United States
Environmental Protection Agency
FISCAL YEAR 2022
Justification of Appropriation
Estimates for the Committee
on Appropriations
Tab 03: Science and Technology
May 2021
EPA-190-R-21-002 www.epa.gov/cj
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Science and Technology
Program Projects in S&T 7
Clean Air 10
Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs 11
Climate Protection 15
Federal Support for Air Quality Management 17
Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification 20
Indoor Air and Radiation 28
Indoor Air: Radon Program 29
Radiation: Protection 31
Radiation: Response Preparedness 33
Reduce Risks from Indoor Air 35
Enforcement 37
Forensics Support 38
Homeland Security 41
Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure Protection 42
Homeland Security: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery 48
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure 55
IT / Data Management 56
Operations and Administration 59
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations 60
Pesticides Licensing 63
Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide Risk 64
Pesticides: Protect the Environment from Pesticide Risk 68
Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide Availability 71
Research: Air and Energy 74
Research: Air, Climate and Energy 75
Program Project Description: 75
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources 81
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources 82
Research: Sustainable Communities 89
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Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities 90
Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability 96
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability 97
Health and Environmental Risk Assessment 104
Water: Human Health Protection 109
Drinking Water Programs 110
Congressional Priorities 113
Water Quality Research and Support Grants 114
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: Science & Technology
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2022 Pres
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
Budget v.
Actuals
Enacted
Pres Budget
FY 2021 Enacted
Science & Technology
Budget Authority
$750,441.8
$729,329.0
$829,972.0
$100,643.0
Total Workyears
1,962.9
1,987.7
2,136.9
149.2
*For ease of comparison, Superfund transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the Superfund account.
Bill Language: Science & Technology
For science and technology, including research and development activities, which shall include
research and development activities under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of1980; necessary expenses for personnel and related costs and
travel expenses; procurement of laboratory equipment and supplies; hire, maintenance, and
operation of aircraft; and other operating expenses in support of research and development,
$829,972,000, to remain available until September 30, 2023.
Program Projects in S&T
(Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Clean Air and Climate
Clean Air Allowance Trading
Programs
$7,537.7
$6,793.0
$8,800.0
$2,007.0
Climate Protection
$7,326.8
$7,895.0
$9,997.0
$2,102.0
Federal Support for Air Quality
Management
$8,974.6
$7,154.0
$10,222.0
$3,068.0
Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards
and Certification
$98,543.9
$96,783.0
$110,169.0
$13,386.0
Subtotal, Clean Air and Climate
$122,383.0
$118,625.0
$139,188.0
$20,563.0
Indoor Air and Radiation
Indoor Air: Radon Program
$39.9
$157.0
$157.0
$0.0
Radiation: Protection
$1,795.6
$1,735.0
$2,340.0
$605.0
Radiation: Response Preparedness
$3,402.1
$3,096.0
$4,039.0
$943.0
Reduce Risks from Indoor Air
$235.5
$161.0
$168.0
$7.0
Subtotal, Indoor Air and Radiation
$5,473.1
$5,149.0
$6,704.0
$1,555.0
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Program Pro ject
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Enforcement
Forensics Support
$13,726.2
$14,000.0
$14,114.0
$114.0
Homeland Security
Homeland Security: Critical
Infrastructure Protection
$12,926.2
$10,380.0
$14,342.0
$3,962.0
Homeland Security: Preparedness,
Response, and Recovery
$27,021.6
$24,852.0
$25,545.0
$693.0
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA
Personnel and Infrastructure
$443.0
$501.0
$501.0
$0.0
Subtotal, Homeland Security
$40,390.8
$35,733.0
$40,388.0
$4,655.0
IT / Data Management / Security
IT / Data Management
$3,473.7
$3,072.0
$3,121.0
$49.0
Operations and Administration
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
$68,812.7
$67,500.0
$68,533.0
$1,033.0
Pesticides Licensing
Pesticides: Protect Human Health from
Pesticide Risk
$3,109.5
$2,803.0
$2,840.0
$37.0
Pesticides: Protect the Environment
from Pesticide Risk
$1,757.7
$2,207.0
$2,230.0
$23.0
Pesticides: Realize the Value of
Pesticide Availability
$379.9
$876.0
$970.0
$94.0
Subtotal, Pesticides Licensing
$5,247.1
$5,886.0
$6,040.0
$154.0
Research: Air, Climate and Energy
Research: Air, Climate and Energy
$95,350.8
$95,250.0
$156,210.0
$60,960.0
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water
Resources
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water
Resources
$108,506.9
$112,250.0
$116,588.0
$4,338.0
Research: Sustainable Communities
Research: Sustainable and Healthy
Communities
$143,191.3
$133,000.0
$137,412.0
$4,412.0
Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability
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Program Pro ject
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Health and Environmental Risk
Assessment
$38,921.5
$37,482.0
$41,412.0
$3,930.0
Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability
Endocrine Disruptors
$19,833.8
$16,304.0
$16,851.0
$547.0
Computational Toxicology
$23,616.2
$21,487.0
$22,229.0
$742.0
Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability (other activities)
$52,257.7
$51,727.0
$54,738.0
$3,011.0
Subtotal, Research: Chemical Safety
for Sustainability
$95,707.7
$89,518.0
$93,818.0
$4,300.0
Subtotal, Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability
$134,629.2
$127,000.0
$135,230.0
$8,230.0
Water: Human Health Protection
Drinking Water Programs
$4,265.0
$4,364.0
$6,444.0
$2,080.0
Congressional Priorities
Water Quality Research and Support
Grants
$4,992.0
$7,500.0
$0.0
-$7,500.0
TOTAL S&T
$750,441.8
$729,329.0
$829,972.0
$100,643.0
*For ease of comparison, Superfund transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the Superfund account.
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Clean Air
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Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$15,503.2
$13,153.0
$18,138.0
$4,985.0
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Total Budget Authority
$23,040.9
$19,946.0
$26,938.0
$6,992.0
Total Workyears
63.9
63.7
78.7
15.0
Program Project Description:
This program is responsible for managing the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET),
an ambient monitoring network that has been continuously collecting data for more than 30 years.
CASTNET serves as the Nation's primary source for assessing long-term trends in atmospheric
sulfur and nitrogen deposition, regional ground-level ozone, and other forms of particulate and
gaseous air pollution. CASTNET sites are uniquely situated in remote and high elevation areas
within 39 states and seven tribal boundaries. The network provides valuable data to support the
ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in many areas not monitored by state,
local, and tribal monitoring agencies. Under this program, independent audits and performance
evaluations are performed to meet the NAAQS requirements and provide high-quality data.
Additionally, CASTNET ozone data are used for exceptional event assessments of international
transport, background concentrations, wildfire events, and stratospheric ozone intrusions often
leading to ozone exceedances. States are required to provide exceptional event demonstrations in
order to exclude monitoring data from the NAAQS design values. Used in conjunction with the
National Atmospheric Deposition Program's wet deposition networks and other ambient air
quality networks, CASTNET's data products also are used to determine the effectiveness of
national and regional emission control programs, validate satellite measurements, and provide
near-real time data to support AirNow and Air Quality Index (AQI) reporting tools.
The CASTNET Program provides spatial and temporal trends in ambient air quality and is the
largest network in the world reporting atmospheric deposition used to assess ecological impacts in
sensitive ecosystems (e.g., national parks, freshwater bodies, and subalpine regions). The sites also
fill in critical data gaps from urban networks that lack information on air quality issues affecting
downwind population centers, such as oil and gas, wildfire smoke, and wood smoke in mountain
valleys. Rural CASTNET sites are intentionally located away from stationary emission sources
but are often located in or near areas with low income or minority communities. Maintaining the
CASTNET monitoring network continues to be critical for assessing the environmental benefits
realized from regional emission reduction programs (thereby reducing secondary pollutant
formation of ozone and fine particles), as well as aiding states in exceptional events
determinations. In 2020, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were greater in areas with poor air
quality. EPA used CASTNET data to report local AQI values and assess changes in regional air
quality as a result of stay-at-home orders.
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EPA works closely with tribal governments to build tribal air monitoring capacity through
partnerships with the CASTNET Program. Since 2002, CASTNET has added seven sites on tribal
lands, including two new sites in the northwest U.S. By expanding tribal partnerships, CASTNET
can fill important spatial gaps in ambient and deposition monitoring while simultaneously
integrating sites operated by tribes into a national program. Tribes will benefit from dedicated
tribal monitoring sites that build tribal technical skills, provide near-real time air quality data to
the community, and provide environmental data that help tribes assess the impacts of air pollution
on cultural or natural resources on tribal lands.
To support modernization efforts, CASTNET will use the existing network infrastructure to fill in
gaps in continuous measurements necessary to evaluate changes in atmospheric chemistry and
global climate impacts on air quality and deposition. The Program is well-situated to measure
background or regional levels of air toxics (e.g., ethylene oxide) and persistent chemicals of
concern (e.g., PFAS compounds). Measuring speciated reactive nitrogen will provide valuable
data that states can use to determine which species are driving PM formation and make more
informed decisions on emission control strategies. Furthermore, continuing to expand capacity
while modernizing the CASTNET infrastructure ensures data can be made available in near-real
time to address short-term changes in air quality resulting from meteorological conditions such as
temperature inversions or natural disasters such as wildfires.
This program also is responsible for managing EPA's Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) Program,
which was created to assess the health of lakes and streams in response to changes in deposition
of atmospheric pollutants. Today, it ensures that the Clean Air Act continues to be effective in
reducing the impact of atmospheric pollutants (e.g., strong acid anions) on surface waters in New
England, the Adirondack Mountains, the Northern Appalachian Plateau (including the Catskill
mountains), and the Blue Ridge region. This program is operated cooperatively with partners in
state agencies, academic institutions, and other federal agencies. The LTM surface water chemistry
monitoring program provides field measurements for understanding biogeochemical changes in
sulfur, nitrogen, acid neutralizing capacity, aluminum, and carbon in streams and lakes in relation
to reductions in pollutant emissions and a changing climate. The LTM Program is one of the
longest running programs at EPA, providing a longitudinal dataset based on sampling and
measurements since 1983.
The Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs are nationwide and multi-state programs that address
air pollutants that are transported across state, regional, and international boundaries. The
programs designed to control SO2 and NOx include Title IV (the Acid Rain Program) of the Clean
Air Act, the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), and the CSAPR Update. The infrastructure
for the Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs also supports implementation of other state and
federal programs to control SO2, hazardous air pollutants, and greenhouse gases.
Both the CSAPR and the CSAPR Update Rule require 27 states in the eastern U.S. to limit their
statewide emissions of SO2 and/or NOx in order to reduce or eliminate the states' contributions to
fine particulate matter and/or ground-level ozone pollution in other states. They set emissions
limitations that are defined in terms of maximum statewide "budgets" for emissions of annual SO2,
annual NOx, and/or ozone-season NOx from each state's large electric generating units. EPA is
supporting state efforts with respect to best available retrofit technology, reasonable progress, and
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interstate visibility transport, as those obligations relate to SO2 emissions from electricity
generating units.1
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports the President's priorities to tackle the climate crisis,
advance environmental justice, and expand the capacity of the EPA.
In FY 2022, EPA will:
• Continue to support 64 CASTNET, 31 NADP National Trends Network (NTN), 71 NADP
Ammonia Monitoring Network (AMoN), and LTM monitoring sites that provide long-term
atmospheric concentrations, deposition, and surface water quality data. Data are used to
analyze and assess air quality, trends in sulfur and nitrogen deposition, critical loads, and
other indicators of ecosystem health.
• Provide support for independent audits and required performance evaluations to assure
high-quality data to support the NAAQS and environmental assessments.
• Continue progress toward increasing monitoring capacity by working to identify new tribal
partners that would benefit from joining a national air monitoring program.
• Invest in technology and small businesses by replacing aging equipment, repairing
monitoring shelters more than 30 years old that have deteriorated due to extreme weather
and deploying new equipment and sites in rural, often low-income/minority areas. The
CASTNET contractor allocates 55 percent of their subcontract dollars to small businesses
responsible for performing calibrations, managing site operators, and data analyses.
• Upgrade aging CASTNET equipment. To improve overall data quality EPA will replace
continuous ozone analyzers, and procure new gas analyzers (e.g., CO, VOCs, speciated
nitrogen) that will support NAAQS assessments, emission control strategies, and
regulatory actions in the future. Analyzers will be integrated into the existing automated
calibration systems to improve network resiliency.
• Utilize existing infrastructure to expand network capacity by adding measurement systems
for background and regional concentrations of air toxics and emerging pollutants of
concern. Data will complement urban measurements and provide valuable information on
atmospheric pathways and chemical transformations that will impact health risks.
• Modernize the data reporting tools and visualizations to improve user experiences and data
access, particularly during emergencies (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic). Strengthening back-
and front-end data management platforms will improve system reliability and allows state
and local agencies to quickly make critical decisions. Providing real-time air quality data
during such events is valuable for informing vulnerable populations about health risks.
1 Clean Air Act § 110 and § 169A; refer to 40 CFR 52.2312.
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• Assure the continuation of ongoing SO2 and NOx emission reductions from power plants
in the eastern half of the U.S. by implementing CSAPR and the CSAPR update, and across
the contiguous U.S. by implementing the Acid Rain Program.2
• Ensure accurate and consistent results for the Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs.
Continue work on performance specifications and investigating monitoring alternatives
and methods to improve the efficiency of monitor certification and emissions data
reporting.
• Work with states to implement emission reduction programs to comply with CAA Section
110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) requirements, including conducting environmental justice analyses to
consider the distributional impacts of emissions on overburdened communities.3
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,007.0) This program change invests in technology updates such as replacing aging
equipment, repairing monitoring shelters that have deteriorated over the past 30 years due
to extreme weather, deploying new equipment and sites in rural, often low-
income/minority areas, and modernizing data reporting tools critical during emergencies
and emerging needs (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic, PFAS).
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act.
2 Clean Air Act § § 110(a)(2)(D) and 401.
3 For more information on program performance, please see: https://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/progress.
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Climate Protection
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$103,054.5
$97,000.0
$103,689.0
$6,689.0
Science it- t echnology
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Total Budget Authority
$110,381.3
$104,895.0
$113,686.0
$8,791.0
Total Workyears
205.1
214.1
227.9
13.8
Program Project Description:
The Climate Protection Program supports implementation and compliance with greenhouse gas
(GHG) emission standards for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles developed under EPA's Federal
Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification Program. Resources under this program also support
compliance activities for implementing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's
(NHTSA) Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Under authorities contained in
the Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy Act, EPA is responsible for issuing certificates and
ensuring compliance with both the GHG and CAFE standards.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports: Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at
Home and Abroad; and Executive Order 13990: Protecting Public Health and the Environment
and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis. Resources under this program will support
implementation and compliance activities associated with EPA's GHG and NHTSA's fuel
economy standards for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles and engines. Resources will support
the following activities:
Certification and Compliance
Implementation of the GHG emission standards for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles and engines
has significantly increased EPA's certification and compliance responsibilities to ensure the
programs achieve their climate goals. These GHG emission standards are not only resulting in a
changing fleet of vehicles but also have introduced numerous innovative features into the vehicle
certification process that provide greater flexibility for manufacturers in how they comply with the
standards. These features include new and more comprehensive trading programs, credits for off-
cycle emission reductions, and new federal test procedures. In FY 2022, EPA will be implementing
a substantially expanded "Phase 2" of the heavy-duty vehicle and engine GHG program. This
implementation requires significant expansions of EPA's information technology systems, which
provide an efficient means for manufacturers to apply for and receive certificates of conformity,
to reflect the revised compliance and certification requirements of the new heavy-duty GHG
standards.
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Vehicle and Engine Testing Services
Since FY 2012, EPA's National Vehicle & Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) has invested
significant resources to maintain critical vehicle and engine testing equipment and capabilities that
were upgraded in the 2000's to implement new standards for fuel, vehicle, and engine emissions.
This includes updates to its four-wheel drive dynamometers and analytical systems needed to
perform regulation development and certification testing of light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-
duty vehicles, including battery electric and hybrid electric technologies. NVFEL also has led the
development and implementation of new test methods for accurately measuring the efficiency and
range of electrified vehicles and is developing new methods for gathering in-use fuel efficiency
data from vehicles tested on the road.
NVFEL is investing in expanded electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the laboratory to support
anticipated future test requirements for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles and is preparing for
testing of hydrogen fuel cell technologies. NVFEL's ongoing facility modernization has been
essential to the implementation of requirements for EPA's Phase 2 GHG regulations for heavy-duty
and medium-duty vehicles. Importantly, it also has enabled greater production of scientific data on
new and emerging vehicle and engine technologies, leading to the development of more advanced
computer models to support EPA's rulemaking activities. Future equipment modernization is
needed to sustain a level playing field between foreign and domestic manufacturers, revealing
instances of non-compliance attributable to design or defect, and can lead to equal opportunities for
manufacturers to benefit from developing innovative solutions to emissions challenges.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$68.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$2,034.0 / +2.3 FTE) This program change increases support for the National Vehicle
and Fuel Emissions Laboratory compliance/certification work and mobile source vehicle
emissions analysis. Additional resources at the lab support restoring capacity to test and
certify engines, fuels, and vehicles to ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and to
generate emissions data to support regulatory development work essential to tackling the
climate change crisis. This investment includes $380.0 thousand in payroll costs.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act; Pollution Prevention Act (PPA), §§ 6602-6605; National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), § 102; Clean Water Act, § 104; Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), § 8001; Energy Policy Act of 2005, § 756.
