect data to determine the extent of
contamination. Violators pay or reimburse for these
"The Clean Water Act ensures citizen
participation in the water quality
monitoring and analysis realm."21
-Kris Stepenuck, Ph.D., Lake Champlain
Sea Grant Program, The University of
Vermont
studies. This legislation "encouraged greater citizen
participation in making decisions on how sites should
be cleaned up."24
2. The Contaminant Candidate List in the Safe Drinking
Water Act allows EPA to incorporate data and
information in decision making using citizen science
involvement by allowing citizens and scientists to
nominate contaminants to be studied.
3. The Information Collection Rule in the Safe Drinking
Water Act provides for citizen science involvement
because users of resources are required to collect
data to fill EPA data gaps.
4. Sanitary surveys are required under the Total
Coliform Rule and other Safe Drinking Water Act
rules. The community often leads this effort (every 3
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Case Study. A Community-Academia-lndustry-Government Collaboration Success Story
A Puerto Rican stream ("quebrada") in the city of Caguas runs through a Searle/Pfizer pharmaceutical plant and
the El Verde Housing Development Part of the city storm water system drains into it, and it discharges to the Rio
Caguitas, a very important potable water source. Recently, this stream began to intermittently demonstrate odor
and changes in flow, and residents of the El Verde Housing Development were suffering from wastewater backflow
into their bathrooms and kitchens.
A Searle/Pfizer employee responsible for environmental compliance and community affairs became concerned and
worried that the plant's neighbors would accuse them of dumping into the quebrada, so he submitted a formal
complaint to EPA's Caribbean Environmental Protection Division. To respond to the complaint, an EPA scientist
visited the area but could not find evidence of contamination or any information that could be used in the stream's
assessment. He recommended that the Searle/Pfizer employee contact an expert in water quality issues at the
Center of Environmental Research of the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico. The university agreed to help if,
in exchange, Searle would support a group of students in a field study to advance their education and experience
with field assessments. They put an EPA intern in charge of the project and designed a study to gather information
about the type of contamination and its source and to map the quebrada's origin and course as altered over
the years. They gathered data on microbial and chemical water quality parameters during a 1-year period and
conducted indicator and tracer studies and traced connections. This work aroused the curiosity of neighbors, as
it is not every day one sees people opening manholes in the middle of the night and adding things to them, and
immediately affected members of the community joined the efforts. An older resident provided prior knowledge
about the area before it had been developed and with that information, the research team was able to trace the
stream to a spring under a sports stadium.
Community leaders suggested contacting the municipality because it had permitted and constructed most of the
stormwater system. Representatives from EPA and the university asked staff from the small water system for ideas,
and they suggested a localized workgroup with representatives from commonwealth, regional and municipal
agencies and the community. Commonwealth agencies appointed representatives, and the mayor appointed
representatives from local offices. Agency representatives were to research their agency's responsibility or authority
for the quebrada. The workgroup discovered that the public works and fire departments were responsible for
maintenance, and the cultural department identified historical maps of the stream. Each of the workgroup mem-
bers became excited to contribute to the effort.
Ultimately, it was discovered that there were no cross connections or deliberate environmental abuse; rather, the
sewer system of the city was overwhelmed with the increase in population. During high use or rainy days, sewers
overflowed and drained into the quebrada. EPA was able to negotiate compliance agreements with the responsible
municipal and commonwealth authorities. The municipal government collaborated with the Puerto Rico Aqueduct
and Sewer Authority and worked together to give priority to improvements to the wastewater system as part of a
transactional agreement. The data collected by the partners were used to prepare Preliminary Engineering Reports
to ask for rural development funding and the State Revolving fund support. The maps prepared by the students
and EPA intern still are used for planning within this area of the city. Because of the increase in awareness in the
community, additional sources of contamination were identified. EPA used the data and information collected
by the community to initiate two enforcement actions, including one against a gas station that was improperly
discharging water from a car wash.
to 5 years, depending on the source) to gather data
on the demographics, structure, sources, compliance
and economics of the system.
EPA should recognize the variety of ways that it already
engages in citizen science through well-established
partnerships and leverage these relationships for
additional impact. The Agency should integrate additional
citizen science work within current EPA processes. At EPA
and in scientific research generally, data and information
collected by citizen science often goes unrecognized; for
example, Cooper et al. found that 50 percent of what
is known about migratory birds and climate change is
15
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
"Our field staff consider water quality
data gathered by operators of small
systems to help them optimize
operations for public health and
environmental protection."25
-Joy Barrett, Rural Community Assistance
Partnership
based on citizen science data but not described that way
in publications.26 When data and information collected by
the public are used, EPA should recognize the source of
the data by citing citizen science in reports, publications
and policies. Standardizing this language will help to
validate the scientific merit of citizen science data and
information and highlight the variety of ways that EPA
already engages the public. By doing so, the Agency can
make it easier for EPA managers and staff to understand
and implement new opportunities.
There are a growing number and variety of citizen science
projects supported by the Agency and its different
program areas as shown in Table 2. Additionally,
EPA often collaborates with external organizations to
implement citizen science projects that help further the
Agency's mission of protecting human health and the
environment. Table 3 illustrates some examples of these
collaborations.
Action Item
EPA should demonstrate and communicate how citizen
science already contributes to action for environmental
protection and support individuals and organizations in
achieving action through a toolkit or roadmap.
Table 2. EPA Citizen Science Addressing Environmental Challenges Across Media and Programs
Air
Mobile App to Collect Wildfire Smoke Health Effects
www.epa.gov/air-research/smoke-sense-study-citizen-science-project-using-mobile-app
The Smoke Sense app is an EPA crowdsourcing tool that collects data on the health effects of wildfire
smoke on participants and what actions these participants are willing to take to lower smoke exposure.
EPA will use these data to determine the extent to which exposure to wildfire smoke affects health and
productivity and develop health risk communication strategies that improve public health on smoke days.
Ironbound Community Citizen Science Toolbox
ironboundcc.org/what-we-do/community/environmental-justice
The Ironbound Community Corporation deployed air sensors for community volunteers to collect data and
then use the results. The air quality data collected from the sensors benefit the Ironbound community by
allowing residents to investigate and learn about pollutants of concern, increasing community awareness
of air quality issues, and providing data needed to advocate for improved air quality.
Air Sensor Toolbox
www.epa.gov/air-sensor-toolbox
The Air Sensor Toolbox advises citizen scientists and others how to select and use low-cost, portable air
sensor technology and understand results from monitoring activities.
Air Pollution Monitoring for Communities
cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipients.display/rfa_id/587
Six research organizations were awarded EPA's Science to Achieve Results grants to help communities
learn more about local air quality and explore data quality, durability and uses of low-cost air pollution
sensor technology. Research Triangle Institute, for example, is creating a framework for communities near
Denver to design and conduct air quality monitoring studies.
Chemicals
Mobile App to Monitor Bees
www.epa.gov/citizen-science/hivescience
The HiveScience mobile app allows beekeepers to submit hive health reports and Varroa mite counts and
request kits to send honey samples to EPA. These data may allow EPA to track hive health through analysis
of honey samples and Varroa mite infestations across regions in real time. It also will provide information
about the real-world effectiveness of the miticides registered by EPA.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
16
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Table 2. EPA Citizen Science Addressing Environmental Challenges Across Media and Programs (continued)
Gardenroots
gardenroots.arizona.edu
Community members living near the Iron King Mine and Humboldt Smelter Superfund sites in Dewey-
Humboldt, Arizona, worked with a researcher to investigate the uptake of arsenic in commonly grown
vegetables, evaluate arsenic exposure and potential risk, and report results in an effective and meaningful
way. As a result of the study, community members could make educated choices about the type of garden
vegetables they would grow and eat and leveraged the results to encourage government officials to take
action and be more stringent in their cleanup efforts. A small EPA Office of Research and Development
grant helped to fund an early stage of this study.
Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring
Volunteers from various organizations collect water quality data to help improve the health of various
water bodies. An example organization that performs this type of work is the Chesapeake Monitoring
Cooperative ( /ww.chesapeakemonitoringcoop.or, ). EPA grants often support these organizations in their
monitoring efforts.
Land
Water
Cyanobacteria Monitoring
www.cyanos.org
Members of the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative track harmful algal blooms (HABs) using a mobile
app called bloomWatch. They collect cyanobacteria samples, submit images of the cyanobacteria to an
online tool, and then interact with others online to confirm the identity of the cyanobacteria under the
cyanoScope program. The cyanoMonitoring program allows them to monitor cyanobacteria over time
(i.e., cyanoMonitoring builds on cyanoScope, which in turn builds on bloomWatch). The work of these
citizen scientists provides information to government agencies to help address HABs when they occur. The
cooperative receives in-kind support from EPA research programs.
Regional Equipment Loan Program
EPA's Region 2 loans out and provides training for water monitoring equipment to citizen scientist groups
to conduct their work. Citizen science groups in Region 2 must apply for the loan, have a Quality Assurance
Project Plan in place, and provide regular updates on the work being carried out with the loaned equipment.
Other
Environmental
Projects
Hurricane Preparedness
geopub.epa.gov/RAINE/PDF/Mattapoisett_Community_Engagement.pdf
EPA engaged with the City of Mattapoisett (Massachusetts) to assess the vulnerability of the city's drinking
water systems to salt water intrusion from sea level rise and storm surge. Boy Scouts in the city set up
flood markers on utility poles to show the water levels from the past two hurricanes. These markers
allowed residents to understand how high water levels reached and the extent of the flooding.
LEO Tribal Crowdsourcing Tool
www.leonetwork.org
The Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network is a map application to crowdsource information from
tribes on unusual animal, environmental and weather events by allowing tribal members to share stories
and pictures. LEO allows citizen scientists to connect, raise awareness and find answers from experts
about significant environmental events. This application received support through grants from EPA's Office
of Research and Development and Office of International and Tribal Affairs.
¦ Environmental Violations Crowdsourcing Tool
www.ivan-imperial.org
The Identifying Violations Affecting Neighborhoods (IVAN) Network is an online crowdsourcing tool
that collects environmental complaints in participating California communities. Government agencies
address these complaints during monthly environmental task force meetings, which EPA attends. Two
of the California communities that use IVAN received EPA environmental justice grants to start their
environmental task forces.
Information in Table 2 provided by EPA. For more information about citizen science at EPA, please visit www.epa.gov/citizen-science.
EPA staff members may find additional information on the Agency's intranet at intranet.ord.epa.gov/innovation/citizen-science.