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Federal Support for Air Quality Management
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$131,855.1
$138,020.0
$257,808.0
$119,788.0
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Total Budget Authority
$140,829.7
$145,174.0
$268,030.0
$122,856.0
Total Workyears
824.6
843.0
923.0
80.0
Program Project Description:
Federal support for the criteria pollutant and air toxics programs includes a variety of tools to
characterize ambient air quality and the level of risk to the public from air pollutants and to measure
national progress toward improving air quality and reducing associated risks. The Federal Support
for Air Quality Management Program supports development of State Implementation Plans (SIPs)
through modeling and other tools and assists states in implementing, attaining, maintaining, and
enforcing the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for criteria pollutants. The
Program also supports development and provision of information, training, and tools to assist state,
tribal, and local agencies, as well as communities, to reduce air toxics emissions and risks specific
to their local areas. In addition, the Program supports activities related to the Clean Air Act (CAA)
stationary source residual risk and technology review program. EPA is required to assess the level
of risk remaining after promulgation of National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
(NESHAP) that are based on Maximum Available Control Technology (MACT) within eight years
of that promulgation. In addition, the Agency is required to review all NESHAP at least every eight
years to determine if revisions are needed to reflect developments in practices, processes, and
control technologies.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
During FY 2022, as part of implementing key activities in support of attainment of the NAAQS,
EPA will provide states and local air agencies with scientifically and technically sound assistance
in developing SIPs. This assistance includes providing models, modeling inputs and tools, and
technical data and guidance and identifying emission control options. EPA ensures national
consistency in how air quality modeling is conducted as part of regulatory decision-making,
including federal and state permitting programs, SIP-related actions, as well as how conformity
determinations are conducted across the U.S. The Agency will work with states and local air
agencies to ensure that particulate matter (PM) hot-spot analyses are conducted in a manner
consistent with the transportation conformity regulation and guidance.
One of EPA's priorities is to fulfill its statutory and court-ordered obligations. In FY 2022, EPA
will continue to conduct the periodically required "technology reviews" of NESHAP and conduct
required risk assessments for MACT-based NESHAP. EPA will enhance risk assessment
capabilities to better identify and determine impacts on communities. The Program will prioritize
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work with an emphasis on meeting court-ordered deadlines, and also incorporate environmental
justice considerations as part of the decision-making process. EPA will continue to provide
information and assistance to states and communities through documents, websites, webinars, and
training sessions on tools to help them provide input to environmental justice assessments that can
inform risk reduction strategies for air toxics. EPA will continue to communicate effectively to, and
collaborate with, environmental justice communities to address air toxics concerns. EPA will
continue its multi-pollutant air quality management work with state and local areas, factoring
environmental justice into prioritization efforts, including providing tools to support state, tribal
and local governments in strategy development. EPA will continue to look at all pollutants in
an industrial sector and identify ways to take advantage of the co-benefits of pollution control.
The focus of these efforts is to address an individual sector's emissions comprehensively and to
prioritize regulatory efforts to address the sources and pollutants of greatest concern to
overburdened communities. In developing sector and multi-pollutant approaches, EPA is building
innovative solutions that address the differing and cumulative nature of the multiple pollutants
and associated industrial sectors.
EPA works with other internal and external stakeholders on improving ambient air monitoring
networks and measurement techniques to fill data gaps and to better estimate population exposure
to criteria and toxic air pollutants. To ensure data quality, EPA will continue to implement and
manage independent quality assurance programs for national monitoring networks as well as for
federal and commercial laboratories that produce ambient air monitoring data.
In FY 2022, EPA will work with partners to continue improving emissions factors and inventories,
including the National Emissions Inventory. This effort includes gathering improved activity data
from emissions monitoring and using geographic information systems and satellite remote sensing
systems, where possible, for key point, area, mobile, and fugitive sources, and global emission
events.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Federal Support for Air Quality
Management program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$463.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$2,605.0 / +11.0 FTE) This program change increases support for the development of
science, technology, and methodologies to better implement the Clean Air Act, including
enhancing risk assessment capabilities to better identify and determine impacts on
communities, communicating and collaborating with environmental justice communities
to address air toxics concerns, and improving ambient air monitoring networks and
measurement techniques to fill data gaps to better estimate population exposure to criteria
and toxic air pollutants. This investment includes $2,161.0 thousand in payroll costs.
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Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act.
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Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
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Supporting State and Local Governments
EPA works with state and local governments to ensure the technical integrity of the mobile source
control emission benefits included in State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and transportation
conformity determinations. EPA develops and provides information and tools to assist state, local,
and tribal agencies, as well as communities, to reduce criteria pollutant and air toxics emissions
and risks specific to their local areas. Reductions in emissions of mobile source air pollution, such
as components of diesel exhaust, are achieved through: technical assistance of Clean Air Act mobile
source programs in nonattainment and maintenance areas for EPA's national ambient air quality
standards (NAAQS); establishing national emissions standards for vehicles, equipment, and fuels,
research of mobile source health impacts and mitigation options; and partnership approaches
working with state, local, and tribal governments, as well as a variety of non-governmental
stakeholder groups.
Prioritizing Environmental Justice
In response to the Administration's priorities and goals, EPA's mobile source programs are
developed and implemented to ensure environmental justice and equity. This includes: 1) outreach
and inclusion throughout the regulatory development process; 2) analysis of current conditions to
understand economic inequities potentially related to our regulatory policies - as well as disparities
in exposure to mobile source air pollution experienced by minorities, low-income populations, and
tribal communities; 3) analysis of the equity and air quality improvements from our regulatory
actions and voluntary programs; 4) technical assistance to state and local governments to reduce
criteria pollutant and other emissions through regulatory and non-regulatory strategies; and 5)
exploration of non-regulatory mitigation measures to further target improvements in air quality for
those disproportionately exposed to mobile sources of air pollution.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports the implementation of Executive Order 13990: Protecting
Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis; and
Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.
Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification Program
In FY 2022, the Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification Program will continue to
focus its efforts on certification decisions. The Agency will continue to perform its compliance
oversight functions on priority matters, conducting compliance oversight tests where evidence
suggests noncompliance. EPA will continue to conduct pre-certification confirmatory testing
activities for emissions and fuel economy for passenger cars and expects to increase onroad
measurements of in-use vehicle emissions. EPA anticipates reviewing and approving about 4,700
vehicle and engine emissions certification requests, including light-duty vehicles, heavy-duty
diesel engines, nonroad engines, marine engines, locomotives, and others. Demand for EPA's
certification services has increased significantly, due in part to the addition of exhaust and fuel
evaporative emissions certification requirements for marine, other nonroad, and small spark-
ignited engines. Accordingly, NVFEL has expanded its compliance testing capabilities in each of
these areas.
21
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EPA utilizes in-use emissions data provided by light-duty vehicle manufacturers to measure
compliance and determine if any follow-up evaluation or testing is necessary. Since CY 2000,
light-duty vehicle manufacturers have been required to test a number of newer and older in-use
vehicles and provide the data to EPA, which receives over 2,000 test results from more than 6,000
vehicles annually. EPA reviews the data and determines if there are any specific vehicles, models,
or manufacturers that are failing emissions standards in-use. The Agency will use this information
submitted by light-duty manufacturers, together with emissions data collected at NVFEL, to
determine if there are vehicle models which should be recalled and repaired to address excess in-
use emissions and that should be identified for testing for the upcoming model year prior to
granting the manufacturer a certificate of conformity, which allows the manufacturer to sell
vehicles in the U.S.
Emission Standards for New Motor Vehicles
In FY 2022, EPA will take action to tackle climate change per the Presidential executive orders, by
focusing on the transportation sector's largest contributors to GHG emissions: light-duty vehicles
(LDVs) and heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs).
EPA is revising the light-duty vehicle GHG standards established under the previous
Administration in April 2020 (the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient Vehicles Rule), and plans to
issue a proposed rule setting revised standards through model year (MY) 2026 by July 2021 and a
final rule by the end of December 2021. Separately, EPA is undertaking a review of the prior
Administration's withdrawal of the 2013 waiver of federal preemption given to California for its
GHG standards and Zero Emission Vehicle mandate for light-duty vehicles. This review could
lead to rescinding this withdrawal and a reinstatement of California's regulatory program.
The near-term rule will serve as a stepping-off point for longer-term standards. Under Executive
Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, the President described the
urgency of the global climate crisis and encouraged a whole of government approach to tackling
it. One of EPA's actions under this EO will be to initiate a rulemaking to set strong standards for
LDVs post-2026 that provide an incentive for transportation electrification. Many automakers
have recently announced ambitious plans for electrifying their new LDV fleets in the 2030 to 2040
timeframe. EPA's standards will take into consideration these industry commitments.
In FY 2022, EPA also will take action to reduce GHG emissions from highway HDVs, the second-
largest source of transportation GHG emissions. EPA will develop the next round of criteria and
GHG emission standards for highway HDVs. The GHG elements of this multipollutant effort will
build upon the final step of the "Phase 2" HD GHG standards that go into effect in CY 2027, and
will recognize the impact that electrification of vehicles in this sector will have on future GHG
standards for CY 2030 and beyond. One key focus for the GHG elements of this effort will be the
shift from HDVs powered by internal combustion engines to those powered by zero emission
battery or fuel-cell technologies. Several major truck manufacturers have announced their
intention of electrify most of their HDVs in the 2035 to 2040 timeframe. EPA's future GHG
standards for HDVs will build upon these industry commitments.
EPA will need to invest significant resources to address a myriad of new technical challenges to
support these two sets of long-term rulemakings, which will include added LDV and HDV testing
22
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and modeling capabilities at NVFEL. Key to this technical work is to understand the cost,
feasibility, and infrastructure impacts of electrifying the broad range of products in the LDV and
HDV sectors.
Fuel Economy Labeling Requirements
In FY 2022, EPA also will oversee compliance with vehicle fuel economy labeling requirements.
In past years, EPA conducted in-use audits of manufacturer "coast-down" data, revealing issues in
manufacturer data submitted to EPA and, as a result, found inaccurate fuel economy labels on
more than a million vehicles from several well-known manufacturers. While EPA temporarily
suspended its coast-down testing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agency expects to resume
this testing when public health guidance allows it.
Tier 3 Standards
In FY 2022, EPA will continue implementing the Tier 3 standards for light-duty vehicles and
certifying manufacturers' fleets for vehicle MY 2022 and MY 2023. EPA is responsible for
establishing the test procedures needed to measure tailpipe emissions and for verifying
manufacturers' vehicle fuel economy data. As a result, the Agency will continue to maintain its
critical laboratory equipment and testing resources to ensure that new cars and trucks are in
compliance with the Tier 3 emissions standards.
Marine and Aircraft Emission Reduction Measures
EPA will continue working with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on programs to control pollutant emissions from
marine and aircraft engines, respectively. EPA is supporting the State Department and Coast Guard
on technical issues related to establishing measures to achieve GHG targets established at IMO. In
FY 2022, EPA expects to transition from short-term to more ambitious medium-term measures.
At ICAO, EPA has the opportunity to influence the emissions work to be performed over the next
3-year cycle, which will be decided in early FY 2022. Additionally, EPA is developing a domestic
rule for aircraft engine PM standards, expected to be finalized in FY 2022.
In addition to the international efforts for aviation, EPA is continuing its work to address lead in
aviation gasoline. In coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and working
with airports, local air agencies, and communities, EPA is evaluating potential exposures to lead
from the use of leaded aviation gasoline in piston-engine aircraft as well as potential mitigation
measures.
Emissions Modeling
The Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) is the Agency's emission modeling system that
estimates emissions for onroad and nonroad sources at the national, county, and project levels for
criteria air pollutants, GHGs, and air toxics. In FY 2022, MOVES3, the most recently released
version of EPA's model, will support the Agency's emission control programs, as well as provide
critical support to states in their determination of program needs, including the development of
SIPs, to meet the NAAQS. The Agency also will support users on any release of a new model
version based on the best available data and science.
23
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National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory
EPA is pursuing an infrastructure upgrade project for the NVFEL. The Agency is evaluating an
Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), a private/public partnership contract vehicle run
through the Department of Energy. ESPCs use the facilities' energy and operational savings to pay
for most of the contract costs. EPA anticipates signing the proposed ESPC in FY 2022 with
potential implementation costs in excess of $30 million.
In FY 2022, the mechanical, electrical, control, and building management systems at NVFEL will
be at or beyond the end of useful life with the completion of the current, 25-year, ESPC. NVFEL
provides all laboratory testing and support functions necessary for the Agency to certify that all
vehicles, engines, and fuels sold in the United States are in compliance with all U.S. emission
standards, representing close to 5,000 certificates issued on an annual basis. Additional resources
are critical to support the ability of NVFEL to carry-out its mission-critical work of certifying
vehicle compliance. Ensuring industry's compliance is a priority goal for EPA and an essential
safeguard that a level playing field exists for manufacturers of vehicles and engines introduced
into commerce in the United States.
Renewable Fuel Standards
A large portion of EPA's efforts on fuels will be centered on the implementation of the RFS
program. In the statute, Congress established renewable fuel volume targets through FY 2022,
leaving it to the Agency to establish the volumes for FY 2023 and beyond. By the end of FY 2022,
EPA will issue a rulemaking to establish these volumes. In addition, EPA will continue the efforts
associated with the ongoing implementation of the program. These include: 1) revising and
improving the RFS regulations to improve its operation; 2) reviewing and approving the use of
new biofuels and/or their feedstocks; 3) registering new facilities to enable them to generate RINs
(the credits under the Program); 4) operating and upgrading the electronic moderated transaction
system (EMTS) to provide oversight and verify compliance with the RFS Program; 5) ensuring
the integrity of the RFS Program through enforcement actions against those using the program for
fraudulent gain; and 6) supporting the Department of Justice in defending the Agency's
implementation of the RFS Program in the numerous challenges in court.
In addition to the RFS Program, EPA will continue to implement its existing gasoline and diesel
fuel quality standards and obligations under the Clean Air Act. This includes many of the same
compliance and enforcement oversight activities mentioned above for the RFS. In addition, in late
2020 EPA finalized a fuel regulation streamlining rule that it will continue to implement in 2022.
Finally, in 2022 EPA will continue its ongoing research into new opportunities to improve and/or
protect fuel quality in ways that can reduce air pollution and improve public health and welfare.
EPA will continue to operate and maintain the credit trading systems under the RFS. EISA
expanded the renewable fuels provisions of EPAct and requires additional studies in various areas
of renewable fuel use. EISA also requires EPA to develop a comprehensive lifecycle GHG
methodology to implement the Act's GHG threshold requirements for the RFS. Producers of new
and advanced biofuels regularly seek to qualify their fuels under RFS, and EPA will continue to
apply its lifecycle analysis to such fuels to evaluate and determine eligibility for the Program.
24
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In FY 2022, EPA will maintain oversight of the RFS Program and continue to evaluate compliance
with RFS provisions through its system, which is used to track the creation, trades, and use of
billions of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) for compliance. The tracking system handles
4,000 to 6,000 submissions per day, typically averaging more than 20,000 transactions per day,
and the generation of more than 1.4 billion RINs per month. RINs are generated with the
production of qualifying renewable fuel and are used to achieve national RFS programmatic goals
of reducing or replacing the quantity of petroleum-based transportation fuel, heating oil, or jet fuel
produced.
In FY 2022, EPA will continue to implement its Fuel and Fuel Additive Registration program. The
Agency will prioritize its review and decisions for Part 79 registrations.
In FY 2022, EPA will implement a rulemaking that streamlines and updates EPA's existing
gasoline, diesel, and other fuels regulations to improve overall compliance assurance and maintain
environmental performance, while reducing compliance burdens for industry, as well as EPA. This
rule streamlines the existing fuels regulations by deleting expired provisions, eliminating
redundant compliance provisions, removing unnecessary and out-of-date requirements, and
replacing them with a single set of provisions that will apply across all gasoline, diesel, and other
fuels programs under the current regulations. While the rule substantially reduced the overall
volume of regulations, as with any regulatory change, implementing the new provisions will
require substantial outreach and oversight by EPA to ensure regulated parties meet the new
requirements, and will further necessitate investment in NVFEL's role as the fuels program
reference standard for all regulated parties.
Supporting State and Local Governments
In FY 2022, EPA will continue to provide state and local governments with assistance in
developing SIPs and transportation conformity determinations. EPA will continue to work with
states and local governments to ensure the technical integrity of the mobile source emission
estimates in their SIPs. EPA will assist in identifying control options available and provide
guidance, as needed. In addition, in partnership with the Department of Transportation, EPA will
ensure national consistency in how transportation conformity determinations are conducted across
the U.S. and in the development of motor vehicle emissions budgets in SIPs, for use in conformity
determinations.
EPA will continue to provide assistance to state and local transportation and air quality agencies
working on PM2.5 and PM10 hotspot analyses. This will help ensure the latest available information
is used, is nationally consistent, and protects public health in local communities - including
minority and low-income communities - near new or expanded highway and freight terminal
projects with significant increases in diesel truck traffic. In addition, EPA will continue to support
states with respect to Clean Air Act-required inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs that
focus on in-use vehicles and engines. Basic and/or enhanced I/M testing is currently being
conducted in almost 30 states with EPA technical and programmatic guidance. EPA also will
continue to provide technical assistance to certain states considering changes or removal of low
Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) fuel programs.