17
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Table 3. Examples of Successful Current or Historic EPA Collaborations
Collaborators
Collaborative Activities
Markers of Success
Colorado
EPA, Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment, and Colorado
River Watch
Collect metals, nutrient and
macroinvertebrate data to remove
waterbodies from impaired listings,
provide alternative restoration strategy,
and develop and refine multimetric
macro index for use attainment
Waterbody segments added to or
removed from impaired listings;
macroinvertebrate use assessment
criteria refined; data gaps in water
quality and macro data narrowed; 87%
more waterbodies assessed via Clean
Water Act protocols than otherwise
possible; more comprehensive 305(b)
reporting
California
EPA, Riverside-Corona Resource
Conservation District (RCD), Orange
County Coast Keeper, and Inland
Empire RCD
Monitor water quality on the Santa Ana
River
Data used in local resource
management decisions
Hawaii
EPA, Hawaii Department of Health, and
Surfrider Foundation—Kauai Chapter
(an example of one of Surfrider's
Blue Water Task Force citizen science
monitoring projects)
Monitor water quality and perform
pollutant loading studies
Purchased probes; funded interns;
identified bacteria sources from
livestock and cesspools and pesticide
use by GMO seed corn and coffee
companies
Wisconsin
EPA, Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources, and The Rock River Coalition
Stream Teams collect data that are used
by the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources in assessment decisions
Developed uniform data collection
protocols for volunteers and state
employees; coalition continued to
fund positions based on the value of
the effort; developed a user-friendly
database
Virginia
EPA—through specific programs—and
Virginia Department of Environmental
Quality, which supports local citizen
science efforts
Use citizen science data to list or delist
waters from impaired waters and for
305(b) reporting
Action taken at local level, such as fixing
leaking sewer lines; achieved increased
number of total maximum daily load
goals; more cooperation at local level;
funding for an annual operating budget
to support citizen science that includes
re-granting, 1.5 full-time equivalents
and equipment
Alabama
EPA, Alabama Water Watch, and
Alabama Department of Environmental
Management
Develop water chemistry, Escherichia coli
and biotic indices for impaired listings
and delisting to address pollution
Monitored 2,000 sites on 800
waterbodies during the course of
more than 25 years with 6,000 certified
monitors, resulting in some of the
lengthiest data sets in the state; use
of data by researchers, consultants,
educators and the public
California
EPA and Alpine Watershed Group
Understand and participate in the local
Superfund site and monitor for total
maximum daily load development for
impaired waters
Created a water pollution literate
community; engaged community in
Superfund site; developed a path
toward waters meeting uses
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
18
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Table 3. Examples of Successful Current or Historic EPA Collaborations (continued)
Collaborators
Collaborative Activities
Markers of Success
New Jersey
EPA, Newjersey Department of
Environmental Protection, Lopatcong
Creek Initiative, Newjersey Highlands
Coalition, and Delaware River
Watershed Initiative
Develop a watershed restoration and
protection plan
Developed a community that is taking
ownership of its river, which requires
local buy-in for local, state or federal
entities to benefit; restored native trout
stream by reducing £ coli and total
phosphorus levels
New Mexico
EPA and Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring
Program
Monitor the Middle Rio Grande through
Albuquerque and educate K-12 and
university students about river; inform
pueblos, irrigators, land and water
managers, stakeholders, and the public
about the health of the river, ditches
and aquifers; prioritize research and
identify areas of concern
Collected quality data using state and
federal protocols; data used by the
University of Mexico, New Mexico
Environment Department, Bernalillo
County, and Albuquerque Metropolitan
Arroyo Flood Control Authority; reached
200 students across seven schools
spanning the diversity of Albuquerque
Chesapeake Bay
EPA, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay,
and Save Our Streams (Izaak Walton
League)
Restore habitat and monitor water
quality
More waterways meeting uses than
before start of project; some ecological
systems returning to health; positively
changed some land and management
practices
Colorado
EPA, Roaring Fork Conservancy,
Mountain Studies Institute, Western
Slope Conservation, and more
Collect macroinvertebrates, nutrient
or other water quality samples for
Clean Water Act decisions or project-
effectiveness monitoring
More samples and work were
completed for the same cost; decision
was made and action taken because of
the data provided; waterbodies were
restored and protected
Recommendation 2. Build
inclusive and equitable
partnerships by understanding
partners' diverse concerns and
needs, including prioritizing
better support for grassroots
and community-based
partnerships in EPA
grant-funding strategies.
Understanding barriers to partnerships
and collaborations with EPA
A necessary factor in a good partnership is a shared
understanding of the role of each partner organization.
Interviews with a wide variety of organizations made
clear that many current and potential collaborators are
not clear about EPA's role. This uncertainty stems from
EPA's ad hoc approach to engaging in citizen science,
resulting in different experiences for and perceptions
of current and potential collaborators. Potential
collaborators do not know if and when the Agency is
available to partner on citizen science efforts, and many
organizations tend to think of EPA only as a regulatory
agency and not as a resource. Moreover, there is a lack
of understanding on how to approach the Agency or
engage EPA in a new partnership, especially when the
potential partner is a small or local organization.
Additional barriers to partnerships with the Agency
include a lack of staff dedicated to citizen science
efforts, the inconsistency of EPA participation, and
restrictions in EPA's scope of work. This limits and
inhibits maximum use of citizen science data of a known
quality. For example, Quality Assurance Project Plans
(QAPPs) provide information regarding data quality,
and EPA does not approve QAPPs for work not funded
by the Agency. As an initial step to address this, EPA is
19
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Students working on sea urchin studies with University of Hawaii Sea Grant. Photo credit: Via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Citizen Science Community of Practice from Pelika Andrade/Hawaii Sea Grant.
developing a quality assurance handbook to help guide
quality assurance for those projects not funded by EPA.
Further support would include criteria, a process and
resources to review citizen science QAPPs and provide a
"stamp" or certification that demonstrates EPA believes
a particular QAPP would produce data of a known
quality to answer data objectives stated in that QAPP or
articulate areas that need improvement to reach that
integrity. This certification would invite and encourage
other data users to review, value and utilize these citizen
science data sets that may not otherwise engage; EPA,
states, tribes, local governments and all entities benefit
the more data are discoverable. This type of review
is not appropriate for every situation and would be
a requested service EPA could provide, perhaps for
feasible compensation. EPA also could assist states and
tribes in developing a QAPP review and approval process
that increases overall transparency and documents best
management practices for all data generators.
EPA should develop and issue clear guidelines and
policy for how nongovernmental organizations can
approach the Agency with proposals for collaborative
efforts, including a detailed description of the process
small organizations should follow when soliciting EPA
assistance in citizen science projects. To the extent
that EPA is available as a resource, with outreach and
communication efforts the Agency can counter the
perception that it primarily is a regulatory agency.
Principles for equitable partnerships and collaborations
can enhance credibility and trust and allow for consistent
implementation of processes and procedures that guide
the Agency's citizen science efforts. EPA should identify
successful principles that guide equitable partnerships
and align the Agency's principles to engage in equitable
partnerships.
EPA generally requires those receiving funding to
engage in partnerships that ensure that community-
based organizations and nonprofit organizations
are conducting projects that are responsive to
communities' diverse needs. Often, however, the
allocated resources are not sufficient to adequately
support the assets that organizations and community
partners are providing. EPA grants sometimes are too
small to fairly compensate grassroots and community-
based partnerships, even when those partnerships
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
20
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
volunteers to
Training volunteers to identify blue-green algae in a mobile
laboratory near Squantz Pond in Connecticut. Photo credit:
Mark Howarth, Candlewood Lake Authority.
are required. Equity in resource allocation across
partners is necessary to ensure equitable partnership
development. EPA should increase the amount of
funding in each of these grant opportunities to provide
better support for partnerships and should prioritize
support for grassroots and community-based partners
that are often under-resourced. Equity involves providing
individuals and organizations with access (Figure 4) to
the same opportunities and seeks to address and correct
imbalances and uneven advantages and barriers.27
Challenges of this model include:
» The time commitment needed to cultivate authentic
relationships;
• Resources needed to develop increased capacities
for both the researcher and the community;
• Barriers to continued collaboration, including a lack
of shared expectations about how information will be
translated to action.
To overcome these challenges, an agreement between
the researcher and community is central to facilitat-
ing decision making through alternative views and
goals. Successful researcher-community collabora-
tion includes tangible benefits to all partners. Sharing
research responsibilities, resources and credit should
be integral to power-sharing agreements. Responsibilities
may include co-selection of the research topic, study
priorities and outcomes; development of an analysis that
includes researcher and community knowledge; data
collection and analysis that incorporate the community
perspective; translation and dissemination of data; and
"Community partners are uniquely
qualified to co-develop and reap
equitable, economic, and environmental
benefits of collaborative research as
these local experts possess the in situ
knowledge and self-determination to
affect successful outcomes."28
-Kevin Moore, Climate Resiliency
Coordinator, Newjersey Environmental
Justice Alliance
EQUALITY
EQUITY
¦ ¦
ii
ii
ii
ii
ii
ii
ii
•FUNDING
• RESOURCES
• PARTNERSHIPS
• POLICIES & PROCEDURES
WHAT CREATES EQUITY FOR GRASSROOTS AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS?
Figure 4. Equality versus equity.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Community-Engaged Research (CEnR): A Model for Principles for Equitable Partnerships29-30-31
Throughout the long history of collaboration between research and communities, environmental justice
organizers and researchers have recognized that community-based research often can be defined and
predetermined by the researchers. These projects frequently are conducted on communities, rather than with
communities, and take on a top-down dynamic. Benefits for communities usually are not the core focus, but
treated as ancillary benefits and not prioritized.
To redefine researcher-community dynamics, community organizers and researchers have characterized a
different kind of research that emphasizes shared power between researchers and communities (Figure 5). In
CEnR, co-developed research outcomes lift up both community and researcher priorities. This model includes
a set of principles that define researcher-community interactions. Although this model was developed in the
context of community-based research, it is applicable to citizen science and could be adopted as a model set
of principles for equitable interactions among researchers, communities and research participants.
Principles32-33
• Recognizes community as a unit of identity.
• Builds on strengths and resources within the community.
• Facilitates collaborative partnerships in all phases of the research.
• Integrates knowledge and action for mutual benefit of all partners.
• Promotes a co-learning and empowering process that attends to social inequalities.
• Involves a cyclical and incremental process.
• Addresses health from both positive and ecological perspectives.
• Disseminates findings and knowledge gained to all partners.
co-development of an implementation plan to move
from information to action. Resource sharing might
include consultancies with community partners and
stipends for local experts. Credit sharing may begin with
the selection of co-investigators—one researcher and
one community partner—and end with shared citations
on publications in addition to the implementation plan.
"Researchers should not expect
a community partner to put their
credibility on the line unless the intention
is to leave the community better off than
it was because of the research."34
-Aureilia Laird, University of Maryland
School of Pharmacy
Language is powerful, and terms used in grant proposals,
community/researcher agreements, memoranda of
agreement and other project documentation can
negatively affect the power dynamic in a collaboration.
For example, community partners should be referred
to as research participants or researchers, not study
subjects.