25
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Prioritizing Environmental Justice
In FY 2022, EPA will continue to work with a broad range of stakeholders - including communities
with environmental justice concerns - to develop targeted, sector-based, and place-based incentives
for diesel fleets (including school buses, ports, and other goods movement facilities) to limit
emissions from older, pre-2007 diesel engines not subject to stringent emissions standards.
Millions of people in the U. S. currently live and work near ports and can be exposed to air pollution
associated with emissions from diesel engines at ports, including particulate matter, nitrogen
oxides, ozone, and air toxics.4 The near-port communities that bear the brunt of air pollution from
these diesel engines are often comprised of low-income populations and people of color. EPA will
focus its efforts on reducing mobile source emissions in and around ports through EPA's Ports
Initiative.5 EPA also is working with industry to bring about field testing and emissions testing
protocols for a variety of innovative energy-efficient, emissions reducing technologies for the
legacy fleet.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM CRT) Number of certificates of conformity issued that demonstrate
that the respective engine, vehicle, equipment, component, or system
conforms to all of the applicable emission requirements and may be entered
into commerce.
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
4,700
4,700
EPA is currently evaluating its suite of measures and indicators related to environmental justice
and climate change, including available data and programs where improved data sets are needed
to develop useful performance measures for Environmental Justice and Climate Change Programs.
Measures are under development in this program to address environmental justice and climate
change.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,918.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$152.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of lab
utilities.
• (+$10,316.0 / +5.0 FTE) This program change increases support program activities to
address the climate crisis, including the development of analytical methods and analyses
to support climate protection, specifically regulations to control greenhouse gas emissions
from cars and trucks. This investment includes $930.0 thousand in payroll costs.
4 For more information, please see the DERA Fourth Report to Congress, July 2019, which may be found at:
https://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-reports-congress.
5 For more information, please visit https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative.
26
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Statutory Authority:
Title II of the Clean Air Act; Motor Vehicle Information Cost Savings Act; Alternative Motor
Fuels Act of 1988; National Highway System Designation Act; Energy Policy Act of 1992; Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU);
Energy Policy Act of 2005; Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
27
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Indoor Air and Radiation
28
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Indoor Air: Radon Program
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$2,680.4
$3,136.0
$3,167.0
$31.0
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Total Budget Authority
$2,720.3
$3,293.0
$3,324.0
$31.0
Total Workyears
8.5
9.0
9.0
0.0
Program Project Description:
Title III of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) authorizes EPA to take a variety of actions
to address the public health risks posed by exposures to indoor radon. Under the statute, EPA
studies the health effects of radon, assesses exposure levels, sets an action level, provides technical
assistance to States, industry and the public, advises the public of steps they can take to reduce
exposure and promotes the availability of reliable radon services and service providers to the
public.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States - and the leading cause of
lung cancer mortality among non-smokers - accounting for about 21,000 deaths per year.6 EPA's
non-regulatory Indoor Air: Radon Program promotes actions to reduce the public's health risk
from indoor radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend that people conduct a simple home
radon test and, if levels above the EPA's guidelines are confirmed, reduce elevated levels by home
mitigation using inexpensive and proven techniques. EPA also recommends that new homes be
built using radon-resistant features in areas where there is elevated radon. Nationally, risks from
radon have been reduced in many homes over the years, but many are still in need of mitigation.
This voluntary program promotes partnerships between national organizations, the private sector,
and more than 50 state, local, and tribal governmental programs to reduce radon risk.
This program, combined with the Indoor Air: Radon EPM Program, supports the EPA Radon
Reference and Intercomparison Program (ERRIP) of the National Air and Radiation
Environmental Laboratory (NAREL) in Montgomery, Alabama. The ERRIP is the only federal
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) traceable primary radon reference and
calibration program accessible to the U.S. radon industry and is a critical element of the framework
for promoting the availability of reliable, quality radon services for the public.
6 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/radon.
29
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FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
EPA will provide radon reference intercomparison samples to secondary radon chambers operating
in North America. EPA will update and modernize program equipment and perform required
QA/QC on program analytical process and procedures.
Performance Targets:
EPA's FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Title III of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
30
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Radiation: Protection
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$8,912.4
$7,661.0
$10,342.0
$2,681.0
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$2,323.3
$1,985.0
$2,612.0
$627.0
Total Budget Authority
$13,031.3
$11,381.0
$15,294.0
$3,913.0
Total Workyears
56.4
53.8
66.7
12.9
Program Project Description:
EPA supports waste site characterization and cleanup by providing field and fixed laboratory
environmental radiological and radioanalytical data and technical support, providing
radioanalytical training to state and federal partners, and developing new and improved
radioanalytical methods and field measurement technologies. The National Analytical Radiation
Environmental Laboratory in Montgomery, Alabama, and the National Center for Radiation Field
Operations in Las Vegas, Nevada, provide analytical and field operation support for
radioanalytical testing, quality assurance, analysis of environmental samples, and field
measurement systems and equipment to support site assessment, cleanup, and response activities
in the event of a radiological accident or incident. Together, these organizations provide technical
support for conducting site-specific radiological characterizations and cleanups.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
In FY 2022, EPA, in cooperation with states, tribes, and other federal agencies, will provide
ongoing site characterization and analytical support for site assessment activities, remediation
technologies, and measurement and information systems. EPA also will provide essential training
and direct site assistance, including field surveys and monitoring, laboratory analyses, health and
safety, and risk assessment support at sites with actual or suspected radioactive contamination.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
31
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FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$33.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$572.0 / +2.2 FTE) This program change will address critical gaps in EPA's radiological
protection capacity including the ability to provide ongoing site characterization and
analytical support for site assessment activities, remediation technologies, and
measurement and information systems. This investment includes $372.0 thousand in
payroll costs.
Statutory Authority:
Atomic Energy Act of 1954; Clean Air Act; Energy Policy Act of 1992; Nuclear Waste Policy Act
of 1982; Public Health Service Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation
Control Act (UMTRCA) of 1978; Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdrawal Act of 1992;
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act; Clean Water Act.
32
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Radiation: Response Preparedness
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$2,616.2
$2,404.0
$2,908.0
$504.0
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Total Budget Authority
$6,018.3
$5,500.0
$6,947.0
$1,447.0
Total Workyears
34.9
33.3
41.4
8.1
Program Project Description:
The National Analytical Radiation Environmental Laboratory (NAREL) in Montgomery, Alabama,
and the National Center for Radiation Field Operations (NCRFO) in Las Vegas, Nevada, provide
laboratory analyses and field sampling and analyses to respond to radiological and nuclear
incidents. This work includes measuring and monitoring radioactive materials and assessing
radioactive contamination in the environment. This program comprises direct scientific field and
laboratory activities to support preparedness, planning, training, and procedure development. In
addition, program personnel are members of EPA's Radiological Emergency Response Team
(RERT), a component of the Agency's emergency response program, and are trained to provide
direct expert scientific and technical assistance. EPA's RERT is part of the Nuclear Incident
Response Team under the Department of Homeland Security.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
In FY 2022, EPA's RERT will provide critical support for federal radiological emergency response
and recovery operations under the National Response Framework and the National Oil and
Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. When necessary, EPA's RERT will
complement routine operations (e.g., on-site technical support/consultation, fixed laboratory, and
mobile laboratory analyses) and provide for the rapid collection of field measurements/samples and
accurate radionuclide analyses of environmental samples.7
In FY 2022, NAREL and NCRFO will build capacity in core levels of readiness for radiological
emergency responses; participate in critical emergency exercises; and respond, as required, to
radiological incidents. NAREL and NCRFO will prioritize rapid deployment capabilities to ensure
that field teams and laboratory personnel are ready to provide scientific data, field measurement
capabilities, analyses, and updated analytical techniques for radiation emergency response
programs across the Agency.
Performance Measure Targets:
7 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/radiation/radiological-emergencv-response.
33
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EPA's FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$69.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$100.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of lab
utilities.
• (+$774.0 / +5.0 FTE) This program change is an increase in support activities for
preparedness work, including basic laboratory analytic functions. This investment includes
$744.0 thousand in payroll costs.
Statutory Authority:
Homeland Security Act of 2002; Atomic Energy Act of 1954; Clean Air Act; Post-Katrina
Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PKEMRA); Public Health Service Act (PHSA);
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA).
34
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Reduce Risks from Indoor Air
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$10,934.8
$11,750.0
$13,837.0
$2,087.0
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Total Budget Authority
$11,170.3
$11,911.0
$14,005.0
$2,094.0
Total Workyears
35.2
37.2
47.2
10.0
Program Project Description:
Title IV of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) authorizes EPA
to conduct and coordinate research on indoor air quality, develop and disseminate information,
and coordinate risk reduction efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. Poor indoor air quality
represents one of the largest risks in EPA's portfolio.8 EPA uses a range of strategies, including
partnerships with non-governmental, professional, federal, state and local organizations, to provide
information, guidance and technical assistance to equip industry, the health care community, the
residential, school and commercial building sectors, and the general public to take action to reduce
health risks from poor indoor air quality in homes, schools, and other buildings. As technical
experts working at the intersection of the built environment and health, EPA is focused on policy
and guidance to improve building conditions, including for disproportionately impacted
communities, to reduce indoor air risk and achieve improvements in environmental and health
outcomes.
Tribes have identified indoor air quality as a high priority and often bear disproportionately high
impacts from poor indoor air quality. For example, Native Americans and Alaska Natives are
disproportionately exposed to increased indoor pollutant concentration and suffer from asthma-
related health outcomes due to housing conditions.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
Under this program, EPA will maintain indoor air monitoring and assessment equipment, conduct
field measurements and assessments, and provide technical support and guidance for indoor air
quality remediations, with a primary focus on assistance to tribal communities. In addition, EPA
will conduct training and capacity building for tribal air quality professionals on indoor air
assessments and field measurement technology and practices, including radon.
Performance Targets:
EPA's FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
8 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/iaq.
35
-------
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$7.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
Statutory Authority:
Title IV SARA; Title III Toxic Substances Control Act; Clean Air Act.
36
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Enforcement
37
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Forensics Support
Program Area: Enforcement
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Sciciuv ^ icclnwhixy
SI-1.000.0
S 14.114.0
SI 14.0
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$1,257.6
$1,145.0
$1,164.0
$19.0
Total Budget Authority
$14,983.8
$15,145.0
$15,278.0
$133.0
Total Workyears
57.3
68.9
68.9
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Forensics Support Program provides expert scientific and technical support for criminal and
civil environmental enforcement cases, as well as technical support for the Agency's compliance
efforts. EPA's National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC) is an environmental forensic
center accredited for both laboratory analysis and field sampling operations that generate
environmental data for law enforcement purposes. It is fully accredited under International
Standards Organization (ISO) 17025, the main standard used by testing and calibration
laboratories, as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences.9 The NEIC maintains a
sophisticated chemistry and physical science laboratory and a corps of highly trained inspectors
and scientists with expertise across environmental media. The NEIC works closely with EPA's
Criminal Enforcement Program to provide technical support (e.g., sampling, analysis,
consultation, and testimony) to criminal investigations. The NEIC also works closely with other
EPA programs to provide technical support, consultation, on-site inspection, investigation, and
case resolution services in support of the Agency's Civil Enforcement Program.
The Forensics Support Program will continue to provide expert scientific and technical support for
EPA's criminal and civil enforcement efforts, focus its work on collecting and analyzing materials
to characterize contamination, and attribute it to individual sources and/or facilities. The work
NEIC performs typically represents the most complex cases nationwide, requiring a level of
expertise and equipment not found elsewhere in EPA, as well as support to evaluate and leverage
emerging technologies.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports the Administration's priorities. The Forensics Support
Program provides expert scientific and technical support for EPA's criminal and civil enforcement
efforts. EPA's FY 2022 budget proposal provides analytical and scientific support for
environmental forensics to ensure compliance with environmental laws, especially in underserved
communities.
9 Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, National Academy of Sciences, 2009, available at:
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php7record id= 12589.
38
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Effective enforcement relies on the best available science. In FY 2022, NEIC will support the
President's directive to "listen to science - and act. We must strengthen our clean air and water
protections. We must hold polluters accountable for their actions. We must deliver environmental
justice in communities all across America" (EO 14008, sec. 201).10 To achieve these goals, the
Agency will employ NEIC's environmental forensics expertise to investigate violations of
environmental statutes and prosecute environmental crimes in communities that are
disproportionally affected by pollution and environmental crime, and to target those areas more
effectively.
In FY 2022, NEIC also will continue to streamline its forensics work, and identify enhancements
to the Agency's sampling and analytical methods, using existing and emerging technology. The
NEIC also will build on its previous progress to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of its
operations, reduce the time for completion of civil inspection reports, improve procurement
processes, and continue to identify and implement further efficiencies in laboratory operations.
The results of these efforts will inform EPA's work in FY 2022 and beyond.
The NEIC will seek to grow its support of EPA enforcement and compliance assurance programs.
During FY 2019 and FY 2020, the NEIC accepted over 220 requests from all 10 EPA regions for
technical enforcement support while declining over 149 requests due to a lack of capacity and
staffing. During that same period, the NEIC provided testimony and expert reports in support of
over 28 cases covering a variety of highly technical areas.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$123.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$9.0) This program change realizes progress made in maximizing the efficiency and
effectiveness of operations, including reducing the time for completion of civil inspection
reports, improving procurement processes, and continuing to identify and implement
further efficiencies in laboratory operations in providing analytical and scientific support
for environmental forensics to ensure compliance with environmental laws.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (MARPOL
10 For additional information on the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, please see:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefmg-room/Dresidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-
home-and-abroad/.
39
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Annex VI); Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act; Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act;
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act; Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act; Mercury-Containing and
Rechargeable Battery Management Act; Noise Control Act; Oil Pollution Act; Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act; Rivers and Harbors Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act; Toxic Substances Control Act.
40
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Homeland Security
41
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Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure Protection
Program Area: Homeland Security
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$990.3
$909.0
$1,008.0
$99.0
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S.\'Jf,2.0
Total Budget Authority
$13,916.5
$11,289.0
$15,350.0
$4,061.0
Total Workyears
22.2
26.6
32.6
6.0
Program Project Description:
Under the federal homeland security system, EPA is the Sector-Specific Agency responsible for
implementing statutory and Presidential directives relating to homeland security for the water
sector. EPA's Water Security Program is implemented through close partnerships with the water
sector, state emergency response and water program officials, and other federal agencies—most
notably the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the
Intelligence Community. The Water Security Program engages federal, state, and local entities in
defining annual objectives and identifying high priorities for immediate action.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
This program provides critical resources to coordinate and support protection of the Nation's
critical water infrastructure from terrorist threats and all-hazard events. In FY 2022, under this
homeland security program, EPA will provide exercises and technical support to about 1,500 water
utilities, state officials, and federal emergency responders to become more resilient to any natural
or manmade incident that could endanger water and wastewater services. EPA will provide tools,
exercises, and technical assistance which will address the highest risks confronting the water
sector.
Natural Disasters and General Preparedness
Drought, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters represent a high risk to the
water sector owing to their historical frequency of occurrence and their enormous potential for
destruction. As evident from several recent natural disasters, the level of preparedness within the
water sector varies significantly—with many utilities lacking adequate preparedness capabilities.
In FY 2022, EPA will improve the preparedness of the water sector by providing nationwide
exercises and technical support to address natural disasters and general preparedness with the
objective to train water and wastewater systems, state officials, and emergency response partners.
Specifically, EPA will:
• Provide in-person exercises and workshops which will include: Incident Command System
/ National Incident Management System exercises; drought response; flood response; state
functional exercises (e.g., scenarios of hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes); resource
42
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typing and site access workshops; a regional interstate emergency response exercise (e.g.,
hurricane), etc.;
• Conduct tabletop and functional exercises to improve the operation of intra-state and inter-
state mutual aid agreements among water utilities;
• Implement lessons learned of relevance to the water sector from the most recent hurricane
seasons, as identified by reports from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the
Water Agency Response Network, and EPA's Inspector General;
• Continue to address high priority security areas, as identified in the stakeholder generated
2017 Roadmap to a Secure and Resilient Water and Wastewater Sector,11 with an emphasis
on projects addressing the following four priorities: 1) establishing the critical lifeline
status of the water and wastewater sector and translating that definition into strong support
for the sector's needs and capabilities; 2) improving detection, response, and recovery to
contamination incidents; 3) advancing preparedness and improving capabilities of the
water and wastewater sector for area-wide loss of water and power; and 4) advancing
recognition of vulnerabilities and needed responses related to cyber risk management;
• Conduct nationwide exercises with three critical, inter-dependent sectors: healthcare,
emergency services, and energy. Most incidents, particularly natural disasters, have
underscored the mutual reliance on the water sector with other lifeline sectors. Through
exercises and technical support with officials at the local, state, and federal levels from
these other sectors, EPA will seek to improve coordination among critical lifeline sectors;
• Sustain operation of the Water Desk in the Agency's Emergency Operations Center in the
event of an emergency by updating roles and responsibilities, training staff in the incident
command structure, ensuring adequate staffing during activation of the desk, and
coordinating with EPA's regional field personnel and response partners; and
• Develop annual assessments, as required under the National Infrastructure Protection Plan,
to describe existing water security efforts and progress in achieving the sector's key
metrics.
Water Security Initiative and Water Lab Alliance
Water Security Initiative. The Water Security Initiative (WSI) designs and demonstrates an
effective system for timely detection and appropriate response to drinking water contamination
threats and incidents through a pilot program that has broad application to the Nation's drinking
water utilities in high-threat cities. The FY 2022 request includes $4.7 million for necessary WSI
Surveillance and Response System (SRS) activities to: 1) continue refining technical assistance
products based on the five full-scale SRS pilots; 2) implement a monitoring and response program
for water utilities focused on source water chemical spills; and 3) provide direct technical
"For more information, please see:
https://www.waterisac.org/sites/default/files/public/2017 CIPAC Water Sector Roadmap FINAL 051217.pdf.