Action Item
EPA should communicate with collaborators and
potential collaborators about the Agency's role as a
resource and the obstacles that collaborators face in
approaching EPA for collaborative work. EPA should
research models and develop principles for engaging
in equitable partnerships and develop a plan to shift
grant-funding resources to adequately fund grassroots
and community-based organizations.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
22
-------
Chapter 2: Invest in Partnerships and Collaboration to Move Citizen Science
From Data and Information to Action
Collaborative Design
Iteration and Formative
Evaluation
Summative Evaluation
Inform
Inform stakeholders about
research (e.g., purpose, scope,
duration or personnel)
Inform stakeholders of initial
findings, initial challenges and
opportunities
Inform stakeholders of
summative research findings
Consult
Consult to determine existing
evaluation practice and to
document the programs under
evaluation
Consult to determine stakeholder
views on progress of research
and document the development
of evaluated programs since
initial consultations
Consult to determine preferred
dissemination routes
Involve
Involve stakeholder interests in
Involve stakeholder interests in
the iteration
Involve stakeholder interests in
decisions about dissemination
and future research needs/
possibilities
Collaborate
Collaborate on solutions to
anticipated problems and
on realizing and maximizing
possibilities of the research
Collaborate on solutions to
realized problems and identify
gaps in the research and its
findings
Collaborate on the dissemination
of the findings to the higher
education sector and relevant
academic disciplines through
conferences, reports and papers
Empower
HS
Empower through building
/ stakeholder evaluative
capacity and by ensuring
evaluation is designed so as
to serve and maximize the
nterests of the stakeholders
Empower through providing
stakeholders with a decisive voice
in the assessment of the research
project and the interactive
redesign process
Empower through the effective
dissemination of findings to
inform stakeholder decision
making and through the
provision of an evidence-base for
advocacy work
Figure 5. Community engagement continuum.
Source: Bower, K. 2017. "Introduction to Community Engaged Research." Presented at the Nuts & Bolts of Community Engaged Research
Workshop, Baltimore, MD, December 1, 2017. Modified from: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 2011. Principles of Community
Engagement, second edition. NIH Publication No. 11-7782. Washington, D.C.: Department of Health and Human Services, page 8.
Case Study. West End Revitalization Association: Demonstrating the Value of Community-Led
Research to Address Environmental Justice Issues
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Research Program on Community-Engaged
Research and Citizen Science
"In 1994, low income and minority residents of Mebane, North Carolina, established the West End Revitalization
Association (WERA). WERA was formed in response to a long history of being denied access to city water and sewer,
and a planned road that would destroy neighborhoods without mitigation. To address residents' civil rights and
environmental justice concerns, WERA created an innovative research paradigm called community-owned and
managed research (COMR). WERA combines COMR with collaborative problem-solving (CPS) to empower low-in-
come minority communities to produce scientific data and translate research into action.
"Citizen involvement included:
• Managing the research process.
• Becoming certified community monitors, including:
- Conducting household surveys and community mapping.
- Collecting drinking water and surface water for fecal pollution testing.
• Mentoring youth through a career development program (DREAM Network)."35
23
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
A mapping group in Val Verde, California. Photo credit: Public Lab/Shannon Dosemagen.
Opposite Page: The Crowd & the Cloud public television series host Waleed Abdalati (center) with Mariel and Angel Abreu
during the Audubon Christmas Bird Count on location in the Florida Everglades. Angel and Mariel are enthusiastic birders and
live out their tour group's slogan, "Nature is Awesome!" Photo credit: Geoff Haines-Stiies/Courtesy The Crowd & the Cloud,
supported by the National Science Foundation.
-------
CHAPTER THREE: Increase State, Territorial, Tribal
and Local Government Engagement With Citizen
Science
Local, state, territorial and tribal governments have
shown a high level of interest in using citizen science to
improve environmental protection. The technological
advances responsible for the increasing prevalence of
low-cost apps and other data collection tools have clearly
increased the number of citizen science projects that
have been or are being implemented. There has been
a corresponding increase in the level of interest among
local communities in undertaking such projects.
"Reflecting the often local nature of
community citizen science efforts, state
and municipal government agencies
have connected with citizen science,
particularly around environmental
monitoring issues,"36
-The Promise of Community Citizen
Science
There are many examples of data collected by citizen
scientists that have been translated into action, primarily
through partnerships and collaboration with local,
state, territorial and tribal agencies. Citizen-monitoring
activities include, among other actions, the classifica-
tion of species ("endangered") and bodies of water
("impaired"), which can lead to interventions. Other
examples include total maximum daily load monitoring,
watershed assessment and planning, nonpoint source
efforts, habitat restoration, waste reduction, establishing
restoration goals and success, and conducting outreach
and education programs.
Recommendation 3. Provide
EPA support and engage
states and territories to better
integrate citizen science into
program goals.
State and territorial governments can be powerful allies
in EPA's efforts to promote and support citizen science
at the local level. Many states and U.S. territories such
as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have citizen
science activities in their environment programs
that contribute to protecting human health and the
environment; historically, these have focused on water
monitoring. Other state and territorial agencies that
deal with natural resources often also engage in citizen
science efforts that support conservation, such as
invasive species monitoring. Some key environmental
legislation, such as the Clean Water Act and the Safe
Drinking Water Act, requires states to solicit public
participation and respond to data and information
generated by citizen science.37 State agencies are
mandated to monitor the gathering of data for
compliance by the regulated community. Currently,
these data (collected by private water systems or a
contracted laboratory) are not necessarily understood
to be citizen science data; however, some members of
the public do consider these data to be theirs. Moreover,
the extent to which states and territories consider citizen
science data is not well documented.
25
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 3: Increase State, Territorial, Tribal and Local Government Engagement With Citizen Science __
EPA intern collecting data in rural Puerto Rican communities. Photo credit: Center for Environmental Education, Conservation and
Research, Inter-American University of Puerto Rico.
EPA should work with state and territorial environmental
agencies to make citizen science a strategic priority. It is
particularly important that EPA work closely with state
and territorial organizations to fulfill the mission of
environmental protection because these organizations
have close connections with local communities and
organizations; these groups can be EPA's conduit to local
communities,
EPA programs such as the Clean Water Act and
associated funding provide states with key pieces of
study design and specific data and information needs,
such as the information in 305(b) Integrated Reports.
Effective study design with careful attention to the
data and information needs of the Clean Water Act and
other key environmental legislation allows monitoring
programs to document and articulate measurable results
and publish high-quality data.
EPA also should collaborate with those state and
territorial environmental and natural resources
agencies that encourage citizen science. A survey of
state environmental agency websites was conducted for
more information on state citizen science efforts, and
outlined below are some examples of the range of citizen
science work within four states. These examples are not
comprehensive.
Colorado Citizen Science Activities
Colorado has an extensive range of citizen science efforts in and out of government.
Lead State Environmental Agency: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Other Relevant Agencies: The Colorado Department of Natural Resources, which oversees Colorado Parks
and Wildlife and the Colorado State Forest Service
Water Projects: Colorado Parks and Wildlife partners with a nonprofit organization, Earth Force, to
coordinate volunteer water quality monitoring efforts across the state.38
Additional Information: The data from the Colorado River Watch program are used for watershed
assessment reports for hundreds of watersheds across the state.39
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
26
-------
__ Chapter 3: Increase State, Territorial, Tribal and Local Government Engagement With Citizen Science
Georgia Citizen Science Activities
Georgia uses a highly collaborative approach to engaging the public in environmental monitoring.
State Environmental Agency: Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD)
Other Relevant Agency: Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Water Projects:
• Georgia EPD runs the Georgia Adopt-A-Steam program that coordinates the training of volunteers across
the state to monitor and take samples from local waterways. The program provides manuals, technical
support and training in regional facilities and works with local organizations to build a network of citizen
water monitors.40
• Georgia EPD hosts a river cleanup program that sponsors an annual, statewide cleanup day.41
• Georgia EPD works with the Georgia Lakes Society on an Adopt-A-Lake program to coordinate statewide
monitoring of lakes.42
Other Activities:
• The University of Georgia has a citizen science CyanoTracker platform so that the public can easily provide
actionable information for managers to choose areas for further analysis and testing.43
• The university also runs an Adopt-A-Wetland program to educate citizens on the importance of wetlands
and train them to monitor wetland health.44
Additional Information:
• Georgia works in partnership with Alabama Water Watch to monitor watersheds that cross the state boundary.
• The Georgia Department of Natural Resources maintains a regional water quality database used by
neighboring states to record baseline water quality and report trends over time.45
Michigan Citizen Science Activities
Michigan has a long history of using citizen science to improve water quality and conserve natural resources.
Lead State Environmental Agency: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Other Relevant Agency: Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Water Projects:
• MiCorps is a program run by the DEQ to support volunteer surface water quality monitoring. Under this
program, there are volunteer groups to monitor lakes, streams and other surface waterbodies.46
• The DEQ also provides funding to local governments and nonprofit organizations for volunteer water quality
monitoring efforts.47
Other Activities:
• The Alliance for the Great Lakes hosts an Adopt-a-Beach program.48
• A collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey, National Geographic Society, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Great Lakes Observing System, and Sea Grant Michigan established FieldScope
to allow citizen scientists to upload and interact with data about the water quality of the Great Lakes.49
Additional Information: Although data from citizen water quality monitoring efforts cannot be used for
regulatory purposes, these data inform decisions for water use designation and further testing.
27
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 3: Increase State, Territorial, Tribal and Local Government Engagement With Citizen Science __
Virginia Citizen Science Activities
Virginia has a well-developed state program
to support citizen science for environmental
protection.
Lead State Environmental Agency: Virginia
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Other Relevant Agencies: Virginia Department
of Conservation and Recreation, Department of
Forestry, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
DEQ Water projects:
Virginia DEQ manages a citizen science water
monitoring program that serves streams, lakes
and rivers across the commonwealth. DEQ works
with many local and nonprofit groups to train
volunteers on water and ecosystem monitoring.50
DEQ also provides funding and support to local
governments and nonprofit organizations for
volunteer water quality monitoring efforts. Virginia
Save Our Streams, for example, coordinates more
than 600 volunteers collecting information on 250
streams and receives DEQ support.51
Other Activities: The University of Virginia's
College at Wise runs the Citizen Science Initiative,
which connects students and local community
members to citizen science efforts that protect
local waterways and ecosystems.52
Additional Information:
Virginia law directs DEQ to establish a citizen water
quality monitoring program and provide technical
assistance and funding to local monitoring groups.0
Although data from citizen water quality
monitoring efforts cannot be used for enforcement
decisions, these data inform decisions for water
use designation and listing of impaired waters.
cCode of Virginia: Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Program. Title 62.1,
Chapter 3.1, § 62.1-44.19:11.
EPA needs to help states and territories prioritize and
integrate citizen science into their environmental efforts
and programs. Starting with Agency-funded programs
and mandates, EPA can provide guidance, ideas,
principles, best management practices and/or incentives
to state and territorial governments for leveraging
citizen science. Just as the knowledge, comfort level
and engagement with citizen science varies across EPA
regions, state and territorial governments' citizen science
experience varies, and these entities need support to
embrace citizen science and integrate it as a strategic
priority. EPA can require or encourage the consideration
of citizen science data in funded programs and can
provide more guidance and support to leverage citizen
science data and information to action.
Action Item
EPA should help state and territorial governments
make citizen science a priority and integrate citizen
science efforts into goals and programs that relate to
EPA's mission. This may include providing guidance,
best management practices, principles, incentives,
requirements, reporting and funding, as well as leading
by example. EPA should identify instances of how these
agencies are successfully using citizen science for action
so that the Agency can publicize these success stories
and help these entities derive greater benefit from their
existing programs.
Recommendation 4. Build on
the unique strengths of EPA-
tribal relationships.
The EPA Policy for the Administration of Environmental
Programs on Indian Reservations, signed in 1984, laid
the groundwork to "give special consideration to Tribal
interests in making Agency policy, and to insure the close
involvement of Tribal Governments in making decisions
and managing environmental programs affecting
reservation lands."53 The policy allows the Agency to work
directly with tribes as sovereign entities, rather than as
subdivisions of states, territories or local governments.
Tribal citizen science program activities protect public
health and the environment within and around Indian
country. Similar to state and territorial environmental
citizen science programs, tribal programs depend on
EPA's support, but EPA plays a unique role as a mediator
between tribal nations, state and territorial governments,
and other federal agencies. Often, EPA can help protect
tribes from unwarranted actions, as was the case in 2017
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
28
-------
__ Chapter 3: Increase State, Territorial, Tribal and Local Government Engagement With Citizen Science
Measuring flow changes in the inlet to an experimental slow sand
filter being adapted for the Mulas community in Patillas, Puerto Rico.
Photo credit: Center for Environmental Education, Conservation
and Research, Inter-American University of Puerto Rico.
in Minnesota when EPA's Region 5 (Midwest) reviewed
and denied regional general permits to the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water Act because
not enough time was given for tribal consultation and
buy-in.54
Recognizing this unique role, EPA should ensure
that citizen science resources are benefiting tribal
communities by seeking tribal input in developing or
reviewing programs that align program outcomes with
tribal priorities. Because each tribe has a unique history
and culture, citizen science tools and programs should
be tailored to each tribe to effectively build capacity
and enthusiasm for engaging their voices and skills.
EPA support should emphasize the key role of tribes as
partners in building on existing relationships to move
data and information to action.
EPA's regional offices have direct connections with tribes
and can help to facilitate support for citizen science
throughout the country by aligning EPA program goals
with tribal needs and capabilities. EPA should look to
these relationship structures as opportunities to support
tribes in developing policies and best practices in using
citizen science for environmental protection. Recognizing
that some tribes may be limited in their ability to monitor
water quality, EPA Region 2 gave environmental justice
communities and tribal nations priority for its Equipment
Loan Program for Citizen Science Water Monitoring.55
EPA should encourage all of its regional offices to take
similar action-oriented steps that build capacity and
trust.
Many tribal nations already use citizen science and are
interested in expanding the types of applications.3 EPA
should learn from current best practices and strengthen
its support for tribal governments that already are
implementing or Interested in implementing citizen
science. Efforts should include but are not limited to:
• Incorporating citizen science programming support
for the National EPA-Tribal Science Council, which
comprises EPA representatives from each Agency
program office and region, tribal representatives
from each EPA region, and a representative of Alaska
Native villages.
• Sharing the success stories from tribes that have
achieved results using citizen science approaches.
• Developing tribal citizen science toolkits similar to
other tribal-specific toolkits (e.g., green building,
water quality)
• Facilitating tribe-to-tribe citizen science resource
exchanges and knowledge sharing.
Tribal opportunities in citizen science also can be
enhanced by creative funding strategies. For example,
tribal science grants often require outreach. Tribal
organizations may want to build citizen science into
outreach components of proposals, and EPA should
promote citizen science as an effective method for
conducting scientific outreach.
Action Item
EPA should expand its support for tribal governments
in using citizen science, especially through EPA's direct
connections with tribes. EPA should seek tribal input in
citizen science activities to ensure outcomes align with
tribal priorities.
29
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 3: Increase State, Territorial, Tribal and Local Government Engagement With Citizen Science
Recommendation 5. Align EPA
citizen science work to the
priorities of local governments.
Local governments—including large cities and small
towns, county governments, and urban and rural
communities—can play an important role in promoting
and using citizen science. Local units of government are
well positioned to raise awareness about environmental
issues and can help lead environmental protection and
education programs that deal with local concerns. A
growing number of water and air monitoring programs
are managed locally, many of which involve local
government. Citizen science offers the potential to collect
and leverage relevant data to inform local environmental
decision making and actions to manage environmental
"My research involved investigating
small community water systems and
community perceptions around the
factors influencing their ability to comply
with the surface and/or groundwater
treatment and monitoring requirements
of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Gaining
interviews with EPA officials in the
relevant region proved a bit difficult,
as was probing for more detailed
information beyond Agency-standard
responses. Communities interviewed
expressed frustration at being served
noncompliance notices, but had little
contact with EPA officials to even
understand or know how to respond to
the notices. Some of the EPA officials
interviewed had overly generalized views
of the communities as homogenous
entities and failed to account for the
diversity of socio-political struggles
within the locale that prevented it from
acting as a 'community' around the
provisioning of water to households."56
-Sarah Opitz-Stapleton, Overseas
Development Institute
health risks. Trends like smart cities (where municipalities
use information and communications technology to
increase efficiency, lower costs and enhance quality
of life) offer great opportunities for increased public
participation.
Local governments are a primary conduit for EPA
to reach communities and vice versa because local
governments have established relationships with
residents and organizations within communities.
Through these relationships, they often have greater
credibility with local residents and are more familiar
with and responsive to the issues and challenges that
local communities face. They already may have data
that can be used to assess local problems and also may
have other resources and capabilities (e.g., GIS expertise,
equipment) that could be used to generate additional
data. In some cases, local governments already may be
engaged with community groups that are working to
address local environmental and sustainability concerns.
Local governments and communities have great
potential to collaborate with EPA in the gathering of data
and in the implementation of environmental laws, such
as the Clean Water Act. Federal law, however, frequently
is blind to differences and circumstances that may
hinder a community's ability to collaborate. For example,
the implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act
requires dealing with 149,000 small systems that serve
fewer than 3,000 people (usually 25 to 400 households).
These systems serve people with different ethnicities,
levels of education and economic status and often
Demonstrating an air monitor to a group of people for the Kansas
City Transportation Local-Scale Air Quality Study.
Photo credit: EPA Region 7 Digital Team.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
30
-------
__ Chapter 3: Increase State, Territorial, Tribal and Local Government Engagement With Citizen Science
District of Columbia Citizen Science Activities
The government of Washington, D.C. and surrounding local communities have led efforts to preserve the local
environment with citizen science efforts.
Lead Environmental Agency: D.C. Department of Energy & Environment
Other Relevant Groups: Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission57, Prince George's County
Parks and Recreation Department, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
Water Projects: The D.C. Department of Energy & Environment and the Metropolitan Washington Council
of Governments are working with local organizations to coordinate citizen science efforts to protect the
Anacostia River.58
Other Activities: The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments created an Environmental
Justice Toolkit guiding policymakers on how to use citizen science as a tool to increase engagement with
disadvantaged communities.59
have different burdens because they are in different
watersheds or have a different climate. Generally, each
system individually collects data needed by EPA to reach
congressional objectives. These small systems often are
unable to aggregate their power to collaborate with EPA
in the search for data and information.
Citizen science groups can provide information that
local governments and communities can use to protect
public health and the environment. For example, the
Senior Environmental Corps in Philadelphia discovered
untreated sewage in a creek that threatened to
contaminate the city's water supply, resulting in a
$1 million dollar emergency intervention by the
Philadelphia Water department.
Action Item
EPA should explore how to best build capacity in local
government for citizen science. This includes both
projects organized by local government and those
coordinated by other local organizations (libraries,
garden clubs, youth organizations, schools, etc.).
EPA should work with local governments to define
opportunities for citizen science to support local
priorities and recognize the different needs of local
governments and organizations when creating national
priorities and plans.
A volunteer trains other volunteers how to
out data collection
in their communities. Photo credit: Courtesy The Crowd & the
Cloud, supported by the National Science Foundation.
31
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Jose Barros (left), President of Tropical Audubon, and Paul Bithorn participating in the Audobon Christmas Bird Count m the
Florida Everglades. The Bird Count began in 1900 and is one of America's longest running citizen science projects. Instead
of killing birds for bragging rights, founder Frank Chapman suggested counting, eventually generating data that can show
environmental change over time. Photo credit: Nathan Dappen/Courtesy The Crowd & the Cloud, supported by the
National Science Foundation.
Opposite Page: Participating in the Colorado River Watch program. Photo credit: Colorado River Watch,
-------
During NACEPT's interview process, many interviewees
expressed the view that EPA lacks an understanding
of other organizations, especially in terms of limits
in the resources of nongovernmental organizations.
Limited resources may result in the inability of
representatives of small external organizations to
travel, attend conferences or devote resources to
project management, For meaningful engagement, EPA
must meet organizations "where they are" to facilitate
partnerships and collaboration. To pursue partnerships
with external organizations, the Agency should think
strategically about how partnerships can address
limitations in Agency work and the strategic benefits
other organizations can provide toward EPA priorities
(Table 4).
Recommendation 6. Co-create
EPA citizen science priorities
through consultation with
external organizations.
External organizations have access to and relationships
with citizen science groups and projects. These networks
can be utilized for direct access to people who are
implementing citizen science in their work and can
help EPA assess data gaps, advise on citizen science
needs and best management practices, and educate
on principles for equitable partnerships. They also can
provide a conduit for EPA and tribal, state, territorial and
local governments to disseminate helpful information
to the citizen science community. Partnerships and
collaboration with these groups can help the Agency
consistently and systematically integrate citizen science
into its mission, These groups also can provide relevant
information, training and resources to the citizen science
communities and assist with cultivating relationships,
developing capacity and managing expectations.
Organizations that could act as intermediaries
include the Citizen Science Association and the River
Network, as well as place-based organizations, such
as Air Alliance Houston. EPA should develop a strong
working relationship with these and other key external
organizations and rely on them to co-create EPA citizen
science priorities through a consultation process.
Stakeholders expressed a need for a variety of resources
and assistance from EPA, including the following:
Capital Investment
• Funding to support citizen science projects, including
direct funding and guidance for obtaining other
funding.
• Monitoring equipment, apps and other technical
tools that citizen science groups can use to collect
data.
Technical Assistance
• Easily accessible contacts in each EPA region or
program for assistance with QAPP development
and approval or as a resource for citizen science
collaborations.
• EPA employees with expertise in communicating with
the public on technical questions.