43
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assistance to the dozens of water utilities that seek to leverage EPA's expertise in deploying their
own warning system.
In FY 2022, EPA will train approximately 50 drinking water utilities in the design, operation, and
response components of early contaminant warning systems.
In particular, EPA will:
• Continue efforts to promote the water sector's adoption of Water Quality Surveillance and
Response Systems. This will help to rapidly detect and respond to water quality problems,
such as contamination in the distribution system, in order to reduce public health and
economic consequences through the development of several online exercise modules and
webinars, as well as the provision of in-person direct technical assistance;
• Build upon the Drinking Water Mapping Application to Protect Source Waters
(DWMAPS)12 and the new chemical spill and storage notification requirements in the
America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. EPA will collaborate with water sector
stakeholders, water utilities, and state environmental agencies, to identify specific
information (e.g., what chemicals are stored upstream from a surface water intake),
including Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) Tier 2 data,
that are valuable to developing a comprehensive source water contamination threat
inventory. EPA will initiate work in three states to develop a comprehensive inventory and
characterization of source water contamination threats with the objective of developing a
defined process that other states could emulate. This effort will help to ensure that drinking
water utilities have access to the basic information (e.g., what chemicals are stored
upstream from a surface water intake) necessary for implementing effective source water
contamination detection and response systems;
• Conduct nationwide exercises for the SRS Capabilities Assessment Tool,13 a web-based,
easy to use, decision support tool that presents the user with a series of questions by which
to assess existing detection and response capabilities, compare these existing capabilities
to a target capability, and identify potential enhancements to address gaps between the
existing and target capabilities; and
• Continue the successful SRS implementation pilot program14 within the water sector - the
purpose of which is to: demonstrate the application of SRS tools in designing and operating
an early warning system for contamination events; illustrate additional applications of SRS
tools, such as extending the SRS approach to source water monitoring; and identify
champions, within the industry, for implementing surveillance and response systems.
Water Laboratory Alliance. In a contamination event, the sheer volume or unconventional type of
samples could quickly overwhelm the capacity or capability of a single laboratory. To address this
12 For more information, please see; https://www.epa.gov/sourcewaterprotection/drinking-water-mapping-application-protect-
source-waters-dwmaps.
13 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/srs fact sheet.pdf.
14 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/wateraualitvsurveillance.
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potential deficiency, EPA has established a national Water Laboratory Alliance (WLA) comprised
of laboratories harnessed from the range of existing lab resources from the local (e.g., water utility)
to the federal level (e.g., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Laboratory
Response Network). In FY 2022, EPA will continue to promote, through exercises, expert
workshops, and association partnerships, the Water Laboratory Alliance Plan,15 which provides a
protocol for coordinated laboratory response to a surge of analytical needs. Approximately 15
exercises or workshops were completed in FY 2020. In FY 2022, under WLA, EPA will train
approximately 50 laboratories in improving their ability to handle potential problems associated
with surge capacity and analytical method capabilities during an emergency.
In particular, EPA will:
• Continue to work with regional and state environmental laboratories to conduct exercises
and continue efforts to automate the exercises, enabling laboratories and other members of
the water sector to participate in exercises simultaneously and continue the innovative
practice of pursuing validation of methods through exercises;
• Continue to expand the membership of the WLA with the intention of achieving nationwide
coverage. The WLA has 160 member laboratories that are geographically diverse and can
provide a wide range of chemical, biological, and radiological analyses.16 For the WLA to
become a robust infrastructure that can cover major population centers and address a
diverse array of high priority contaminants, membership must continue to increase;
• Continue to target laboratories located in areas where the WLA has both inadequate
membership levels and gaps in laboratory analytical capabilities;
• Coordinate with other federal agencies, primarily DHS, CDC, Food and Drug
Administration, and Department of Defense, on biological, chemical, and radiological
contaminants of high concern and how to detect and respond to their presence in drinking
water and wastewater systems; and
• Continue to implement specific recommendations of the Water Decontamination Strategy
as developed by EPA and water sector stakeholders (e.g., defining roles and responsibilities
of local, state, and federal agencies during an event).
Cvbersecuritv
Cybersecurity represents a substantial concern for the water sector, given the ubiquitous access to
critical water treatment systems from the internet. Recent attacks perpetrated by state and other
actors and their clear potential to disrupt essential lifeline services, such as drinking water supplies,
are prompting a growing recognition that the federal government should adopt a more aggressive
posture towards cybersecurity. EPA will work with each state, territory, and tribe to develop and
train a cadre of technical assistance providers who can work directly with individual water systems
15 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork.
16 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/dwlabcert/contact-information-certification-programs-and-certified-
laboratories-drinking-water.
45
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to assess and enhance their cybersecurity practices. This multi-year effort requires EPA to work
with the Nation's 52,000 community water systems, many of which have limited or no technical
capacity to address cyber issues. EPA also would seek to train individuals on how to integrate
cyber training into their sanitary survey assessments.
In addition to expanding direct technical assistance, and in discussions with the National Security
Council, EPA is pursuing regulatory options in the near-term for addressing cybersecurity in the
water sector. Under this effort, EPA also is requesting resources to develop policies and/or
regulations and associated activities. EPA will publish guidance for public water systems on what
cybersecurity practices are recommended for safe operation and EPA will develop a nationwide
training effort for all states, sanitary survey inspectors, and all public water systems on compliance
and cybersecurity in general.
In FY 2022, EPA will continue to fulfill its obligations under Executive Order 1363617which
designated EPA as the lead federal agency responsible for cybersecurity in the water sector. EPA
will partner with the water sector to promote cybersecurity practices and gauge progress in the
sector's implementation of these practices as directed by the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of
2014. EPA will be conducting nationwide exercises and providing technical support on
cybersecurity threats and countermeasures for about 200 water and wastewater utilities. The EPM
Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure Protection Program also can support cybersecurity
related work.
Specifically, EPA will:
• Conduct one-day classroom exercises, at locations distributed nationally, on water sector
cybersecurity. The exercises will address cybersecurity threats (including ransomware),
vulnerabilities, consequences, best practices, and incident response planning;
• Update and/or develop new course materials owing to the evolving nature of cyber threats,
such as the recently documented role of Russian state actors in infiltrating water system
industrial control processes and business enterprise functions;
• Develop brief, targeted guidance documents for underserved segments of the water sector,
such as small systems and technical assistance providers; and
• Continue to implement a new training program for technical assistance providers that will
create a nationwide, state-level network capable of providing direct assistance to water
utilities in adopting and tracking cybersecurity practices in adopting and tracking cyber
security practices as recommended in the sanitary survey guidance.
America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA)
In FY 2022, EPA will continue its efforts to fulfill the mandates of the Community Water System
Risk and Resilience section of AWIA requiring community water systems, serving a population
17 For more information, please see: https://www.dhs.gov/publication/executive-order-13636-improving-critical-infrastructure-
cvbersecuritv.
46
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greater than 3,300, to prepare risk assessments and emergency response plans. EPA will provide
technical assistance to these systems on how to conduct resilience assessments, prepare Emergency
Response Plans (ERPs), and certify completion of these assessments and plans. In FY 2020, 22
trainings were completed on how to appropriately prepare Risk and Resilience Assessments (RRA)
and ERPs. Additionally, 526 large systems certified the completion of their RRAs. In FY 2022,
EPA, as required by the law, also will provide guidance to community water systems serving fewer
than 3,300 people on how to develop a risk assessment and ERPs. EPA will provide technical
assistance to water systems to address drinking water vulnerabilities where EPA determines an
urgent and immediate need. The EPM Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure Protection
Program also can support AWIA homeland security related work.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports Safe Drinking Water Act implementation and compliance and
performance results in the Drinking Water Programs, under the EPM appropriation, to support safe
drinking water for the nation.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$89.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$3,873.0 / +6.0 FTE) This increase of resources and FTE supports the Water Sector
Cybersecurity Program to enhance cyber incident preparation, response, recovery,
information sharing, and intelligence for water utilities to protect infrastructure. This
increase also includes $1,037.0 thousand in payroll costs and essential workforce support
costs.
Statutory Authority:
Safe Drinking Water Act, §§ 1431-1435; Clean Water Act; Public Health Security and
Bioterrorism Emergency and Response Act of 2002; Emergency Planning and Community Right-
to-Know Act, §§ 301-305.
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Homeland Security: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
Program Area: Homeland Security
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
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S 2.\5-l.\0
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Hazardous Substance Superfund
$32,992.9
$33,020.0
$33,264.0
$244.0
Total Budget Authority
$60,014.5
$57,872.0
$58,809.0
$937.0
Total Workyears
119.3
124.1
125.8
1.7
Program Project Description:
Exposure to hazardous chemicals, microbial pathogens, and radiological materials released
into the environment could pose catastrophic consequences to the health of first responders and
American citizens. EPA has responsibility, under legislation and Presidential Directives, to
remediate contaminated environments created by incidents such as terrorist attacks, industrial
accidents, or natural disasters.
The Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) is one of six integrated and transdisciplinary
research programs in EPA's Office of Research and Development. Each of the six integrated and
transdisciplinary research programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that
reflects the research needs of agency program and regional offices, states, and tribes, and is
implemented with their active collaboration and involvement. The HSRP FY 2019-2022 StRAP
continues a practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at solving the problems
encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
These StRAPs continue to reflect the research needs of the Agency's program and regional offices,
states, and tribes. The StRAPs received active collaboration and involvement from EPA and its
stakeholders, which ensures that EPA's scientific efforts are responsive to today's environmental
concerns.
EPA's disaster-related responsibilities are described by the following three objectives in the
HSRP's 2019-2022 StRAP: 1) contaminant characterization and consequence assessment; 2)
environmental cleanup and infrastructure remediation; and 3) systems approaches to preparedness
and response.
Funding supports EPA in carrying out the primary mission essential function, including EPA's
efforts to help communities prepare for, endure, and recover from disasters - safeguarding their
economic, environmental, and social well-being. HSRP collaborates with state, local, and private
sector organizations and key federal agencies18 to prioritize research needs and prevent the
duplication of scientific and technical work. HSRP delivers effective tools, methods, information,
18 Partners include: Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Defense (DOD), Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation
(NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), and Department of Agriculture (USDA).
48
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and guidance to local, state, and federal decision-makers that address both critical terrorism-related
issues and natural or manmade disasters.
EPA also is responsible for operating and maintaining the network of near real-time radiation
monitors, known as RadNet, under the Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex to the National
Response Framework. This network is critical in responding to large-scale incidents such as the
accident at the Fukushima nuclear facility and is an EPA Critical Infrastructure/Key Resource asset.
This monitoring network is supported by the IT system known as ARaDS, the Analytical Radiation
Data System.
Recent accomplishments include:
• Supporting EPA's Role in COVID-19 Response: HSRP was instrumental in EPA's role in
supporting reducing transmission of COVID-19 from the environment. HSRP worked with
its EPA Program Office partners and with other federal, state, and local stakeholders
(including DHS, CDC, and local transit authorities) to provide timely and reliable
information from real-time research to address agency and stakeholder pressing needs.
The HSRP provided the following information:
o effective cleaning and disinfection approaches for specific scenarios,
o understanding of the potential effectiveness and utility of antimicrobial coating
products claiming to provide residual disinfection of surfaces,
o determination of the effectiveness of disinfection devices such as UV lights,
o methods for disinfection of personal protective equipment, and
o assessment of technologies designed for reducing airborne transmission of viruses,
including development of test methodologies useful at relevant scale consistent
with the actual technology field use.
Research findings were regularly updated and communicated with a wide audience via
webinars19 (with attendance in the thousands), regular meetings with stakeholders and
associations, and posted on the EPA COVID-19 research website20. Stakeholders
(including the New York City Metro Transit Authority, the Los Angeles Metro, and many
others) used the HSRP research to make informed decisions on their cleaning and
disinfection approaches.
• Supporting Preparedness for Bio-incident Response: According to the National
Biodefense Strategy (NBS)21, biological threats are among the most serious threats facing
the United States and the international community. HSRP's biological response
(consequence management) research is part of the coordinated effort under the NBS to
combat the real and serious biothreats our country faces, whether they arise from natural
outbreaks of disease, accidents involving high consequence pathogens, or the actions of
terrorists or state actors. HSRP is focused on developing capabilities to protect human
19 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/emergencv-response-research/webinar-series
20 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/healthresearch/research-covid-19-environment
21 For more information, please see:
https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/National-Biodefense-Strategy.pdf
49
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health and minimize the consequences of a biological incident, including public health
emergencies arising from natural outbreaks. One important aspect of consequence
management is rapidly and effectively determining areas of concern for public health due
to exposure to pathogens in our everyday environments. Environmental sampling is critical
for effective response to bio-incidents, specifically for addressing persistent biological
agents like Bacillus anthracis spores or other pathogens that can survive or propagate in
the environment (e.g., in biofilm or other host vectors). Various sampling methods have
been developed and evaluated for characterizing and clearing potentially contaminated
indoor sites; the performance of these sampling methods is not yet assessed for use in
outdoor environments. To address this gap, HSRP conducted research to evaluate the
detection and recovery of spores using various sampling methods on common urban
outdoor surfaces.22 This information will help responders determine which methods to
consider for their specific situation. In addition, HSRP developed a virtual reality (VR)
platform23 for training personnel on biological surface sampling techniques. The training
platform addresses the difficulty in training responders in realistic bio-incident situations
by creating an immersive experience that allows the user to explore and interact with their
environment through the use of VR. The sampling method evaluation and VR training
platform provide essential resources to effectively respond to environmental contamination
from bio-incidents.
• Environmental Resilience Tools Wizard: The Environmental Resilience Tools Wizard24
addresses environmental problems associated with disasters and homeland security
incidents that can have significant impact on human health. The wizard contains a database
of curated EPA resilience tools and resources, including characteristics about each resource
(e.g. resilience application, format, audience, scale, specialized requirements). The wizard
helps to ensure communities have ready access to resources that can be directly used to
build community resilience to disasters. The development of the wizard involved searching
for, identifying, and categorizing the resources as well as designing and developing the tool
interface. The wizard is intended to be used by emergency managers who need to address
environmental aspects of resilience and environmental managers who need to address
disaster resilience, including EPA Regional offices, state and local agencies, and utilities.
One additional significant aspect of this tool is its usefulness in translating technical
information about individual tools into resilience applications for audiences who have
diverse expertise and resilience interests.
• Improving Drinking Water Resilience: Drinking water systems face multiple challenges,
including natural disasters, aging infrastructure, water quality concerns, uncertainty in
supply and demand, environmental emergencies, and terrorist attacks. All of these have the
potential to disrupt a large portion of a water system causing damage to infrastructure and
outages to customers. Increasing resilience to these types of challenges is essential to
22 For more information, please see: Comparison of surface sampling methods for an extended duration outdoor biological
contamination study, https://link.springer.eom/article/l0.1007/sl0661 -020-08434-8.
23 For more information, please see: Biological Sampling Training Simulator
https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record report.cfm?Lab=CESER&dirEntrvId=349129.
24 For more information, please see: Environmental Resilience Tools Wizard,
https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record Report.cfm?dirEntrvId=349765&Lab=CESER.
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improve overall water security. The Water Network Tool for Resilience (WNTR)25 is a
software package allowing for end-to-end evaluation of drinking water infrastructure's
resilience to disasters. The software improves upon the existing EPA software (EPANET)
capabilities by fully integrating hydraulic and water quality simulation, damage estimates
and response actions, and resilience metrics into a single platform. This tool is important
for drinking water systems around the world who want to better understand how their water
systems can withstand natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and power outages.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program is subject to evaluation by the Agency's Board of Scientific Counselors
(BOSC), which is an independent expert body that performs evaluations and lends advice on the
strategic research planning for EPA's Research and Development Program.
The following work is reflected in the HSRP FY 2019-2022 StRAP. Research is planned and
prioritized based on the needs of end-users of this science, including regional On-Scene
Coordinators, water utility companies, states, and EPA program and regional offices.
Characterizing Contamination and Assessing Consequence. Research on contaminant
characterization, coupled with an understanding of exposure potential, can be used to inform the
public health consequences of contaminant exposure. HSRP addresses how contaminants behave
in water systems and the built and natural environment, including the development of capabilities
to support decision makers in their assessment of contamination threats to public health. HSRP
will develop contaminant detection, environmental sampling, and analytical capabilities. These
research areas provide essential information to support environmental response and remediation
decision making to protect public health and the environment. In FY 2022, HSRP will:
• Conduct studies on biological, chemical, and radiological contaminant fate, transport, and
inactivation and removal in water and wastewater systems to inform mitigation decisions.
• Develop rapid and widely-available biological sample collection and analysis methods for
outdoor environmental matrices and protocols for target biological agent analysis.
• Develop sampling strategy and data management tools for wide-area biological incidents
for urban wide-area environments.
• Develop indoor contaminant mapping capabilities for supporting radiological remediation
decision making.
Environmental Cleanup and Infrastructure Remediation. EPA has extensive expertise in cleaning
up contamination associated with accidental spills and industrial accidents. However, experience
in remediating chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) contamination, released over
wide areas such as outdoor urban centers or impacted water systems, is lacking. Such a release can
pose a continual challenge for remediation with long-standing environmental and health
25 For more information, please see: Water Network Tool for Resilience (WNTR)
https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record Report.cfm?dirEntrvId=349798&Lab=CESER.