• Training and support for data management,
especially for contributing to the National Water
Quality Portal and the Water Quality Exchange.
33
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 4: Leverage External Organizations for Expertise and Project Level Support
Table 4. Partnership Opportunities: Connecting Organizations to Work With One Another and With EPA
Type of Potential
Partner
Examples of Organizations
Government
• Federal
• Tribal
• State
• Regional
• Local
• K-16 (public, private, home school) r .
Educational • Colleges and universities • ciencecen ers
. ... .. ° • Cooperative extensions
institutions 'Museums .. ,K
•Libraries -Makerspaces
•Environmental organizations (conservation • Volunteer organizations
Nongovernmental * ¦ u u.u «.¦ ^ • Hobbyists (outdoor and sportsmen s groups, boaters
.. groups, environmental health organizations) . \
organizations . Environmental justice organizations and outfitters associations)
1 & • Land trusts and watershed associations
• Water users
• Water, air and land managers • Software, application and systems developers
Private Sector • Water planners • Agricultural associations
• Sampling and analysis equipment developers • Professional organizations
and providers
• Assistance with study design, including identifying
monitoring questions and data objectives, as well as
targeting specific decision makers and their data and
information needs.
• Assistance with data analysis protocols and
procedures.
Policy/Guidance
• Creation of standards for providing data of known
quality for known decision processes.
Recommendation 7. Create
EPA policies, incentives, and
guidance that encourage
engagement with stakeholders
in citizen science projects.
EPA does not consistently engage in citizen science across
EPA's programs and regions. For example, interviews
suggest that EPA regions tend to be more conservative
• Support for increasing the value and use of the data
collected in citizen science projects.
• Outreach materials about citizen science.
• Information on citizen science projects and success
stories.
• Technology recommendations, including monitors
and other tools for data collection.
Action Item
EPA should create a strategic partnership with
key external citizen science organizations. These
partnerships should identify specific roles for each
organization in order to help the Agency consistently
integrate citizen science to meet its mission of protecting
human health and the environment.
Collecting saliva samples in Puerto Rico to perform an immuno-
assay to determine exposure to waterborne pathogens. Photo
credit: Center for Environmental Education, Conservation and
Research, Inter-American University of Puerto Rico.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 4: Leverage External Organizations for Expertise and Project Level Support
in their interactions with the public than EPA program
staff. A cooperative model that embraces citizen science
is especially important in EPA's regional offices because
these offices often administer partnerships with local
nongovernmental organizations.
EPA should establish clear policy, incentives and
guidance about when and how to use citizen science
to create a systematic path and Agency norms around
these approaches. This guidance should include a
common lexicon for citizen science implementation that
would help standardize documentation, communication
and progress nationwide. EPA should empower and
incentivize regional employees to interact with local
organizations. For example, the Agency should empower
regional employees to create methods to allocate
Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) (part of
the enforcement tools after a finding) as a source of
funding citizen science. To support that effort, EPA
should prepare an inventory of research needs at the
local level to negotiate SEPs. Alternatively, EPA could
consider redesigning SEP funding processes to be more
inclusive of citizen science efforts, such as by embracing
a more cooperative model or a pooled approach.
A cross-section of EPA personnel at different levels and
roles at the Agency have varied ideas and perceptions
about the meaning and use of citizen science. At regional
offices, many described citizen science as a tool that
"Fa mi lias Uriidas del Chamizal wants to
work with citizens to monitor air quality
in the Chamizal neighborhood in El Paso,
Texas. Multiple air quality detectors
will be distributed to trained citizens
who can set up equipment in their own
backyard. Data can be collected together
as a community to understand the
quality of air in this neighborhood. The
group also wants to work with students
at the local Bowie High School to help
execute a public health survey for a
general community health assessment.
As a part of the Chamizal community,
these students will develop a connection
and consciousness of what is happening
in their community and how it affects
them."
-Hilda Villegas, Familias Unidas del
Chamizal60
facilitates collection of data by local residents that would
be difficult or too expensive to obtain with limited human
resources or government funding. At the local level,
many described citizen science as a tool for working with
members of the public with scientific knowledge or skills,
EPA and Inter-American University of Puerto Rico staff and members of seven Puerto Rican communities discuss data and information
sharing for an epidemiological study aimed to help the communities. Photo credit: Center for Environmental Education, Conservation
and Research, Inter-American University of Puerto Rico.
35
Information to Action
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 4: Leverage External Organizations for Expertise and Project Level Support
including working with these skilled members of the
public to gather needed data for decisions and learn data
collection techniques. Scientists within EPA Headquarters
programs described citizen science as any information
received by the Agency from outside sources. All of these
are useful definitions and complement the overall goal of
partnership, cooperation and collaboration between EPA
and states and territories, local jurisdictions, external
organizations and tribal nations. This diverse set of ideas,
however, speaks to the need for consistent policies and
guidance for citizen science among EPA staff, especially
those who already work with communities.
EPA programs such as Environmental Justice, Urban
Waters and Community Action for a Renewed Envi-
ronment have supported and promoted numerous
projects in which grassroots organizations and/
or communities overburdened by contamination
have served as partners in the gathering of data and
information to prevent or correct environmental
issues that affect health and quality of life. Groups
that participate in these programs have been readily
recognized by EPA and know how to access the Agency
and voice their concerns.
NestWatch is a citizen science project that monitors
the status and trends in bird reproductive biology,
including the timing and survival of eggs and
hatchlings. Citizen scientists contribute to a database
of breeding bird populations by finding a bird nest,
visiting the nest every 3 to 4 days and then reporting
their findings to the database. Results inform
an understanding of breeding bird population
numbers and the impact of climate change, habitat
loss, landscape change, and non-native plants and
animals.61
Action Item
EPA should develop clear policies for how to engage in
citizen science work. This policy and guidance should be
focused especially on EPA's regional offices to expand
local collaborations.
Case Study. Applying Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) Funds to Citizen Science
Projects in Puerto Rico
EPA officials in charge of small potable water supplies in Puerto Rico had an idea: working together, they could
help the region comply with congressional goals for safe drinking water by providing a mechanism to use SEP funds
to apply fines from violators to citizen science projects. EPA employees believed that this type of negotiation could
result in citizen science and collaborative projects that would have a positive effect on EPA's agenda and goals in
the area. These projects could help the region meet its goals and improve health in the rural, underprivileged areas
that it is charged to protect. Staff consulted with their supervisors and decided to perform a pilot project to deter-
mine the possible legal and administrative barriers for such application of the SEP process. In a recent enforcement
case, a construction company and a quarry violated their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit
by discharging into a small stream that serves as the source for small potable water supplies. EPA negotiated a SEP
to be offered to the violator and engaged the community and a local university to collect the preliminary water
quality data needed for the design. In principle, the violator accepted the idea. After months of work, however, the
violator decided to pay the fine. Moving forward, EPA officials are developing an inventory ofSEPs that violators
could choose to fund with their regulatory fines. The question remains, however: What amount and type of
funding from SEPs should be allocated to citizen science work? Because it is a voluntary action, what will motivate
violators to choose to support citizen science?
Opposite page photo: Youth in the Bourj Al Shamali refugee camp in south Lebanon use a kite to map a refugee camp from
the rooftop of one of their houses. Photo credit: Claudia Martinez Mansell.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
36
-------
"When EPA communicates data,
they focus only on how it can inform
individual choices. The overall message
seems to be, if AQI is bad, stay indoors.
Most people, especially the most
vulnerable people, don't have those
choices. EPA should look at the data in
terms of how it reveals systemic issues,
in order to improve environmental
quality."9
-Dr. Gwen Ottinger, Drexel University
Recommendation 8. Expand
public engagement in EPA work
by prioritizing open licensing
and making data and tools
more transparent, accessible
and usable.
EPA can empower citizen scientists and maximize
opportunities for the public to engage in environmental
research and protection by increasing the level of
transparency in all aspects of the Agency's work.
So far, EPA has focused on sensors and personal
monitoring opportunities; however, EPA should open
up and transparently engage the public in hardware and
software use and development, data collection, model
use, publishing, the development and implementation
of grant programs (and development of subsequent
publications), and peer review. This would provide
additional avenues for engaged members of the
public to participate in environmental protection, from
education and community engagement to regulations
and enforcement.3
Open data often are not easily accessed or interpreted
by those who want to use them. EPA should make open
datasets accessible, interpretable and useful for a variety
of audiences by creating systems for data visualization
and use in parallel to their open datasets. EPA should
(1) develop a standard for open data sharing, (2) make
According to the National Environmental Justice
Advisory Council (NEJAC), "Merely making data
available on a website does not make it meaningful
or useful to a community. Most people need training
or help to be able to fully understand and gain useful
knowledge from monitoring data. This training
should help them understand and apply the data
and information to their problems or concerns."8
NEJAC provides specific suggestions for how to do
so, including recommending that EPA provide data
focused on community concerns, provide additional
information with raw data, include explanations and
comparative analysis to help people understand
threats, report data within the context of the
ambient conditions, and include simple, direct
language when presenting cautionary information.8
EPA can create analysis and interpretation tutorials,
which wili provide a place for organizations to
interact with their data, draw conclusions, take
action and tell their story.
37
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Chapter 5: Encourage Transparency Through Open Data and Advanced Technology Policies
Arizona State University and SciStarter hosted the
Citizen Science Maker Summit at the ASU Chandler
Innovation Center in Chandler, Arizona. The day-
and-a-half event brought together academics,
practitioners, educators, citizen scientists and
makers to catalyze and strengthen collaborations
between the communities. Objectives included
the following: develop a framework for a public-
facing database of common citizen science tools to
complement SciStarter's database of citizen science
projects and events; identify real-world case studies
including efforts to identify, build or improve low-cost
tools for citizen science; address issues of access:
how to better reach and support underrepresented
communities and educators around citizen science
and making; and explore plans for future citizen
science and making collaborations.62
the case for data publishing and treating data as an
asset by publishing data for others to use and providing
all necessary metadata and supporting resources, and
(3) integrate that standard as a practice in all programs,
grants and peer reviews.
Open data and tools need to improve the quality of the
environmental and health science EPA uses for its work,
and the Agency should remove barriers that prevent
citizen scientists from accessing these tools. EPA should
support and incentivize open-source licensing in EPA
funding for citizen science tools, which would allow for
results, tools, equipment and techniques to be sharable
and not patentable. Funding applications should
emphasize open-source licensing and, when open-source
licensing is unavoidable, require applicants to justify why
proprietary licensing is necessary. EPA should partner
with nongovernmental organizations that can provide
support on technology design processes, iterations,
piloting, verification and workflows related to citizen
science projects; these groups can identify technology
needs along the pathway from data and information to
action and help with the design of these tools to meet
community needs.
As an important part of this effort, EPA should recognize
the value of nondigital sensors and recognize that do-it-
yourself (DIY) methods and analog tools, such as odor
logs, can provide data appropriate for some uses and
actions. EPA should value the development of nondigital
technology based on which tools are appropriate along
the spectrum of citizen science data use.3
To ensure broader accessibility of open technology tools,
EPA should encourage the use of lending library models
and support lending libraries through partnerships and
collaborations with external organizations. Lending
libraries can provide means for people to access
otherwise high-cost technology. EPA should both
facilitate successful lending programs, such as developed
by EPA's Regions 1 and 2,63 and through resources
such as training modules, documentation and funding,
support other lending programs developed by citizen
science projects.
Action Item
EPA should increase its efforts in open hardware,
software, data, models, publishing and peer review. EPA
should work to make data more accessible, prioritize
open licensing, value DIY and nondigital sensors, and
encourage lending libraries.
Recommendation 9. Encourage
EPA collaboration with the
private sector and other
stakeholders on big data
initiatives with careful
consideration for transparency
and EPA's governmental role.
Private companies, associations, nongovernmental
organizations, app developers and other stakeholders
have a growing interest in the field of citizen science.
Industry interest ranges from that of Fortune 500
companies to small startups, as well as products from
sensors to apps to forecasting capabilities to data
repositories. The growing technology sector is an
important but underutilized partner for expanding the
scope and beneficial effects of citizen science. Companies
and other stakeholders have the capacity to develop
technology for citizen science efforts, including team-
building, product design, data collection and analysis,
and information dissemination. EPA should facilitate
collaborative research and development with companies
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
38
-------
Chapter 5: Encourage Transparency Through Open Data and Advanced Technology Policies
and other stakeholders that are testing new approaches
to big data system development, open-access data
platforms and innovative security approaches. Doing
so would benefit the production and use of citizen
science data and information. The Agency could provide
a connection to citizen science community needs and
concerns while also promoting knowledge sharing and
training for small businesses engaged in open data and
tools.
As this interest grows and partnerships between the
private sector, other stakeholders and government
agencies expand into new areas, EPA can develop
standards to facilitate positive stakeholder involvement
in environmental protection. EPA should look to related
models to help define its inherently governmental
activities, promote mutually beneficial outcomes,
and develop communications tools for these kinds of
collaborative efforts. For example, EPA should require
that all partners document and be transparent about
data licensing, sharing and use. These efforts will help
provide context to an expanding array of citizen science-
related products that may use data and information
from EPA or other environmental agencies.
Action Item
EPA should develop standards and practices for
partnership with the private sector and implement these
standards in new collaborations with the private sector
to expand and enhance citizen science.
Recommendation 10. Build
EPA expertise in advanced
technology to facilitate
collaboration and strategically
engage in citizen science at
national and international
levels.
Rapid advancement in advanced technologies such as
artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, virtual
reality and the Internet of Things have the potential to
radically alter the way that environmental governance
structures work and how the public participates in data
collection and use. Effective technology partnerships
are possible when EPA employees recognize and
understand new technologies and can participate in
national conversations about emerging, open and
advanced technologies. EPA should provide internal
training sessions on these advanced technologies and
encourage and incentivize expertise in these areas
for the following four reasons. First, this would allow
the Agency to be aware of trends and advancements
in these rapidly developing areas. Second, EPA could
facilitate collaborations with the private sector. Third,
EPA could strategically engage in bringing technology
to citizen science groups. Finally, the Agency can help
to develop opportunities and challenges to move citizen
science data and information to action.
Action Item
EPA should increase the expertise of Agency employees
on emerging and advanced technologies through
training, encouragement and incentives and create
systematic funnels to share new resources with citizen
science groups.
When speaking at the 2017 Air Quality Sensor
Conference about back-end applications for sensor
networks, Dean Bethke, Business Development
Lead for Internet of Things (Azure loT) at Microsoft,
emphasized how industries are using Internet of
Things and cloud-based solutions for scaling data
storage and analysis to improve data access:
"Now we have this around the world
in 40 different regions, over a 100
different data centers... there are
only a couple of companies in the
world that are doing things at this
scale. Sometimes you don't need
this type of scale, but oftentimes
you do, in particular around
regulatory compliance because data
sovereignty is a challenge."64
39
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Conclusion
Citizen science is an approach for action. Citizen science
provides a valuable opportunity for encouraging the
public to work together with EPA toward more effective
protection of human health and the environment. By
embracing and integrating citizen science as a core
tenet of its mission, EPA can lead the transformation
of environmental and human health protection into
a paradigm that engages the very population that the
Agency seeks to protect. By prioritizing citizen science,
the Administrator has the opportunity to increase
the efficiency and effectiveness of EPA programs and
empower stronger partnerships and collaborations
for environmental protection. Continuing to articulate
and implement a vision for citizen science at EPA will
provide Agency staff with leadership and support to
guide their enthusiasm and desire to connect with the
American public. The recommendations transmitted in
the 2016 NACEPT report provided the foundation for
EPA to identify citizen science as a cross-Agency strategy
for devoting necessary resources so that EPA staff can
approach citizen science and open communication
with the public without hesitancy. Strengthening
Agency partnerships with states, territories, tribes
nongovernmental organizations and emerging
technology sectors is an essential next step to build on
the current momentum surrounding this movement.
By defining and communicating EPA's role within each
of these relationships, the Agency can strategically
support citizen science in a unique and powerful way
that benefits both EPA and the public.
Stakeholders need more support
from EPA
To more fully leverage the power of citizen science for
environmental protection, EPA needs to strengthen
the support for communities, partners and the Agency
in using citizen science for actions and decisions. By
understanding and acting on the diversity of concerns
and resource needs of partners, EPA can build equity into
citizen science programming. Leveraging partnerships
and collaboration across the spectrum of citizen science
activities can build trust and support local groups
moving data and information to action. Prioritizing the
needs of the user-community will not only increase
civic engagement in environmental protection, it also
will promote positive relationships between EPA and
members of the public.
EPA needs to work more closely with
other government partners
There is a high level of interest from local, state,
territorial and tribal stakeholders in using citizen science
to improve environmental protection. Recognizing
the unique role that EPA has with states, territories,
and tribes will allow the Agency to tailor support for
citizen science that considers the diverse regional and
cultural needs of stakeholders and help to support
local governmental partners in addressing and solving
environmental problems.
EPA can help build a cooperative part-
nership model that networks the many
organizations outside of government
To help local, state, territorial and tribal communities
integrate citizen science into their decision making, EPA
should engage more closely with nongovernmental
organizations. These groups often have deep-rooted
connections at a local level and are able to serve as a
conduit for EPA and community partners, streamlining
efforts in assessing data gaps, identifying capacity
needs and developing equitable relationships. Through
thoughtful design and work with these organizations,
EPA can empower its employees to move from a
government-legal model, based on EPA's role as
regulator, to a more cooperative model that allows the
Agency to embrace citizen science.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
40
-------
EPA can expand efforts to make Agency
data and technology open and accessible
and build technological expertise
EPA must be able to leverage technology to build an
efficient and effective infrastructure for citizen science
to thrive. Recognizing the contributions of information
and technology industries outside of the Agency will
allow new avenues for collaboration and innovation to
develop citizen science tools that better meet the needs
of local communities. By engaging with leading and
emerging industry sectors in citizen science in hardware,
software and data sharing, EPA can enhance the power
of information by delivering on-demand data to the
right people at the right time. Through robust training
programs for staff and managers, EPA can increase
competencies in open data management tools and data
sharing to further accelerate data interpretation and use.
NACEPT envisions an Agency that recognizes that the
advent of disruptive innovations and technology is
inevitable, but equitable outcomes are not. EPA must take
the lead to ensure that trust, inclusion and collaboration
are built into effective citizen science partnerships:
by understanding the concerns of communities in
comparison to the goals of local governments, by
respecting and building on the strengths of external
organizations and community groups, and by embracing
and advancing the use of open technology.
Citizen science is transforming how government can
support action. The Agency is poised to leverage the
capacity of partnerships in citizen science to protect
human health and the environment. By embracing
the strength and creativity of open collaboration, EPA
can answer the call to help the public move data and
information to action.
41
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
-------
Appendices
Charge to the Council
The benefits of citizen science to EPA's mission include:
better environmental science and more data that can be
used in decisions and policies; an informed citizenry that
leads to civic engagement on environmental problems;
and increased transparency and credibility in the
scientific process.
To realize the full benefits of citizen science and to use
EPA resources efficiently, we need to evaluate the current
and potential roles for citizen science in environmental
protection and prioritize our efforts. The charge to
NACEPT is to assess EPA's approach to citizen science
in the context of current activities and to recommend
a coordinated framework for the Agency to embrace
citizen science as a tool in protecting public health and
the environment. We ask NACEPT to provide advice
and recommendations on specific actions the Agency
may consider to resolve issues that hinder the effective
production and use of knowledge and data generated
through citizen science.
Three overarching questions frame the NACEPT review:
1. How can we sustain and improve
current EPA projects and programs?
EPA does not have a formal strategy on citizen science
but considerable work is underway in EPA programs and
regions. These projects and activities on citizen science
support four areas of emphasis that help EPA accomplish
its mission. In each area of emphasis, we ask NACEPT to
evaluate current work and provide advice on how EPA can
optimize its existing citizen science projects and activities
to increase the impact and value of this work, including
through possible collaboration with states, tribes,
communities, citizen science associations, museums,
universities, colleges, schools and other organizations.
• Empower communities. Citizen science advances
environmental protection by helping communities
understand local problems and collect quality data that
can be used to advocate for or solve environmental
and health issues. Citizen science provides effective
methods to respond to a community's questions about
their environment and health. EPA provides tools,
technical expertise and funding for citizen science
led by community groups to better understand local
problems and advocate for improved environmental
health.
• Monitor the environment and human health.
Citizen science advances environmental protection
by creating useful monitoring data. Citizen science
programs can increase the temporal and geographic
coverage of environmental monitoring to support
EPA programs and environmental protection. EPA
continues to support and enable a small number of
citizen science monitoring programs and projects.
• Conduct environmental research. Citizen science
advances environmental protection by supporting
environmental and health research. Citizen science
approaches are diverse, ranging from national data
collection, to online crowdsourcing to community-
based participatory research. Although some federal
agencies now create large, robust data sets through
established research programs, EPA is just beginning
to explore this approach.
• Educate the public about environmental issues.
Citizen science advances environmental protection by
educating the public about environmental issues. EPA,
working with other agencies and organizations, can
use citizen science as a STEM education tool, including
involving young people in science and research. EPA
strives to incorporate well-designed citizen science
activities into environmental education while also
creating high-quality data that may be utilized to
advance science.
2. How can EPA invest in citizen science
approaches for the greatest gain?
EPA can build capacity in citizen science approaches
as a whole and broadly support effective projects and
programs through strategic investments; progress in a
few key areas could enhance all four areas of emphasis
at the Agency.