51
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consequences. As the lead agency overseeing the water sector, EPA addresses water sector research
needs identified by the Water Sector Coordinating Council and the Water Government Coordinating
Council's Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council.26
EPA research under HSRP aims to fill the most critical capability gaps so that EPA can make the
most informed mitigation and remediation decisions. HSRP research will focus on: 1) wide-area
decontamination research to develop capabilities for addressing hazardous contaminants in the
environment, including indoor and outdoor areas, 2) water treatment and decontamination of water
systems, and 3) waste management as part of the response and remediation efforts. In FY 2022,
HSRP will:
• Develop decontamination methods for biological agents that can effectively minimize the
risk of transmission from environmental matrices, including research useful to support
reducing environmental transmission in pandemic or other naturally occurring outbreaks.
• Develop decontamination methods for chemical agent contaminated areas, including
methods for Non-Traditional Agents, opioids, and biotoxins.
• Conduct cybersecurity research to assess the impact to drinking water infrastructure from
cyberattack.
• Develop decontamination approaches at the bench, pilot, and the full-scale Water Security
Test Bed for contaminated drinking water infrastructure.
• Develop decision making tools to support waste management of chemical, biological, and
radiological contaminated waste by assessing aerial photography, remote sensing, options
for waste recyling/reusing, and best practices to minimize social, economic and
environmental impacts.
• Improve on-site and off-site management of contaminated water and associated waste
streams.
System Approaches to Preparedness and Response. Transitioning the research into field ready
capabilities involves ensuring that decision makers and responders have knowledge of and access
to the latest information. Decision makers need access to tools and information built from a
systems approach where each of the research areas are brought together through their
interdependencies and relative impacts. Priorities for HSRP address the development of systems-
based tools by pulling together the connected elements of the research products to provide
technical support and decision-support tools and this ensures that information is readily and easily
accessible during an emergency. In FY 2022, HSRP will:
• Assess community resilience and better understand social aspects of remediation through
the development of tools and training materials. This development will help local agencies
26 The Water Sector Coordinating Council is a "self-organized, self-run, and self-governed council" composed of water utilities.
The Water Government Coordinating Council is responsible for interagency coordination of efforts related to the water sector.
52
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plan for resilience to disasters, incidents, and climate changes by identifying risks and
vulnerabilities using indicators from locality-based knowledge and data.
• Develop integrated decision-support tools to enhance resiliency, response, and recovery
from natural and man-made disasters. This development will improve decision making,
data collection and management, and communication for responders during CBRN
incident response as well as response to other large-scale, complex disasters.
Radiation Monitoring. The RadNet fixed monitoring network provides near real-time radiation
monitoring coverage near each of the 100 most populous U.S. cities, as well as expanded
geographic coverage for a total of 140 monitoring sites. The RadNet air monitoring network
provides the Agency, first responders, and the public with greater access to data, and, should there
be a radiological emergency, improves officials' ability to make decisions about protecting public
health and the environment during and after the incident. Additionally, the data is used by scientists
to better characterize the effect of a radiological incident.
In FY 2022, the Agency will continue to operate the RadNet air monitoring network, continue to
add exposure rate meter capability to the network, and provide essential maintenance to the
network. To best maximize resources, exposure rate meter capability will be added to monitors
when needed repairs are called for. This expansion will enhance the federal government's ability
to effectively communicate radiation measurement information to the public and to non-technical
decision makers after a radiological release. In addition to aiding in explaining data to the public
and decision makers, the addition of exposure rate meters aligns EPA's monitoring system with
that of the international community.
Research Planning:
The BOSC provides advice and recommendations to EPA's Research and Development Program
on technical and management issues of its research programs. HSRP and the HSRP Subcommittee
of the BOSC will continue to meet regularly over the next several years to seek input on topics
related to research program design, science quality, innovation, relevance, and impact.
The Agency assesses the impact of its research through a survey tool and discussion with key
users. Metrics center around quality, usability, and timeliness of particular research products. This
provides evidence for how research products are being used and by whom. Through the evaluation
process, the Agency is able to identify targeted areas for improvement. The most recent survey
results for FY 2020 research products indicated more than 80 percent met partner needs. The
Agency is working to improve partner engagement by developing a partner dashboard.
EPA's state engagement27 is designed to inform states about EPA's research programs and its role
within EPA, and to better understand the science needs of state environmental and health agencies.
Key partners at the state level include the Environmental Council of the States—with its
Environmental Research Institute of the States and Interstate Technology and Regulatory
Council—and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, as well as state media
27 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
53
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associations such as the Association of Clean Water Administrators and the Association of State
Drinking Water Administrators.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Research: Chemical Safety and
Sustainability Program under the S&T appropriation.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$632.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$228.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of lab
fixed costs.
• (+$521.0 / +1.7 FTE) This net program change reflects an increase to support research
efforts to identify and address emerging threats to the water sector. This includes $293.0
thousand in payroll costs and essential workforce support costs.
• (-$232.0) This program change decreases resources for radiological emergency
preparedness and reflects balancing of coordination efforts with partner agencies and other
program efforts to maximize resources, including adding exposure rate meter capability to
RadNet monitors when repairs are needed to those monitors.
Statutory Authority:
Atomic Energy Act of 1954; Clean Air Act, §§ 102, 103; Safe Drinking Water Act, §§ 1431-1435,
1442; Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997, §§ 1411-1412; Public Health Security and
Bioterrorism Preparedness Response Act of 2002; Toxic Substances Control Act, § 10; Oil
Pollution Act; Pollution Prevention Act; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act; Clean Water Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act; Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; Food Quality Protection Act;
Food Safety Modernization Act, §§ 203, 208.
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Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure
Program Area: Homeland Security
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$4,175.9
$4,959.0
$5,139.0
$180.0
Sciciuv ^ icclnwhixy
S443.0
S 51)1.1)
S 501.0
S 0.0
Building and Facilities
$14,325.7
$6,676.0
$6,676.0
$0.0
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$994.6
$1,030.0
$1,030.0
$0.0
Total Budget Authority
$19,939.2
$13,166.0
$13,346.0
$180.0
Total Workyears
7.7
9.2
9.2
0.0
Total workyears in FY 2022 include 9.2 FTE to support Homeland Security Working Capital Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
This program supports activities to ensure that EPA's physical structures and assets are secure and
operational and that physical security measures are in place to help safeguard staff in the event
of an emergency. These efforts also protect the capability of EPA's vital laboratory infrastructure
assets. Specifically, funds within this appropriation support security needs for the National
Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL).
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
In FY 2022, the Agency will continue to provide enhanced physical security for the NVFEL
and its employees. This funding supports the cost of security enhancements required as part of
an agency security assessment review.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004; Homeland Security Act of 2002;
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
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IT / Data Management
Program Area: IT / Data Management / Security
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$86,699.8
$82,715.0
$86,744.0
$4,029.0
Science ^ t echnology
W.*."
S.\/)'2.0
S.i J 21.0
S-I'J.O
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$15,168.6
$13,826.0
$15,202.0
$1,376.0
Total Budget Authority
$105,342.1
$99,613.0
$105,067.0
$5,454.0
Total Workyears
442.3
482.4
486.4
4.0
Total workyears in FY 2022 include 172.0 FTE to IT/Data Management working capital fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
The work performed under the Information Technology/Data Management (IT/DM) Program
supports human health and the environment by providing critical IT infrastructure and data
management. Science and Technology (S&T) resources for EPA's IT/DM Program fund the
following activities: Quality Program,28 EPA National Library Network, and One EPA Web.
The Quality Program provides quality policies and practices intended to ensure all environmentally
related data activities performed by or for the Agency will result in the production of data that are
of adequate quality to support their intended uses. The Quality Program provides Quality
Assurance (QA) policies, training, oversight, and technical support to assist EPA's programs in
implementing quality management systems for all environmental data operations. It also oversees
the implementation of EPA's Information Quality Guidelines. EPA's National Library Network
provides information resources and services to EPA staff and to the public to support the mission
of EPA. One EPA Web provides accessible, relevant, timely, accurate, and complete
environmental information to the public through EPA's internet pages, primarily www.epa.gov.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
EPA's Quality Program provides technical support to all EPA offices and laboratories in
implementing EPA quality policies, procedures, and standards. In FY 2022, the Quality Program
will continue to manage and provide oversight for the Information Quality Guidelines to ensure
that information disseminated by or for EPA conforms with the Guidelines for Ensuring and
Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility and Integrity of Information Disseminated by the
Environmental Protection Agency29 criteria.
In FY 2022, the Quality Program will facilitate the development of the Agency's responses to
public requests for correction of information disseminated by EPA and report this information to
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Quality Program also will continue to focus
28 For more information about EPA's Quality Program, please see: http://www.epa.gov/qualitv.
29 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/aualitv/guidelines-ensuring-and-maximizing-aualitv-obiectivitv-utilitv-
and-integritv-information.
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on implementing recommendations from the OIG Audit Report, EPA Needs to Address Internal
Control Deficiencies in the Agencywide Quality System,30 including review and action on all
outdated quality policies, procedures, and guidance documents, and implementation of
agencywide training modules. The Program will give priority to implementation of a revised
Environmental Information Quality Policy and Environmental Information Quality Procedure, as
well as development of an agencywide Quality Program Strategic Plan. The Quality Program will
work to fully implement EPA's State and Tribal Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs)
directive,31 and develop mechanisms to ensure that all work conducted at EPA, including work by
contractors and grantees, adheres effectively to the agencywide quality system.
The Agency's S&T resources for IT/DM also will help provide library services through the EPA
National Library Network to all EPA employees and access to environmental information to the
public, as well as support the hosting of EPA's websites and web pages. One EPA Web will
continue to manage content and support internal and external users with information on EPA
business, support employees with internal information, and provide a clearinghouse for the Agency
to communicate initiatives and successes.
In FY 2022, EPA will work to transform the Agency's libraries to meet the needs of the 21st
Century. This involves operating in an increasingly online and mobile environment; providing
services and resources at the customer's point of need; prioritizing the thorough assessment of
print materials to support strategic space usage; utilizing detailed data to ensure print collections
are highly relevant to the Agency' s needs and centralizing core services; and relying on technology
and a team of professional librarians to disseminate information and connect people to resources
they need to support their work.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2022 Change from (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$27.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$22.0) This program change increases support for IT infrastructure.
30 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/office-inspector-general/report-epa-needs-address-internal-control-
deficiencies-agencvwide-qualitv.
31 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/r5-fmal 0.pdf.
57
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Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Federal Information Technology Acquisition
Reform Act; Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA); Government
Performance and Results Act (GPRA); Government Management Reform Act (GMRA); Clinger-
Cohen Act (CCA); Rehabilitation Act of 1973 § 508.
58
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Operations and Administration
59
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Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Program Area: Operations and Administration
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$285,437.3
$285,441.0
$297,748.0
$12,307.0
Science ^ icclnwhixy
SM.it!2."
.S (,'.51)11.1)
SOS.xU.O
S 1.033.0
Building and Facilities
$32,216.3
$27,076.0
$56,076.0
$29,000.0
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$1,066.0
$836.0
$837.0
$1.0
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$640.2
$682.0
$683.0
$1.0
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$82,734.0
$68,727.0
$72,801.0
$4,074.0
Total Budget Authority
$470,906.5
$450,262.0
$496,678.0
$46,416.0
Total Workyears
305.2
315.4
315.4
0.0
Total workyears in FY 2022 include 5.4 FTE to support Facilities Infrastructure and Operations working capital fund (WCF)
services.
Program Project Description:
Science and Technology (S&T) resources in the Facilities Infrastructure and Operations Program
fund the Agency's rent, utilities, and security. The Program also supports centralized
administrative activities and support services, including health and safety, environmental
compliance and management, facilities maintenance and operations, space planning, sustainable
facilities and energy conservation planning and support, property management, mail, and
transportation services. Funding for such services is allocated among the major appropriations for
the Agency.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, EPA will continue ensuring the safety of EPA facilities
and personnel by following the EPA Workplace Safety Plan in accordance with CDC guidelines.
This includes adherence to requirements for mask-wearing, occupancy limits, procuring
disinfecting and cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer for use by facility personnel and EPA staff,
promoting physical distancing through signage, and procuring safety shields for personnel with
increased contact with other people (e.g., security guards, badging office personnel, and
administrative staff).
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
In FY 2022, EPA will continue to invest in the reconfiguration of EPA's workspaces, enabling the
Agency to release office space and avoid long-term rent costs, consistent with HR 4465,32 the
Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016. EPA is implementing a long-term space
consolidation plan that will aim to reduce the number of occupied facilities, consolidate and
optimize space within remaining facilities, and reduce square footage wherever practical. EPA also
32 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.congress.gOv/bill/l 14th-congress/house-bill/4465. Federal Assets Sale
and Transfer Act of 2016.
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will continue to work to enhance its federal infrastructure and operations in a manner that increases
efficiency.
EPA's long-term consolidation plan for FY 2018 - FY 2022 has the potential to provide a
cumulative annual rent avoidance of approximately $28 million across all appropriations by
releasing 850,641 square feet. This will help offset EPA's escalating rent and security costs. In FY
2020, EPA released 116,425 square feet of unused office and warehouse space and is planning to
release an additional 26,017 square feet in FY 2021. Planned consolidations and space releases in
FY 2022 will allow EPA to release an expected 467,345 square feet of space. For FY 2022, the
Agency is requesting $29.9 million for rent, $17.7 million for utilities, and $13.7 million for
security in the S&T appropriation. EPA uses a standard methodology to ensure that rent charging
appropriately reflects planned and enacted resources at the appropriation level.
In support of Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad?3, EPA
will work to secure physical and operational resiliency for agency facilities. The Agency will
continue to take aggressive action to reconfigure EPA's workplaces with the goal of reducing long-
term rent costs while increasing EPA facility resiliency and sustainability to combat the effects of
climate change and ensuring a space footprint that accommodates a growing workforce. Space
consolidation and reconfiguration enables EPA to reduce its footprint to create a more efficient,
collaborative, and technologically sophisticated workplace. However, even if modifications are
kept to a minimum, each move requires initial funding to achieve long-term cost avoidance and
sustainability goals.
EPA will continue to manage lease agreements with the General Services Administration (GSA)
and private landlords, and maintain EPA facilities, fleet, equipment, and fund costs associated with
utilities and building security needs. In line with Executive Orders 1400834 and 13990,35 EPA will
pursue aggressive energy, water, and building infrastructure requirements with emphasis on
environmental programs (e.g., Environmental Management Systems, Environmental Compliance
Programs, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification, alternative fuel
use, fleet reductions, telematics, sustainability assessments). This investment will support EPA
facilities infrastructure (e.g., architectural and design) and mechanical systems (e.g., electrical,
water/steam, HVAC), which is necessary to meet federal sustainability goals. Additionally, EPA
will direct all future fleet procurements, where economically feasible, to the purchase of electric
vehicles, or lease through GSA electric vehicles. This allows EPA to prioritize energy efficiency
and climate resilience in the rehabilitation of United States Government fleet vehicles and combat
the climate crisis.
EPA also will meet regulatory Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
obligations and provide health and safety training to field staff (e.g., inspections, monitoring, On-
Scene Coordinators), and track capital equipment of $25 thousand or more. In FY 2022, the
33 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021 -02177/tackling-the-
climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad.
34 For additional information, please refer to: https: //www.federalregister. go v/documents/2021/02/01/2021 -02177/tackling-the-
climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad.
35 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01765/protecting-
public-health-and-the-environment-and-restoring-science-to-tackle-the-climate-crisis.
61
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Agency will continue to partner with GSA to utilize shared services solutions, USAccess and
Enterprise Physical Access Control System (ePACS) programs. USAccess provides standardized
HSPD-12 approved Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card enrollment and issuance and ePACS
provides centralized access control of EPA space, including restricted and secure areas.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Facilities Infrastructure and
Operations Program and the Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance Program under the EPM
appropriation.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$1,034.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
rent, utilities, security, and transit subsidy.
• (+$2,067.0) This program change is an increase to support ensuring a space footprint that
accommodates a growing workforce and increasing EPA facility resiliency and
sustainability to combat the effects of climate change.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Property and Administration Services Act; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat.
2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
62
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Pesticides Licensing
63
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Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide Risk
Program Area: Pesticides Licensing
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$60,580.8
$60,181.0
$60,929.0
$748.0
Sciciuv ^ icclnwhixy
S3.10V.5
S2.S0.10
S2.S-I0.0
sj-.o
Total Budget Authority
$63,690.3
$62,984.0
$63,769.0
$785.0
Total Workyears
393.7
385.6
385.6
0.0
Total program work years in FY 2022 include 82.1 FTE funded by the Reregistration and Expedited Processing Revolving Fund.
Program Project Description:
EPA's Pesticide Program screens new pesticides before they reach the market and ensures that
pesticides already in commerce are safe. As directed by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (F1FRA), the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by
the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), and the Pesticide Registration Improvement
Extension Act of 2018 (PRIA),36 EPA is responsible for registering and re-evaluating pesticides
to protect consumers, pesticide users, workers who may be exposed to pesticides, children, and
other sensitive populations. To make regulatory decisions and establish tolerances (e.g., maximum
allowable pesticide residues on food and feed) for food use pesticides and for residential or non-
occupational use, EPA must find the pesticide safe. This involves considering cumulative and
aggregate risks and ensuring extra protection for children. The Agency must balance the risks and
benefits of other uses. For antimicrobial pesticides with public health claims, EPA requires that
manufacturers perform tests to ensure the efficacy (i.e., performance) of products per the labelling.
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and in anticipation of future public health
emergencies, the Pesticide Program evaluates public health claims for antimicrobial products,
including the accelerated availability of disinfectants determined to be effective against SARS-
CoV-2 and development of study designs to support the generation of innovative products,
including those that can reduce airborne transmission of the virus.
Under the Science and Technology appropriation, this program operates two laboratories, the
Microbiology Laboratory37 and the Analytical Laboratory,38 that support the goal of protecting
human health and the environment through diverse analytical testing and analytical method
development, and validation efforts. These laboratories provide a variety of technical services to
EPA, other federal and state agencies, tribal nations, and other organizations to protect human
health from pesticide risk.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
36 On Friday, March 8, 2019, the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2018 (PRIA 4), which reauthorizes PRIA
for 5 years through fiscal year 2023 and updates the fee collection provisions of the FIFRA was signed into law.
37 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-microbiologv-laboratorv.
38 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-analvtical-chemistrv-laboratorv-acl.
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The Microbiology Laboratory will continue to protect human health by ensuring the availability
of scientific sound efficacy test methods for antimicrobial pesticides (e.g., hospital disinfectants
used to treat surfaces). By developing new methods for new uses and emerging pathogens, the
regulated community can register new products and new claims for existing products. These efforts
will have an impact on the public because of the critical support the laboratory provides to inform
regulatory actions for public health pesticides, identify pathways for approval of pathogen-specific
claims, and allow for marketplace penetration of these products. Specifically, in FY 2022, EPA
will:
• Complete the data collection, analysis, and development of regulatory guidance materials on a
quantitative method that follows the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) quantitative method for bactericidal claims to support adoption of the
method for regulatory purposes, including an analysis of data from the FY 2021 multi-
laboratory studies.
• Complete analysis of FY 2021 multi-laboratory data and develop guidance materials and final
method (through American Society for Testing and Materials [ASTM] review) for Legionella
in recirculating water for cooling tower remediation.
• Issue prototype method and guidance for evaluating porous materials found in clinical and
agricultural environments (room separation curtains, vinyl surfaces, wood, etc.)
• Provide efficacy testing and technical support for the first workplan on the Antimicrobial
Product Evaluation Program (APEP) pursuant to EPA's response to the Office of the Inspector
General (Report No. 16-P-0316).
• Develop residual self-sanitizing disinfectant protocol (SARS-CoV-2) and collect multi-
laboratory data to support regulatory use.
• Complete data analysis and development of final ASTM method and regulatory guidance
document for evaluating the efficacy of antimicrobial towelettes.
• Continue to develop laboratory capacity for conducting efficacy testing with Biosafety Level
3 (BSL-3) microorganisms at the Environmental Science Center, Ft. Meade, MD. SARS-CoV-
2 is a BSL-3 microorganism; EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs has the only EPA laboratory
with physical containment laboratories to manage BSL-3 microbes.
In FY 2022, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory will continue to protect human health by
ensuring the availability of appropriate analytical methods for analyzing pesticide residues in food
and feed and ensuring their suitability for monitoring pesticide residues and enforcing tolerances.
In addition, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory will:
• Develop improved analytical methods using state of the art instruments to replace outdated
methods, thus increasing laboratory efficiency and accuracy of the data.
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• Provide analytical support to fill in data gaps for the Pesticide Programs' risk assessments and
for Section 18 emergency exemptions, and to perform studies for use in risk mitigation.
• Develop protocols and generate data to improve the Pesticide programs' dietary risk
assessment considering potential exposure to residues of household antimicrobial disinfectant
products that require potable water rinses of food contact surfaces after application.
• Provide analytical assistance and technical advice to all regional offices in support of their
enforcement cases, including cases against imported disinfectant products with false claims
against SARS-CoV-2. This could disproportionately impact members of EJ communities who
might not speak English, who may be being targeted by illegal foreign imports, and who may
not know to look for approved products (i.e., List N products).
• Verify that pesticides are properly formulated (as requested).
• Operate EPA's National Pesticide Standard Repository.
Preventing Disease through Public Health Pesticides: Antimicrobial Testing
Antimicrobial pesticides play an important role in public health and safety by killing germs,
bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, algae, and slime. Some of these products are used to sterilize
hard surfaces in hospitals. Chemical disinfection of hard, non-porous surfaces such as floors, bed
rails, and tables is one component of the infection control systems in hospitals, food processing
operations, and other places where disease-causing microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses,
may be present. In reviewing registrations for antimicrobials, EPA is required to ensure that
antimicrobials maintain their effectiveness.39
EPA's Antimicrobial Testing Program (ATP) has been testing hospital sterilants, disinfectants,
and tuberculocides since 1991 to help ensure that products in the marketplace meet stringent
efficacy standards. EPA is in the process of developing a new risk-based testing strategy in
response to OIG recommendations made in FY 2016.40 Consistent with the OIG recommendations,
EPA suspended the ATP in November 2017 and released a draft risk-based strategy, renamed the
Antimicrobial Performance Evaluation Program (APEP), in October 2019 for public comment and
will continue to seek public input prior to implementation in FY 2022 and beyond. Implementation
of the of APEP will have a positive impact on public health, by ensuring antimicrobials approved
for use meet contemporary efficacy standards.
Evidence and Evaluation
The Microbiology Laboratory will continue efficacy method development activities to support
EPA's antimicrobial pesticide regulatory programs. In support of these efforts, the Microbiology
Laboratory submitted several methods for emerging pathogens (Clostridioides difficile and
biofilms) and selected formulation types (towelette) to ASTM workgroups for technical review in
39 See, FIFRA section 3(h)(3), 7 U.S.C. 136a(h)(3).
40 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/antimicrobial-testing-program.
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FY 2019. These methods were approved by ASTM. The peer-review process provided during the
ASTM workgroup meetings helped optimize and improve the clarity of the methods, as well as
making the methods more robust and relevant to real-world scenarios. The results of these efforts
will help ensure products are available for control of Clostridioides difficile and biofilms and
inform EPA's method development activities in FY 2022 and beyond.
The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory completed the development of protocols to measure the
residues of quaternary ammonium compounds and phenols left on a kitchen counter that was
sprayed with an antimicrobial product and followed with a potable water rinse (PWR). These
protocols are under review by EPA and, if approved, will be used by the manufacturers to collect
residues data for active ingredients in antimicrobial products with indirect food uses. These data
will help the Agency refine its dietary risk assessments, which historically, were based on no
residue left after a PWR.
The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory program completed the study of the performance of all
commercially available Sulfuryl Fluoride (SF) detection devices for their reliably and effectiveness
in measuring the required SF clearance level for a safe re-entry into buildings/structures after
fumigation. The program will provide webinar sessions on the results of this study for the
registrants and device manufacturers in 2021. In FY 2022, the Program will continue to provide
analytical support to the pesticide re-evaluation for SF detection devices, including developing
performance criteria and continuing to monitor performance of devices in the marketplace.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Pesticides: Protect the Environment
from Pesticide Risk Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$23.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential workforce
support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$55.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs.
• (+$69.0) This program change is an increase in resources to support the development of
laboratory efficacy testing capacity in the Microbiology Laboratory and increasing
laboratory efficiency at the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (FFDCA), §408.
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Pesticides: Protect the Environment from Pesticide Risk
Program Area: Pesticides Licensing
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$37,650.6
$39,543.0
$39,952.0
$409.0
Sciciuv ^ icclnwhixy
S A"."."
s2.2o~.o
S 2.230.0
S 23.0
Total Budget Authority
$39,408.3
$41,750.0
$42,182.0
$432.0
Total Workyears
297.8
249.6
249.6
0.0
Total program work years in FY 2022 include 53.2 FTE funded by the Reregistration and Expedited Processing Revolving Fund.
Program Project Description:
In compliance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA),41 EPA
conducts risk assessments using the latest scientific methods to determine the risks that pesticides
pose to human health and the ecological effects on plants, animals, and ecosystems that are not the
targets of the pesticide. The Agency's significant regulatory decisions are posted for review and
comment to ensure that these actions are transparent, and to allow stakeholders, including at-risk
populations, to be engaged in decisions that affect their environment.
Under the Science and Technology appropriation, EPA's Pesticide Program operates two
laboratories, the Microbiology Laboratory42 and the Analytical Laboratory,43 that support the goal
of protecting human health and the environment through diverse analytical testing, and analytical
method development and validation efforts. These laboratories will continue to provide a variety
of technical services to EPA, other federal and state agencies, tribal nations, and other
organizations to ensure the protection of the environment from pesticide risk.
EPA must determine that food and residential uses of pesticides are safe. For other risk concerns,
EPA must balance the risks of the pesticides with benefits provided from the use of the product.
To avoid unreasonable risks, EPA may impose risk mitigation measures such as modifying use
rates or application methods, restricting uses, or denying some or all uses. In some regulatory
decisions, EPA may determine that uncertainties in the risk determination need to be reduced and
may require monitoring of environmental conditions, such as effects on water sources,
development of new, standardized methodologies, or the development and submission of
additional laboratory or field study data by the pesticide registrant.
41 See, FIFRA, Sections 2 and 3, Definitions, Registration of Pesticides (7 U.S.C. §§ 136, 136a). Available online at:
https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summarv-federal-insecticide-fungicide-and-rodenticide-act. Section 3(c)(5) of FIFRA
states that the Administrator shall register a pesticide if it is determined that, when used in accordance with labeling and common
practices, the product "will also not generally cause unreasonable adverse effects on the environment." FIFRA defines
"unreasonable adverse effects on the environment", as "any unreasonable risk to man or the environment, considering the
economic, social, and environmental costs and benefits of the use of any pesticide."
42 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-microbiologv-laboratorv.
43 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-analvtical-chemistrv-laboratorv-acl.
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In addition to FIFRA responsibilities, the Agency has responsibilities under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA).44 Under ESA, EPA must ensure that pesticide regulatory decisions will not
destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat or result in jeopardy to the continued
existence of species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) or the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS). Where risks are identified, EPA must work with FWS and NMFS in a
consultation process to ensure these pesticide registrations also will meet ESA standard.
EPA's Pesticide Program laboratories provide a diverse range of environmental data that the
Agency uses to make informed regulatory decisions. The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory and the
Microbiology Laboratory each provide critical laboratory testing and support activities to assist
the decision-making processes of the Agency. The laboratories develop standard methods to
evaluate the performance of antimicrobial products such as disinfectants used in hospital settings,
and validate analytical chemistry methods to ensure that EPA, the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the states have reliable methods
to measure and monitor pesticide residues in food and in the environment.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
In FY 2022, the Microbiology Laboratory will continue to work with the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security and USDA to evaluate various environmentally-relevant materials such as
porous materials (e.g., wood, concrete, fabric, tile, etc.) which simulate use sites in livestock,
poultry, and other food animal rearing operations. Outbreaks of avian influenza, African swine
fever, Newcastle Disease virus, etc., can be devastating to American agriculture and the persistence
of these viruses on surfaces is not well understood. Currently, due to the unavailability of
standardized quantitative test methods to simulate real-world conditions in the field, the response
to an animal pathogen outbreak and submission of requests under FIFRA Section 18 to address
these outbreaks relies on published, and often antiquated, data. Thus, the use of commonly
available chemicals for remediation (e.g., citric acid, sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, etc.)
of contaminated sites without extensive knowledge of their environmental impact from such
widespread use is deemed problematic. The goal of the Laboratory is to develop a quantitative
approach for assessing the effectiveness of antimicrobial products against high consequence
animal viruses and other pathogens to provide a tool for the development of high-quality efficacy
data on relevant surface materials. The availability of the method to the regulated community will
support more effective, targeted chemistries and refined antimicrobial application techniques for
porous materials, and the development of new antimicrobial products following contemporary
regulatory requirements.
In FY 2022, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory will continue to focus on analytical method
development and validations as well as special studies to address specific, short-term, rapid-
turnaround priority issues. The Laboratory also will continue to provide technical and analytical
assistance to EPA's Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program and regional offices in
support of their enforcement/complaint cases, including analysis of dicamba and its metabolites in
soil and vegetation samples and analysis of products sold in online commerce. The Laboratory
also will continue to support pesticide registration review by evaluating the accuracy and precision
44 See. ESA sections 7(a)(1) and 7(a)(2); Federal Agency Actions and Consultations (16 U.S.C. § 1536(a)). Available at the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service ESA internet site: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/laws-policies/section-7.html.
69
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of sulfuryl fluoride detection devices used to detect the presence of a fumigant prior to re-entry. In
addition, the Laboratory will continue to review the effectiveness of a potable water rinse at
removing residues of antimicrobial active ingredients from different surface types to refine the
exposure estimates used in risk assessments for these active ingredients. Finally, in FY 2022, the
Analytical Chemistry Laboratory also will continue to provide national technical analytical support
for the development of data needed for the Pesticides Program's risk assessments and for Section
18 emergency exemptions, and to perform studies for use in risk mitigation.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Pesticides: Protect the Environment
from Pesticide Risk Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$15.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential workforce
support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$12.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs.
• (+$20.0) This program change is an increase in resources to support the development of
laboratory capacity in the Microbiology Laboratory for more effective, targeted chemistries
and refined antimicrobial application techniques for porous materials.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide Availability
Program Area: Pesticides Licensing
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$6,173.0
$7,730.0
$7,792.0
$62.0
Science ^ t echnology
SJt'V.V
SS'fi.O
s v~n.il
SV-I.O
Total Budget Authority
$6,552.9
$8,606.0
$8,762.0
$156.0
Total Workyears
30.7
35.8
35.8
0.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Pesticide Program laboratories provide significant contributions to help the Agency realize
the value of pesticides. They consist of the Microbiology Laboratory45 and the Analytical
Chemistry Laboratory,46 that support the goal of protecting human health and the environment
through diverse analytical testing and analytical method development, and validation efforts.
The primary focus of the Microbiology Laboratory is standardization of existing test methods and
the development and validation of methods for new uses and emerging pathogens for antimicrobial
products with public health claims - products used to kill or suppress the growth of pathogenic
microorganisms on inanimate objects and surfaces. The Laboratory is instrumental in advancing
the science of antimicrobial product testing and provides technical expertise to standard-setting
organizations and various agency stakeholder groups.
The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory provides scientific, laboratory, and technical support
through chemical analyses of pesticides and related chemicals to protect human health and the
environment. The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory responsibilities include: providing technical
support and chemical analyses of pesticides and related chemicals; developing new multi-residue
analytical methods; and operating EPA's National Pesticide Standard Repository, which collects
and maintains pesticide standards (i.e., samples of pure active ingredients or technical grade active
ingredients, regulated metabolites, degradates, and related compounds).
These laboratories provide a variety of technical services to EPA, other federal and state agencies,
tribal nations, and other organizations to ensure the value of pesticide availability is realized.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
In FY 2022, EPA will realize the benefits of pesticides by ensuring the continued operation of the
National Pesticide Standard Repository. The laboratories will continue to conduct chemistry and
efficacy evaluations for antimicrobials. As the recognized source for expertise in pesticide
analytical method development, EPA's Pesticide Program laboratories will continue to provide
45 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-microbiologv-laboratorv.
46 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-analvtical-chemistrv-laboratorv-acl.
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quality assurance review, technical support, and training to EPA's regional offices, state
laboratories, and other federal agencies that implement the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
In FY 2022, the Microbiology Laboratory will continue to evaluate FIFRA Section 18 emergency
exemptions and novel protocol requests for new uses and novel pathogens. The Laboratory will
continue the development of data and methods to support Section 18 for high consequence animal
pathogens (e.g., African swine fever, Newcastle disease virus, etc.). In addition, the continued
work to develop new methods for emerging pathogens (e.g., Legionella, Candida auris, etc.) and
clinical porous materials provides a pathway for registrants to add new claims to existing
antimicrobial pesticides. In some cases, the methods will lead to the development of new products
when currently registered formulations are not effective against emerging pathogens. The
Laboratory anticipates supporting up to 25 requests for these activities during FY 2022.
The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory will continue its work in developing and validating
multiresidue methods using state-of-the-art methodology and instrumentation; in providing
chemical analysis for assessing risk to human health and to the environment from agricultural use
of pesticides; and in providing technical support to all EPA regions to ensure that pesticide
products are formulated according to approved labels.
The Microbiology Laboratory will continue to refine and develop methods to support EPA's
Section 3 and Section 18 regulatory programs. In FY 2021, in support of these efforts, the
Laboratory initiated work to confirm the efficacy of disinfectant products against SARS-CoV-2.
In addition, the Laboratory collaborated with the Office of Research and Development's Homeland
Security Research Program to develop guidance for registrants seeking to make long-term efficacy
claims for disinfectants. In addition, the laboratories worked in tandem on a testing platform to
address both durability of the surface materials and efficacy. Because label claims for most
disinfectants are limited to hard surfaces, the Laboratory also began efforts to develop a
quantitative efficacy test method which may provide a pathway for evaluating disinfectant claims
for porous material (vinyl, room divider curtains, etc.).