43
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Appendices
What citizen science opportunities, directions and
collaborations should EPA consider to assist the Agency
in accomplishing its mission? Are there partnership
approaches that would allow EPA to work with other
organizations to more effectively support citizen science
methods? Frameworks are needed to ensure data
quality, proper data management, and to evaluate
and validate instruments used in citizen science; what
investments in these areas would facilitate the use of
these approaches?
a. Data quality. Standards or guidelines for quality
control of citizen science data at EPA would help en-
sure that these data are suitable for their intended
purpose.
b. Data management. Data from citizen science proj-
ects can be more effectively used if EPA can build
capacity for managing and maintaining these data.
c. Instrument evaluation. Low cost ($100-$2500) sen-
sors for air and water is an emerging technology area
that has potential to increase the effectiveness and
impact of citizen science projects. However, current
versions of these sensors and instruments vary widely
in the quality of data that they collect, including data
accuracy, precision and bias. By providing guidance
to citizen science organizations on low cost sensor
technologies, EPA can facilitate the collection of high
quality, actionable data.
3. How can EPA help increase the impact
of knowledge and data generated via
citizen science?
There is a need to have policies and guidelines in place
that address citizen science approaches. How can EPA
best leverage citizen science to protect human health
and the environment?
a. How can EPA support the use of citizen science
knowledge and data for environmental protec-
tion at the local and state levels? Citizen science
can strengthen EPA's work, resulting in outcomes
for individual participants, for communities and for
environmental protection. Participants increasingly
value the integrity, transparency and caliber of EPA
science, increased understanding of environmental
research, improved sense of place and stewardship,
and a deeper relationship with the natural world.
Communities better understand their environmental
health issues, which will lead to improved solutions to
problems and a better public understanding of the
scientific process.
How can EPA facilitate the role of citizen science in
outcomes for individuals and communities, including
governance and decision making by local, tribal and
state governments?
b. How can EPA support the use of citizen science
knowledge and data for environmental protection
at the federal level? Quality data from well-designed
citizen science projects can provide valuable infor-
mation to supplement EPA research on standards
and regulations; for example, these data can act as
a screening tool to determine when more research
is needed. With policies and guidance on the im-
portance and purpose of citizen science data at the
Agency, individuals and communities will be motivat-
ed to target their efforts towards an outcome that is
mutually beneficial.
How can the Agency leverage data collected via citizen
science to better protect human health and the envi-
ronment? What standards of data quality are needed
to use citizen science data for its intended purpose
(e.g., research, as a screening tool, for background
monitoring, etc.)?
c. How can EPA work with the public to interpret
data from citizen science efforts? Citizen science
is an effective tool to foster public engagement and
communicate environmental science. When com-
munities who collect data around an environmental
concern approach EPA, the Agency has the opportu-
nity to engage communities and support a common
understanding of data collection and the scientific
process.
How can EPA provide an appropriate response to
community groups who collect data indicating an
environmental concern? How can EPA communicate
with individuals and community groups to promote
an understanding of the data they collect, how the
results relate to regulations or standards, and what
the results mean in terms of health or risk?
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
44
-------
Appendices
National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and
Technology Membership Roster
2016-2018
William G. Ross, Jr. (Chair)
Council Member
Gillings School of Global Public Health
Advisory Council
The University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill
Shannon Dosemagen
(Acting Vice-Chair)
President and Executive Director
Public Laboratory for Open
Technology and Science
Erica Bannerman
Energy Manager
Sustainable Energy Program
Office of Central Services
Prince George's County, Maryland
Ondrea S. Barber
Executive Director
Department of Environmental Quality
Gila River Indian Community
National Tribal Air Association
Laureen M. Boles
State Director
Newjersey Environmental Justice
Alliance
Darlene Cavalier
Professor of Practice
Consortium for Science, Policy, and
Outcomes
Arizona State University
Ramesh C. Chawla, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Chemical Engineering
Howard University
Irasema Coronado, Ph.D.
Professor and Associate Provost
Department of Political Science
University of Texas at El Paso
John P. DeVillars
Managing Partner
BlueWave Capital, LLC
Giovanna Di Chiro, Ph.D.
Policy Advisor for Environmental
Justice
Nuestras Raices, Inc.
Patricia M. Gallagher, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Provost's Fellow in Sustainability
Department of Civil, Architectural,
and Environmental Engineering
Drexel University
Barbara Jean Horn
Water Quality Resource Specialist
Water Unit
Department of Natural Resources
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Matthew C. Howard
Director
Alliance for Water Stewardship, North
America
The Water Council
James Joerke
Deputy Director
Johnson County (Kansas) Department
of Health and Environment
Robert Kerr
Co-Founder and Principal
Pure Strategies, Inc.
Eunyoung Kim
Chief Executive Officer
Synapse International, LLC
Karl Konecny
Partner
Northwest Motion Products
Emmanuel Crisanto (Cris) C.B.
Liban, D.Env., P.E.
Executive Officer
Environmental Compliance and
Sustainability
Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority
Bridgett Luther
Senior Vice President of Sustainability
Code Blue Innovations
Jeffrey M. Mears
Environmental Area Manager
Environmental Health and Safety
Division
Oneida Nation
Dale G. Medearis, Ph.D.
Senior Environmental Planner
Northern Virginia Regional
Commission
Graciela I. Ramfrez-Toro, Ph.D.
Director
Center for Environmental Education,
Conservation and Research
Inter-American University of Puerto
Rico
David Rejeski
Director
Technology, Innovation, and the
Environment Project
Environmental Law Institute
Donald Trahan
Attorney
Office of Environmental Services
Louisiana Department of
Environmental Quality
Clinton J. Woods
Executive Director
Association of Air Pollution Control
Agencies
EPA Staff
Eugene Green
NACEPT Designated Federal Officer
Office of Administration and
Resources Management
Office of Resources, Operations and
Management
Federal Advisory Committee
Management Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Mark Joyce
Associate Director
Office of Administration and
Resources Management
Office of Resources, Operations and
Management
Federal Advisory Committee
Management Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
45
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Appendices
Acknowledgments
Lead Editors:
Shannon Dosemagen, NACEPT Member, President
and Executive Director, Public Laboratory for Open
Technology and Science
Alison J. Parker, Ph.D., ORISE Research Fellow hosted
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Daniel Bator, M.P.H., ASPPH Environmental Health
Fellow hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
Jay Benforado, Chief Innovation Officer, Office of
Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
Additional Contributions to Text:
NACEPT Workgroup Chairs:
Patricia M. Gallagher, Ph.D., Chair, Nongovernmental
Organizations Workgroup
James Joerke, Chair, State, Tribal and Local
Collaboration Workgroup
Graciela I. Ramfrez-Toro, Ph.D., Chair, Information to
Action Workgroup
Clinton J. Woods, Chair, Open Technology and Data
Workgroup
Emily Hall, ORAU Contractor, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
Kevin Moore, New Jersey Environmental Justice
Alliance
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
46
-------
Appendices
List of Acronyms
CEnR Community-Engaged Research
DIY do-it-yourself
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPD (Georgia) Environmental Protection Division
DEQ (Michigan or Virginia) Department of Environmental Quality
HABs harmful algal blooms
NACEPT National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology
NEJAC National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
PERC perchloroethylene
QAPP Quality Assurance Project Plan
SEP Supplemental Environmental Project
47
Information to Action:
Strengthening IPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Appendices
Glossary of Terms
Big data: Large sets of data and information that can be analyzed either by computers or humans to show
correlations and make predictions. Crowdsourcing has been a key form of citizen science used in the development
of big datasets.
Citizen science: In citizen science, the public participates voluntarily in the scientific process, addressing real-world
problems in ways that may include formulating research questions, conducting scientific experiments, collecting and
analyzing data, interpreting results, making new discoveries, developing technologies and applications, and solving
complex problems. Related approaches include crowd science, crowd-sourced science, crowdmapping, civic science,
street science, do-it-yourself (DIY) science, volunteer or community-based monitoring, or networked science.
Co-design: The collaborative design of research projects by scientists and the public. In the context of this report,
co-design refers to research projects designed as a partnership between EPA scientists and communities.
Community citizen science: Community citizen science is collaboratively led scientific investigation and exploration
to address community-defined questions, allowing for engagement in the entirety of the scientific process. Unique in
comparison to citizen science, community science may or may not include partnerships with professional scientists,
emphasizes the community's ownership of research and access to resulting data, and orients toward community
goals and working together in scalable networks to encourage collaborative learning and civic engagement.
Data and information: Data are raw facts, numbers, values or unprocessed observations gathered in conducting
research. Information consists of data that have been organized or processed to generate understanding by people.
In this report, "data" and "information" are used interchangeably, unless otherwise indicated.
Environmental justice: A social movement that focuses on the fair distribution of environmental benefits
and burdens regardless of race, color, national origin or income when developing, implementing or enforcing
environmental laws, regulations and policies.
Equal: The quality of being the same in quantity or measure or value or status.
Equitable: Fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience.
Institution: (1) A society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social or similar purpose. (2) An
established law, practice or custom.
National EPA-Tribal Science Council: A forum for interaction between tribal and EPA representatives to work
collaboratively on environmental science issues to develop sound scientific approaches to meet the needs of tribes.
Open-source licensing: Also called open licensing, this type of licensing for computer software and other products
allows the source code or design to be used, modified and/or shared under defined terms and conditions.
Total maximum daily load: Commonly known asTMDL, this is a Clean Water Act regulatory term describing a value
of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can receive while still meeting water quality standards.
Information to Action:
Strengthening I PA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
48
-------
Appendices
Notes and References
1 "What is citizen science?" section sourced directly from:
National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and
Technology (NACEPT). 2016. Environmental Protection
Belongs to the Public: A Vision for Citizen Science at EPA.
EPA 219-R-16-001. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Administration Resources
Management, www.epa.gov/sites/production/
files/2016-12/documents/nacept cs report final 508 0.
pdf.
2 Khiari, D. 2017. E-mail message to Graciela Ramirez-Toro.
September 17.
3 NACEPT. 2016. Environmental Protection Belongs to the
Public: A Vision for Citizen Science at EPA. EPA 219-R-16-001.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Administration Resources Management, www.
epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-12/documents/
nacept cs report final 508 O.pdf.
4 Funk, C., J. Gottfried, and A. Mitchell. 2017. Science
News and Information Today. Washington, D.C.: Pew
Research Center, www.journalism.org/201 7/09/20/
science-news-and-information-today.
5 Chari, R., L.J. Matthews, M.S. Blumethal, A.F. Edelman, and
T. Jones. 2017. The Promise of Community Citizen Science.
PE-256-RC. Santa, Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, p. 2.
www.rand.org/puhs/perspectives/PE2S6.html.
6 Chari, R., L.J. Matthews, M.S. Blumethal, A.F. Edelman, and
T. Jones. 2017. The Promise of Community Citizen Science.
PE-256-RC. Santa, Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, p. 9.
www.rand.org/puhs/perspectives/PE2S6.html.