The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory maintains EPA's National Pesticide Standard Repository
pursuant to 40 CFR part 158. The Laboratory collects and maintains an inventory of analytical
standards of registered pesticides in the United States, as well as some that are not currently
registered. EPA provides the pesticide standards (approximately 4,000 to 5,000 annually) to
qualified federal, state, territorial, and tribal laboratories for food and product testing and
environmental monitoring. In FY 2018, efficiency reviews showed that the typical turnaround time
for a standard request was approximately 15 working days. Using the results of the efficiency
review, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory is implementing procedural changes such as
requiring requests be grouped for pesticide standards, instituting an inventory control system
focusing on high demand standards, and installing a chemist as the lead staff person in the
Repository to reduce the turnaround time to 12 days (for those pesticide standard requests that are
not complicated and/or standards that are not expiring). These changes help federal agencies,
states, and tribal laboratories expedite enforcement efforts. This process will continue to be
improved in FY 2022 and beyond.
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Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Pesticides: Protect the Environment
from Pesticide Risk Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$31.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential workforce
support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$73.0) This change to fixed and other costs reflects a decrease in Operations and
Maintenance of the Pesticides Program Laboratories due to reduced rent, utilities, and
security.
• (+$136.0) This program change is an increase in resources to support method development
and refinement in the Microbiology Laboratory and increasing efficiencies at the
Analytical Chemistry Laboratory.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (FFDCA) § 408.
73
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Research: Air and Energy
74
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Research: Air, Climate and Energy
Program Area: Research: Air, Climate and Energy
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Sciciuv ^ icclnwhixy
SV5J50.iS'
SV5.250.0
S 150.210.0
S(>0.W>0.0
Total Budget Authority
$95,350.8
$95,250.0
$156,210.0
$60,960.0
Total Workyears
254.3
258.0
288.0
30.0
Program Project Description:
Air pollution adversely affects human health, the environment, and the economy, yet millions of
people still live in areas that do not meet national standards for air pollutants. While all Americans
are at risk, some people and communities are especially vulnerable to poor air quality and the
impacts of climate change, and communities with environmental justice and equity concerns bear
a disproportionate share of the risks and impacts. Climate change is a public health and
environmental justice crisis, and is already impacting air and water quality, as well as posing
increasing risks for the future. For example, climate change has increased the extent and severity
of wildfires47, which has substantially worsened air quality, especially in the Western U.S.48 To
address these issues, the Air, Climate, and Energy (ACE) Research Program provides scientific
information to EPA program and regional offices, states, tribes, and other stakeholders. ACE
strives to advance the science needed to achieve clean air, attain the National Ambient Air Quality
Standards49 (NAAQS), reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), address the causes
and consequences of climate change, and develop more resilient communities which will protect
human health and ecosystems throughout the Nation. In addition, ACE will help contribute to the
understanding of interventions to protect public health, strategies to prepare, adapt, and build
resilience, and responses to the transformation of our energy system and its environmental benefits
and impacts.
The ACE Research Program is one of six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs in
EPA's Office of Research and Development. Each of the six programs is guided by a Strategic
Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research needs of agency program and regional
offices, states, and tribes, and is implemented with their active collaboration and involvement. The
ACE FY 2019-2022 StRAP builds upon prior ACE StRAPs and continues a practice of conducting
innovative scientific research aimed at solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its
stakeholders.
47 Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) - Figure 25.4, adapted from Abatzoglou and Williams 2016
(https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/)
48 For more information, please see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30012611/.
49 Section 109 of the Clean Air Act identifies two types of national ambient air quality standards - primary standards provide
public health protection, including protecting the health of "sensitive" populations such as children, older adults, and persons
with pre-existing disease such as asthma or cardiovascular disease and secondary standards provide public welfare protection,
including protection against decreased visibility and damage to animals, wildlife, soils, water, crops, vegetation, and buildings.
Unless otherwise stated, in this document the term NAAQS will refer to both primary and secondary standards.
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The ACE Research Program is centered around three inter-related research topic areas: 1) Science
for Air Quality Decisions; 2) Extreme Events and Emerging Risks; and 3) Next-generation
Methods to Improve Public Health and the Environment. The ACE Research Program relies on
successful partnerships with others, including academic and industry researchers, states, local and
private sector organizations, as well as key federal agencies.
Recent Accomplishments of the ACE Research Program include:
• Smoke from Wildland Fires: EPA conducts research on emissions, air quality, health,
and ecological impacts from wildland fires. In FY 2021, EPA researchers tested air
pollution measurement methods to determine which are most accurate during periods of
wildland fire smoke.50 In FY 2020 and FY 2021, EPA published several major articles on
health studies of smoke from wildland fires and developed a framework to analyze impacts
from fires under different settings to inform options for fire management and meeting
resiliency objectives.51 Collaborations of EPA with the Missoula City-County Health
Department in Montana and the Hoopa Valley Tribe in California continue to evaluate how
air-handling systems can reduce indoor exposure to smoke and the efficacy of various
portable air cleaners during wildfire smoke episodes.52 In FY 2020, research on the
efficiency of masks during periods of wildfire smoke informed recommendations for
behaviors to reduce exposure to airborne viruses.53
• Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Planning Tools: EPA researchers published
several articles on the results of modeling studies evaluating how warming temperatures
and increases in heavy preciptation54 can lead to increased flooding and affect managment
practices used to reduce the risk of water quality and aquatic ecosystem impairment55 in
watersheds impacted by urban, agricultural, and forestry land uses. In FY 2020 and FY
2021, EPA researchers examined temporal patterns of greenhouse gas emissions from
surfaces of water reservoirs thereby providing information to improve U.S. and global
annual inventories.56 EPA scientists authored a guide on coral reef restoration planning and
design57 as part of an international collaboration and assisted practitioner teams in
American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and Hawaii to
use this guide, resulting in all four jurisdictions successfully completing restoration action
plans.
• Toxic Air Pollutants Measurement and Transport Modeling: Many states continue to
work to address air toxics, such as ethyl oxide (EtO), a known hazardous substance used
to sterilize medical equipment, and Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
emissions and waste. In FY 2020 and FY 2021, EPA improved and evaluated methods to
50 For more information, please see: https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1783-2021.
51 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/air-research/wildland-fire-research-health-effects-research.
https://www.ahaiournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/JAHA.119.014125. and https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/EHP3860.
52 For more information please see: https://www.epa.gov/air-research/science-matters-special-edition-wildland-fire-science-
october-2019.
53 For more information, please see: https://doi.org/10.1001/iamainternmed.202Q.4221.
54 For more information, please see: https://doi.org/10.1007/slQ584-021-02963-v.
55 For more information, please see: https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.13630 and https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2020.031.
56 For more information, please see: https://bg.copernicus.org/preprints/bg-2021-36/.
57 For more information, please see: https://www.coris.noaa.gov/activities/restoration guide/welcome.html.
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measure ambient levels EtO.58 EPA also is conducting field and laboratory research to
develop methods to measure source emissions of PFAS, as well as products of incomplete
combustion of PFAS resulting from incineration.59 Research includes study of the fate and
transport through ambient air and the resulting potential deposition to soil and water of
PFAS from manufacturing facilities and incineration as a means of destroying PFAS waste.
In FY 2021, EPA published the first modeling study of PFAS air emissions, transport, and
deposition from a manufacturing facility.60
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
In FY 2022, the ACE Research Program will continue research in areas that support EPA's mission
to protect human health and the environment, fulfill the Agency's legislative mandates, advance
cross-agency priorities, and provide research and scientific analyses, including the impacts of
climate change and consideration of communities with environmental justice and equity concerns,
to inform policymaking.
The ACE Research Program prioritizes key activities to support attainment of the NAAQS and
implementation of stationary and mobile source regulations, as well as national and multi-state
programs. The ACE Research Program continues to develop, evaluate, and apply methods and
models to support air quality management programs and provides foundational science to inform
decision making with consideration of increasing climate change impacts.
In FY 2022, the ACE Research Program will:
• Revitalize EPA's climate change program. EPA is requesting an increase of $30 million
to:
1. Assess human and ecosystem exposures and effects associated with air pollutants on
individual, community, regional, national, and global scales, both today and in the
future under a changing climate.61
2. Assess the consequences of climate change and the vulnerability of communities and
ecosystems to climate change impacts, including wildfires and other extreme events,
and identify and evaluate strategies to adapt to and build resilience to these impacts.
3. Characterize disproportionate impacts of climate change and air pollution on
communities with environmental justice and equity concerns, identify and evaluate
strategies to reduce impacts in those communities, and develop and evaluate innovative
multi-pollutant and sector-based approaches to preventing pollution.
58For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/air-research/ambient-air-methods-and-measurement-development-
research#VOCs.
59 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-
09/documents/technical brief pfas incineration ioaa approved final iulv 2019.pdf and https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-
aggressivelv-working-increase-research-and-understand-pfas.
60 For more information, please see: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.0cQ6580.
61 Beyond effects associated with ambient air exposures, consideration of potential human and ecosystem exposures and effects
associated with deposition of air pollutants to water and land also are evaluated.
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4. Continue to fund research on energy efficiency and renewable energy in disadvantaged
communities and evaluate strategies to bring the benefits of transformations in
transportation and energy systems to these communities.
• Collaborate with Department of Energy's ARPA-C. EPA is requesting an additional $30
million increase to fund collaborative research in climate adaptation and resilience with the
new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Climate (ARPA-C) that will be located
within DOE. EPA will collaborate with users of climate adaptation and resilience science
to develop technologies that will significantly expand the applicability, accessibility, and
usability of EPA and other research for use by decision makers at regional, state, tribal,
and local levels.
• Provide human exposure and environmental modeling, monitoring, metrics, and
information needed to inform air quality and climate change decision making at the federal,
state, tribal, and local level, deliver state-of-the-art tools that states and tribes can use to
identify effective emission reduction strategies to meet the NAAQS, and enhance air
quality measurement and modeling methods to ascertain current and future compliance
with the NAAQS, including potential impacts from the changing climate.
• Ensure that agency program and regional information needs guide research that will
advance EPA's capabilities and understanding of air pollution sources, fate and transport,
and effects and how these are impacted by the changing energy infrastructure and climate
while addressing emerging areas of concern to EPA and state policymakers, including
climate change, environmental justice and equity, PFAS, ethylene oxide, and wildland
fires.
• Develop and apply approaches to evaluate the positive and negative environmental impacts
of the transition to a low-carbon energy system, including completion of a report to
Congress on the environmental and resource conservation impacts of the Renewable Fuel
Standard.62
Research Planning:
EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) is a federal advisory committee that provides
advice and recommendations to EPA on technical and management issues of its research programs.
The ACE Research Program met with the ACE Subcommittee of the BOSC in FY 2021 and is
arranging for additional meetings in FY 2022 and over the next several years with the
Subcommittee to seek input on topics related to research program design, science quality,
innovation, relevance, and impact.
The Agency assesses the impact of its research through a survey tool and discussion with key
users. Metrics center around quality, usability, and timeliness of particular research products. This
62 Required by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, PL110-140. For more information, please see:
https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summarv-energv-independence-and-securitv-act. More information about the report is
available at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_report.cfm?Lab=IO&dirEntryId=341491
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provides evidence for how research products are being used and by whom. Through the evaluation
process, the Agency is able to identify targeted areas for improvement. The most recent survey
results for FY 2020 research products indicated more than 80 percent met partner needs. EPA is
working to improve partner engagement by developing a partner dashboard.
EPA's state engagement63 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA and EPA's
research programs, and to better understand the science needs of state environmental and health
agencies. Key partners at the state level include: the Environmental Council of the States, with its
Environmental Research Institute of the States and the Interstate Technology and Regulatory
Council; the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; as well as state media
associations, such as the National Association of Clean Air Agencies.
EPA's commitment to advancing Tribal partnerships is demonstrated in the Research and
Development Program, in which key partnerships are established through the Tribal Science
Program which provides a forum for the interaction between Tribal and Agency representatives of
mutual benefit and responsibility to work collaboratively on environmental science issues. The
Tribal Science Program is committed to development of sound scientific and cultural approaches
to meet the needs of tribes.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Research: Sustainable and Healthy
Communities Program under the S&T appropriation.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$774.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$17.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs.
• (+$30,169.0 / +30.0 FTE) This program change increases funding and FTE for the Air,
Climate, and Energy Research Program. This increase is targeted to EPA's commitment
to enhance its efforts to combat the global issue of Climate Change. This increase will
more than double its research to assess the impacts of climate change on human health
and ecosystems. This investment includes $5,239.0 thousand for payroll costs.
• (+$30,000.0) This program change invests in the Air, Climate, and Energy Research
Program for collaborative research in climate adaptation and resilience with the new
Advanced Research Projects Agency for Climate (ARPA-C) that will be located within
DOE. The ARPA model of high-risk, accelerated research is uniquely meant to conduct
R&D that, if successful, results in transformational technology advancements.
63 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
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Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act; Title II of Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007; Environmental
Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA); National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) § 102; Pollution Prevention Act (PPA); Global Change
Research Act of 1990.
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Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
81
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Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
Program Area: Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Science ^ t echnology
SI0S.50f,.
-------
o Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).
- PFAS Treatment in Drinking Water. EPA's Drinking Water Treatability
Database was updated to include 26 PFAS chemicals. The database provides
information on best practices and technologies for PFAS treatment in drinking
water. Information on cost models for PFAS treatment in drinking water were
also generated.
- PFAS Analytical Methods.
¦ EPA created the PFAS Analytical Website64 which consolidates PFAS
analytical and sampling methods for drinking water, groundwater,
surface water, wastewater, air, and solids (soils, sediments, biota, and
biosolids). The website includes analytical method resources from EPA
and other federal agencies and non-governmental organizations, and
sampling, data analysis, and laboratory certification resources.
¦ ORD funded and provided technical support to develop and validate
EPA drinking water Method 533. ORD also co-led the validation efforts
for SW-846 Method 8327 for 24 PFAS in non-drinking water aqueous
samples. A time and cost saving method was developed for PFAS
analysis. ORD continues to provide technical support to validate an
isotope dilution method in collaboration with EPA's Office of Water
and the Department of Defense. ORD also is developing a total organic
fluorine method for possible future validation.
• Water Infrastructure:
o Lead. ORD developed sampling protocols and methodologies that can be used to
identify lead service lines and continues to provide technical support to municipalities
facing challenges with lead delivery lines.
o Wastewater. ORD published the Non-potable Environmental and Economic Water
Reuse (NEWR) Calculator - a practical tool to help stakeholders assess source water
options for urban decentralized non-potable water reuse65. ORD also published results
on the application and cost savings of alternative wastewater disinfection using
combinations of peracetic acid, chlorine, and UV light.
64 For more information, please see the following: https://www.epa.gov/water-research/pfas-analvtical-methods-development-
and-sampling-research
65 For more information, please see the following: https://www.epa.gov/water-research/non-potable-environmental-and-
economic-water-reuse-newr-calculator
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o Water Reuse66. ORD published several manuscripts67 on risk models for fit-for-
purpose water reuse. This much-needed information will help identify treatment targets
for wastewater and other sources of water for multiple beneficial purposes, such as
agriculture and irrigation, industrial processes, and groundwater replenishment.
o Stormwater and Enhanced Aquifer Recharge (EAR). ORD completed a report
using case studies to understand the influence of stormwater management practices on
groundwater quality,68 a draft report summarizing the current state-of-the-science
leading to best practices for EAR using stormwater69 and several manuscripts on
groundwater recharge and quality.70 EPA also collaborated on a multi-agency study of
chemicals in urban stormwater runoff to understand potential risks, which will help in
future decisions on the implementation of EAR using stormwater. 71
• Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs): ORD research contributed to improved understanding of
adverse health outcomes from exposure to harmful algal toxins, the role of beach lagoons
as reservoirs of cyanobacteria and their toxins, and the transport of freshwater biotoxins
into coastal marine systems following extreme precipitation events. ORD also used the
CyAN dataset for a new indicator that summarizes the national, regional, and state level
presence of cyanobacteria in -2,300 lakes across the continental United States.
• Microplastics: ORD advanced its sediment and surface water extraction and identification
methods for characterizing the smaller micro- and nanoplastic particles. A citizen science
project is assessing new methods to rapidly identify microplastics in sediment.
Collaborations continue with the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project for
its recommendations to the California State Water Board on a tiered drinking water
method.
• Recreational Waters and Public Health Protection: To help reduce health risks
associated with exposure to fecal contaminants in recreational waters, ORD focused on the
development, performance evaluation, and implementation of methods to measure
coliphage in recreational waters. Coliphage may more accurately indicate the probability
of viral pathogen contamination. In addition, work is underway to develop certified DNA
reference material that will support national implementation of multiple DNA-based
methods designed to provide rapid (same day) beach water quality information and
characterize sources of fecal contamination.
66 For more information, please see the following: https://www.epa. gov/water-research/onsite-non-potable-water-reuse-research.
61 For more information, please see the following: https://doi.Org/10.1016/i.watres.2020.116635.
https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2020.221. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2020.104. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.0cQ0752.
https://doi.Org/10.3390/sul2135459.https://doi.org/10.1016/i.watres.2019.115213
https://doi.Org/10.1016/i.scitotenv.2019.134297.
68 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record Report.cfm?dirEntrvId=350152&Lab=CESER.
69 Final report will be published in June 2021 (EPA/600/R-21/037).
70 For more information, please see: https://doi.Org/10.1016/i.ihvdrol.2020.125720.
https://doi.Org/10.1016/i.ihvdrol.2020.124569.
71 For more information, please see: Urban Stormwater: An Overlooked Pathway of Extensive Mixed Contaminants to Surface
and Groundwaters in the United States.
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While SSWR primarily supports clean and safe drinking water, it also supports efforts to: improve
air quality through work on nitrogen, phosphorus, and wildland fires; revitalize land and prevent
contamination through work on biosolids and groundwater; and ensure safety of chemicals through
research on PFAS and other contaminants like lead.