7 Emmett Environmental Law & Policy Clinic. 2017. A
Manual for Citizen Scientists Starting or Participating in
Data Collection and Environmental Monitoring Projects.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law School, p.2. environment.
law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/HLS-Env-
Clinic-Citi7en-Science-Manual-Sept-2017-FULL.pdf.
8 National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. 2017.
Recommendations and Guidance for EPA to Develop
Monitoring Programs in Communities. Washington,
D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Environmental Justice, www.epa.gov/sites/production/
files/2018-01/documents/monitoring-final-1 0-6-17.pdf.
9 Ottinger, G. 2017. Interview by Patricia Gallagher.
September 6.
10 Compton, P. 2017. E-mail message to Darlene Cavalier.
September 12.
11 Burlingame, G. 2017. E-mail message to Graciela Ramirez-
Toro. August 27.
12 EPA. 2018. "Our Mission and What We Do." Last
updated February 7. www.epa.gov/aboutepa/
our-mission-and-what-we-do.
13 President's Council of Advisors on Science and
Technology. 2016. Report to the President: Science and
Technology to Ensure the Safety of the Nation's Drinking
Water. Washington, D.C.: Executive Office of the President,
p. ES-14. obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/
files/pcast drinking water final executive summary final,
pdf.
14 Ford, P. 2017. "DIY Do-Gooders Direct Caribbean
Disaster Relief Efforts." The Christian Science Monitor,
October 4. www.csmonitor.com/World/2017/1004/
DIY-do-gooders-direct-Caribbean-disaster-relief-efforts.
15 DoSomething.org. 2018. "11 Facts About E-Waste."
Last accessed March 21. www.dosomething.org/us/
facts/11-facts-about-e-waste.
16 Erickson, B.E. 2016. "A Simple Way to Track Your Everyday
Exposure to Chemicals." Chemical and Engineering News
94 (16): 30-34. cen.acs.org/articles/94/i16/simple-wav-
track-everydav-exposure.html.
17 Collier, A. 2015. "A Citizen Science Effort to Investigate
Indoor Air Quality In Northeast Denver." Citizen Science
Salon, August 24. blogs.discovermagazine.com/citizen-
science-salon/2015/08/24/a-citizen-science-effort-to-
investigate-indoor-air-qualitv-in-northeast-denver/.
18 Collier, A.M., G. Ware, P.G. Iwaseki, L. Billingsley, D.
Main, R. Pandya, and B. Fauver. 2015. "Investigating
Indoor Air Quality in Northeast Denver."
Experiment, August 26. experiment.com/projects/
investigating-indoor-air-qualitv-in-northeast-denver.
19 Bureau of Land Management. 2018. "Extent of
the Problem." Last accessed March 21. www.
abandonedmines.gov/ep.html.
20 Woods, B. 2017. E-mail message to Graciela Ramirez-Toro.
August 29.
21 Stepenuck, K. 2017. E-mail message to Darlene Cavalier.
September 12.
22 McElfish, J., J. Pendergrass, and T. Fox. 2016. Clearing
the Path: Citizen Science and Public Decision Making in
the United States. Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson
International Center for Scholars, www.wilsoncenter.org/
sites/default/files/clearing the path eli report.pdf.
49
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
Appendices
23 US Legal, Inc. 2018. "Clean Air Act." Accessed on March 20.
environmentallaw.uslegal.com/federal-laws/clean-air-act.
24 EPA. 2017. 'The Superfund Amendments
and Reauthorization Act (SARA)." Last
updated July 24. www.epa.gov/superfund/
superfund-amendments-and-reauthorization-act-sara.
25 Barrett, J. 2017. E-mail message to Graciela Ramirez-Toro.
August 23.
26 Cooper, C.B.,J. Shirk, and B. Zuckerberg. 2014. 'The
Invisible Prevalence of Citizen Science in Global Research:
Migratory Birds and Climate Change." PLOS ONE 9 (9):
e106508. doi.org/10.1371 /journal.pone.01 06508.
27 Cultural Organizing. 2016. "The Problem With
That Equity vs. Equality Graphic You're Using."
Originally posted October 29, 2016; updated
November 1, 2016. culturalorganizing.org/
the-problem-with-that-equity-vs-equality-graphic.
28 Moore, K. 2017. Interview by Laureen Boles. December 12.
29 Moore, K. 2017. Personal communication with Laureen
Boles. December 1.
30 Bower, K. 2017. "Introduction to Community Engaged
Research." Presented at the Nuts & Bolts of Community
Engaged Research Workshop, Baltimore, MD,
December 1, 2017.
31 Heaney, C.D., S.M. Wilson, and O.R. Wilson. 2007. "The
West End Revitalization Association's Community-
Owned and -Managed Research Model: Development,
Implementation, and Action." Progress in Community Health
Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action 1 (4): 339-349.
muse.jhu.edu/article/225093/pdf.
32 Israel, B.A., A.J. Schulz, E.A. Parker, and A.B. Becker.
1998. "Review of Community-Based Research: Assessing
Partnership Approaches to Improve Public Health." Annual
Review of Public Health 19: 173-202. doi.org/10.1146/
annurev.publhealth.19.1.173.
33 Israel, B.A., A.J. Schulz, E.A. Parker, A.B. Becker, A. Allen,
and J.R. Guzman. 2008. "Critical Issues in Developing
and Following Community-Based Participatory Research
Principles. In Community-Based Participatory Research
for Health. Edited by M. Minkler and N. Wallerstein. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, pp. 56-73.
34 Laird, A. 2017. "Power Sharing and Collaboration in
Community Engaged Research." Presented at the Nuts
& Bolts of Community Engaged Research Workshop,
Baltimore, MD, December 1, 2017.
35 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. 2017.
"West End Revitalization Association: Demonstrating
the Value of Community-led Research to Address
Environmental Justice Issues." Last updated June 13.
www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/translational/
community/west-end/index.cfm.
36 Chari, R., L.J. Matthews, M.S. Blumethal, A.F. Edelman, and
T. Jones. 2017. The Promise of Community Citizen Science.
PE-256-RC. Santa, Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, p. 8.
www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE256.html.
37 Emmett Environmental Law & Policy Clinic. 2017. A
Manual for Citizen Scientists Starting or Participating in
Data Collection and Environmental Monitoring Projects.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law School, environment.law.
harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/HLS-Env-Clinic-
Citizen-Science-Manual-Sept-2017-FULL.pdf.
38 River Watch of Colorado. 2018. "About River Watch."
Last accessed March 19. coloradoriverwatch.org/about/
about-river-watch.
39 River Watch of Colorado. 2018. "Our Data." Last accessed
March 19. coloradoriverwatch.org/our-data.
40 Georgia Adopt-A-Stream. 2018. "Georgia Adopt-A-Stream."
Last accessed March 19. adoptastream.georgia.gov.
41 Rivers Alive. 2018. "About Rivers Alive." Last accessed
March 19. riversalive.georgia.gov/about-rivers-alive.
42 Georgia Lakes Society. 2018. "Georgia Adopt-A-Lake." Last
accessed March 19. georgialakes.org/?page id=318.
43 CyanoTRACKER. 2018. "About Us: The CyanoTRACKER
Project." Last accessed March 19. www.cvanotracker.uga.
edu/about-us.
44 Environmental Education in Georgia. 2018. "Georgia
Adopt-A-Wetland." Last accessed March 19. eeingeorgia.
org/net/content/go.aspx?s=52177.0.68.4863.
45 Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental
Protection Division. 2015. "Georgia Water Quality
Standards." Last updated November 5. epd.georgia.gov/
georgia-water-qualitv-standards.
46 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 2018.
"Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program." Last accessed
March 19. www.michigan.gov/deq/0.4561.7-1 35-
3313 3681 3686 3731-195536-.00.html.
47 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 2018.
"Volunteer Stream Monitoring Grants." Last accessed
March 19. www.michigan.gov/deq/0.4561.7-1 35-
3307 3515-314498--.00.html.
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
50
-------
Appendices
48 Alliance for the Great Lakes. 2018. "Adopt a Beach™."
Last accessed March 19. greatlakes.org/get-involved/
adopt-a-beach.
49 Sea Grant Michigan. 2018. "Great Lakes FieldScope."
Last accessed March 19. www.miseagrant.umich.edu/
education/great-lakes-field scope.
50 Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. 2018.
"Citizen Water Quality Monitoring." Last accessed
March 19. www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/
WaterOualitylnformationTMDLs/WaterOualityMonitoring/
CitizenMonitoring.aspx.
51 Virginia Save Our Streams. 2018. "Virginia Save Our
Streams." Last accessed March 19. www.vasos.org.
52 Mountain Lake Biological Station. 2018. "Citizen Science."
Last accessed March 19. www.mlbs.virginia.edu/
citizen-science.
53 EPA. 1984. EPA Policy for the Administration of
Environmental Programs on Indian Reservations.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
p.1. www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-04/
documents/indian-policv-84.pdf.
54 Korleski, C. 2017. Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification
Denial for the Proposed Regional General Permits
as Applied on Indian Reservations in Minnesota and
Wisconsin. December 19 memorandum. Chicago, IL:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Water
Division.
55 EPA. 2017. "USEPA Region 2 Equipment Loan Program
for Citizen Science Water Monitoring." Published at the
State of New Jersey's website at www.state.nj.us/dep/
wms/bears/docs/Final%202017%20Citizen%20Science%20
Equipment%20Loan%20Program%20l nstructions.pdf.
56 Opitz-Stapleton, S. 2017. E-mail message to Graciela
Ramirez-Toro. August.
57 Maryland Department of Natural Resources. 2018.
"Citizen Science Resources." Last accessed March 19. dnr.
marvland.gov/Pages/Citizen Science Resources.aspx.
58 Kearns, G., M. Fegler, and M. Schreiber. 2016."Citizen
Science Programs." Parks & Recreation Magazine, April 1.
www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2016/april/
citizen-science-programs.
59 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
2017. "Environmental Justice Toolkit." Last updated
July 17. www.mwcog.org/documents/2017/07/27/
environmental-justice-toolkit.
60 Villegas, H. 2018. Interview by Irasema Coronado.
March 16.
61 The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 2018. "About NestWatch:
Overview." Last accessed March 19. nestwatch.org/about/
overview.
62 Prange, E., M. Lande, and D. Cavalier. 2018. Citizen Science
Maker Summit Report: Learning Outcomes and Next Steps.
Tempe, AZ: Arizona State University. Iinks.asu.edu/
ASUCitizenScienceMakerSummitReport.
63 EPA. 2017. "Additional Resources for Citizen Science—
Environmental Protection." Last updated January 11.
www.epa.gov/citizen-science/additional-resources-citizen-
science-environmental-protection.
64 Bethke, D. "Microsoft's Approach to loT: Digital
Transformation and the Internet of Things." Keynote
presentation at the Making Sense of Sensors Conference,
Diamond Bar, CA, September 28, 2017.
51
Information to Action:
Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for
Environmental Protection
-------
------- |