In FY 2022, the SSWR Research Program will continue to focus on:
• Water Infrastructure:
o Conduct research and provide technical support to deliver safe drinking water.
Research will assess the distribution, composition, and potential health risks of known
and emerging chemical and biological contaminants. Protocols for sampling lead and
identification of lead service lines will support the availability of safe drinking water,
especially in disadvantaged communities.
o Assist states, communities, and utilities to address stormwater and wastewater
infrastructure needs through applied models and technical assistance.
• Climate Change Impacts/Resiliency
o Integrate the impacts of climate change on water bodies and water infrastructure,
including wildland fire, extreme drought and precipitation events, harmful algal
blooms, and other impacts on water quality and availability.
o Develop risk assessments on stormwater capture for enhanced aquifer recharge.
o Provide water reuse research support for safe, fit-for-purpose potable and non-potable
use by states.
• Harmful Algal Blooms/Nutrients:
o Investigate health impacts from exposure to harmful algal/cyanobacteria toxins, and
develop innovative methods to monitor, characterize, and predict blooms for early
action.
o Support states' prioritization of watersheds for nutrient management and set water
quality and aquatic life thresholds. These research and communication efforts will help
states verify whether investments in implementing nutrient reduction management
practices achieve their predicted benefits.
• Microplastics: Work with EPA program offices, regions, and states to refine methods for
collection, extraction, characterization, quantification, and evaluation of microplastics in
surface water and sediments. These standard methods will allow comparability across studies
and aid in comprehensive exposure assessment and risk characterization of microplastics.
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• Recreational Waters and Public Health Protection: Improve methods for rapid and cost-
effective monitoring of waterborne pathogens in recreational waters. For example, improving
rapid low-cost methods for real time notifications on the presence of pathogens will inform
community decisions to close and reopen beaches more quickly to prevent human illness and
unnecessary lost revenue.
In addition to the activities listed above, EPA also will conduct research across programs in the
following areas:
• PFAS Research: PFAS are a class of chemicals of growing concern in the environment,
and EPA has committed to taking action to support states, tribes, and local communities
understand and manage risks associated with these chemicals. A significant challenge for
risk managers at the state and local level is how to identify and remove or treat PFAS
chemicals that are impacting drinking water supplies. Additional knowledge is needed
regarding how to measure and quantify different PFAS chemicals in water, how to remove
or treat PFAS chemicals when detected, and how to estimate the cost of different treatment
alternatives so that utilities can make informed investment decisions. Within the SSWR
Research Program, EPA is: (1) developing and validating standard methods for measuring
different PFAS chemicals in water and water treatment residuals (e.g. biosolids); (2)
reviewing available literature on effectiveness and cost data for different water treatment
technologies applied to different PFAS chemicals; and (3) conducting pilot- and bench-
scale testing of the most promising technologies to further evaluate effectiveness. This
work is being done in collaboration with water utilities and water treatment technology
suppliers. The results of this work will be posted to EPA's public Drinking Water
Treatability Database so the information will be widely available to stakeholders.72
• Lead: EPA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Academy
of Pediatrics unanimously agree that there is no safe level of lead in a child's blood and
that even low levels can result in behavior and learning problems, lower IQ, and other
health effects.73 In response to overwhelming scientific consensus and continued public
health concern, reducing childhood lead exposure is one of the highest priorities for EPA.74
SSWR research focuses on: (1) establishing reliable models for estimating lead exposure
from drinking water; (2) developing improved sampling techniques and strategies for
identifying and characterizing lead in plumbing materials, including lead service lines; (3)
developing guidance on optimizing lead mitigation strategies; and (4) testing and
evaluating treatment processes for removing lead from drinking water. The overall impact
of this research will provide information and tools that EPA, states, tribes, utilities, and
communities can use to minimize or eliminate lead exposure in drinking water.
Research Planning:
EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) is a federal advisory committee that provides
advice and recommendations to EPA's Research and Development Program on technical and
72 For more information, please see: https://iaspub.epa.gOv/tdb/pages/general/home.do#content.
73 For more information, please see: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention/blood-lead-levels.htm.
74 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/lead.
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management issues of its research programs. The SSWR Research Program and the SSWR
Subcommittee of the BOSC will continue to meet regularly over the next several years to seek
input on topics related to research program design, science quality, innovation, relevance, and
impact.
The Agency assesses the impact of its research through a survey tool and discussion with key
users. Metrics center around quality, usability, and timeliness of particular research products. This
provides evidence for how research products are being used and by whom. Through the evaluation
process, the Agency is able to identify targeted areas for improvement. The most recent survey
results for FY 2020 research products indicated more than 80 percent met partner needs. EPA is
working to improve partner engagement by developing a partner dashboard.
EPA's state engagement75 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA and EPA's
research programs, and to better understand the science needs of state environmental and health
agencies. Key partners at the state level include: the Environmental Council of the States, with its
Environmental Research Institute of the States and Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council;
the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; as well as state media associations, such
as the Association of Clean Water Administrators and the Association of State Drinking Water
Administrators.
EPA's commitment to advancing Tribal partnerships is demonstrated in the Research and
Development Program, in which key partnerships are established through the Tribal Science
Program which provides a forum for the interaction between Tribal and Agency representatives of
mutual benefit and responsibility to work collaboratively on environmental science issues. The
Tribal Science Program is committed to development of sound scientific and cultural approaches
to meet the needs of tribes.
Performance Measure Targets:
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
81
82
(PM RDl) Percentage of Office of Research and Development (ORD)
research products meeting stakeholder needs.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$930.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
(+$57.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs.
(+$3,351.0 / +20.0 FTE) This net program change increases funding and FTE for the Safe
and Sustainable Water Research Program. These FTE will help to address the challenges
75 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
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of aging water infrastructure, contaminants of concern, harmful algal blooms, and
diminished water availability.
Statutory Authority:
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) § 1442(a)(1); Clean Water Act §§ 101(a)(6), 104, 105;
Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA);
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) § 203; Title II of Ocean Dumping
Ban Act of 1988 (ODBA); Water Resources Development Act (WRDA); Wet Weather Water
Quality Act of 2000; Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987 (MPPRCA);
National Invasive Species Act; Coastal Zone Amendments Reauthorization Act (CZARA);
Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act; Endangered Species Act (ESA); North
American Wetlands Conservation Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
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Research: Sustainable Communities
89
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Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Program Area: Research: Sustainable Communities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Science ^ t echnology
.sm/v/..?
Sl.\\ 000.0
S13-.-II 2.0
.S 4.412.0
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$520.6
$320.0
$327.0
$7.0
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$428.2
$664.0
$668.0
$4.0
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$15,501.1
$16,463.0
$16,634.0
$171.0
Total Budget Authority
$159,641.2
$150,447.0
$155,041.0
$4,594.0
Total Workyears
417.3
421.8
441.8
20.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) Research Program conducts research to
support the following broad community-based goals: (1) accelerate the pace of contaminated site
cleanups; (2) return contaminated sites to beneficial use in their communities; (3) protect
vulnerable groups, such as communities with environmental justice concerns and children; (4)
revitalize the most vulnerable communities; and (5) understand the connections between healthy
ecosystems, healthy people, and healthy communities. SHC provides technical support at federal,
tribal, or state-led contaminated site clean-ups and during environmental emergencies. SHC
research products provide decision-makers with the latest scientific information on the
interrelationships between socio-economic, human health, and environmental factors. SHC
scientists conduct health, environmental engineering, and ecological research and use the results
to generate tools for localities throughout the United States, to facilitate regulatory compliance and
improve environmental and health outcomes. These tools aim to minimize negative, unintended
consequences to human health and the environment and promote resilience to the impacts of
climate change across communities.
SHC has made a commitment to explore all possibilities to minimize and mitigate
disproportionate, negative impacts and to foster environmental, public health, and economic
benefits for overburdened communities. Improved tools as well as Superfund remedial
technologies will directly support communities with environmental justice concerns and accelerate
the understanding of the negative impacts Superfund sites pose for underserved communities.
SHC also is making the commitment to emphasize remediation technologies that improve climate
adaptation and climate resilience.
The SHC Research Program is one of six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs in
EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD). Each of the six programs is guided by a
Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research needs of agency program and
regional offices, states, and tribes, and is implemented with their active collaboration and
involvement. The SHC FY 2019-2022 StRAP builds upon prior SHC StRAPs and continues a
practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at solving the problems encountered
by the Agency and its stakeholders.
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Recent Accomplishments of the SHC Research Program include:
• Beneficial Use of Dredged Materials: Opportunities, Community Benefits, and
Applied Guidance (Published in December 2020):76 Federal navigation channels
throughout the US are maintained through operations and maintenance dredging of rivers
and harbors. Much of this material is disposed through open water or contained disposal
facility placement. While dredged materials may contain contaminants, there is a
significant amount of material that is clean and may have beneficial uses in society. Thus,
there is increased pressure to identify beneficial uses for dredged material, such as
contaminated site remediation and aquatic habitat restoration. This project identified
barriers and opportunities related to using clean dredged materials to remediate
contaminated sites along with providing a tool for municipalities and other agencies to
better understand the social and ecological benefits of utilizing dredged materials in
cleanups or habitat restoration. The researchers started with a tool designed for EPA
Region 5 and applied qualitative research and case study methodology to analyze specific
decision contexts to refine the tool. The team also utilized and augmented the EPA ORD
EcoService Models Library; developed a representative case study database; and produced
a report to support decision-making for dredged materials. This project created a
foundation of information, a use-refined tool, and a concept map to guide application for
different stakeholders in future projects.
• Supply Chain Emission Factors for US Commodities and Industries (Published in
July 2020):77 Researchers have developed a comprehensive set of supply chain emission
factors covering all categories of goods and services in the US economy to assist in
quantifying emissions. Emissions from purchased goods and services and capital goods
represent significant emissions sources for many organizations. The final factors are
available in the Supply Chain Emission Factors for US Industries and Commodities dataset.
This product includes a dataset and a report that describes the preparation of those factors,
including background on the modeling associated with this preparation; and presents
extensive analysis of the factors, including supporting equations and results in two
appendices. These factors were prepared using U.S. Environmentally-Extended Input-
Output (USEEIO) models which are life cycle models of goods and services in the US
economy. Organizations can use these supply chain factors to calculate the life cycle
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions/carbon footprints of their purchases, or for reporting
Scope 3 GHG emissions under the global Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
• Community Health Estimates using Novel Approaches and Data Sources (articles
Published October 2017-July 2020):78 This product outlines novel methods to quantify
16 For more information, please see: https://intranet.ord.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-
01 /DMMT%20RESES%20Final%20Report 508.pdf.
77 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record Report.cfm?dirEntrvId=349324&Lab=CESER.
78 For more information, please see: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935117304826,
https
//bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/sl2879-018-3343-v,
https
//iournals.lww.com/environepidem/Fulltext/2019/10001/Greater residential tree cover and time spent.327.aspx.
https
//cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record report.cfm?Lab=CPFlEA&dirEntrvId=348017. and
https
//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7363776/.
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the effects of environmental conditions on human health by analyzing geospatial data and
bio-chemical responses to stressors in the body. For example, an increase in greenspace
around a residence was found to result in measurably lower biological stress
markers. This product and its methods could be used by EPA and municipalities across the
country to better understand the public health benefits of community revitalization
programs and land-use decisions.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
The SHC Research Program provides science that supports work underway to accelerate the pace
of Superfund and brownfields cleanups and return sites to beneficial use in their communities.
These efforts support regulatory activities and protocol development for EPA's Land and
Emergency Management Program, EPA's regional offices, and state-delegated programs. EPA
research under SHC will provide technical support at federal-, tribal-, and state-managed cleanup
sites and assistance during emergencies. It also will provide research and tools related to health
disparities and social determinants of health, site restoration and revitalization benefits, and
community resilience.
SHC's FY 2022 research will focus on three topic areas: (1) Contaminated Sites; (2) Waste and
Sustainable Materials Management; and (3) Healthy and Resilient Communities. This research
will integrate and translate public health, environmental engineering, and ecosystem science to
provide:
• Remediation solutions through permanent remedies and innovative treatment technologies
for returning contaminated sites to safe and productive use;
• Operational tools for waste sites and for sustainable materials management; and
• Approaches for revitalizing communities, particularly those that are underserved and
overburdened, impacted by contamination and natural disasters.
The SHC Research Program provides state-of-the-science methods, models, tools, and
technologies that the Land and Emergency Management Program uses in programmatic guidance
and that EPA decision makers use in the site cleanup process. These tools will address
contaminated sediments and groundwater, as well as health risks posed by vapor intrusion and
chemicals of immediate concern, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and lead.
These tools also will support communities affected by contaminated sites in their resilience and
climate adaptation planning efforts.
Specifically, in FY 2022, SHC research will be in the following areas:
• Contaminated Sites: EPA research under SHC's Contaminated Sites will provide
technical support, investigate remedial alternatives for soils, sediments and groundwater,
investigate solvent vapor intrusion, and research contaminants of immediate concern (e.g.
PFAS and lead). Primarily the research efforts focus on developing and testing remedial
alternatives for treating contaminated soils, sediments, groundwater sites, vapor intrusion
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sites, sites with PFAS and Pb contamination, and providing the technical support to the
Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), the Regions and States to translate
the research into usable approaches.
• Waste and Sustainable Materials Management: EPA research under SHC's Waste and
Sustainable Materials Management aims to strengthen the scientific basis for the Nation's
materials management decisions and guidance. Primary research efforts will focus on
developing lifecycle-based assessment tools for sustainable materials management,
evaluating the design, application, and use of landfills as well as the degradation of liner
material and improved monitoring strategies and their long-term impact on human health
and the environment, and developing waste-management methodologies that can minimize
adverse impacts to human health and the environment through proposed beneficial use and
reuse. This work will include research that increases the effectiveness of food waste
campaigns and examines food waste collection and pretreatment technologies from a
lifecycle perspective. These efforts support an agency-wide goal to reduce domestic food
loss and waste by half by the year 2030.79
• Healthy and Resilient Communities - Remediation, Restoration, and Revitalization:
The SHC Research Program will evaluate and communicate the benefits from remediation,
restoration, and revitalization of contaminated sites and provide community-driven
solutions with measurable outcomes. These efforts will help communities meet their needs
for building resilience to the impacts of climate change, including the health and well-being
of those most vulnerable. Research under the Healthy and Resilient Communities topic will
provide the scientific basis for guidance, best practices, and tools to support decisions by
the Agency, its stakeholders, states, and tribes to optimize health and well-being outcomes
while minimizing unintended consequences.
• Contaminated Sites - Chemicals of Immediate Concern:
o PFAS Research: PFAS are a class of chemicals of growing concern in the
environment, and EPA has committed to taking action to support states, tribes, and
local communities in understanding and managing risks associated with these
chemicals. A significant challenge for risk managers at the state and local level is
how to remove or treat PFAS at contaminated sites. Within the SHC Research
Program, EPA aims to understand: environmental PFAS contamination and
pathways of exposure for the public; how PFAS can be removed from the
environment through safe destruction or degradation; the significant sources, fate
and transport pathways, and exposures to humans and ecosystems; and the costs
and effectiveness of different methods for removing and remediating PFAS in the
natural and built environment. SHC is specifically researching analytical methods
development, human exposure measurement and estimates, contaminated sites
source zone characterization, hard to treat streams such as landfill leachate, fate and
transport of PFAS in groundwater, remediation performance (treatability and cost
models), immobilization/stabilization of PFAS, and novel remedial technologies.
This work is being done in collaboration with the Department of Defense through
79 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food.
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participation in their Strategic Environmental Research and Development
Program.80 EPA research under the SHC also is focusing on end-of-life
management of PFAS-containing materials (e.g., industrial waste, household
waste) to ensure that PFAS from these materials do not impact the environment.
This work provides technical support and assistance to states, tribes, and local
communities on issues pertaining to ecological and human health risk assessment
and site engineering challenges related to PFAS.
o Lead Research: The Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures
and Associated Health Impacts was produced by the President's Task Force on
Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children, comprised of 17 federal
agencies and co-led by EPA. It is a blueprint to reduce lead exposure and associated
harms to children.81 EPA's Research and Development Program has co-led Action
Plan efforts to develop science and technology to support efforts to reduce lead
exposures and related health risks. SHC is working to identify locations of high
exposures and blood lead levels to target lead sources for mitigation, develop
innovative methods for cleaning up Superfund and other contaminated sites, and
strengthen the scientific basis of the Agency's lead-related regulatory and clean-up
decisions. The SHC Research Program also will work to enhance models and
methods that determine key drivers of blood lead levels to inform regulatory
decisions, develop tools to identify and prioritize communities with higher
incidence of increased blood lead levels in children, and provide the data needed to
reduce uncertainty in lead exposure and risk analysis. EPA's research in this area
is essential to support ongoing EPA regulatory and non-regulatory efforts, as well
as filling in the data gaps for federal partners, states, tribes, and local communities.
Research Planning:
EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) is a federal advisory committee that provides
advice and recommendations to EPA on technical and management issues of its research programs.
The SHC Research Program will continue to meet regularly over the next several years with the
SHC Subcommittee of the BOSC to seek input on topics related to research program design,
science quality, innovation, relevance, and impact.
The Agency assesses the impact of its research through a survey tool and discussion with key
users. Metrics center around quality, usability and timeliness of particular research products. This
provides evidence for how research products are being used and by whom. Through the evaluation
process, the Agency is able to identify targeted areas for improvement. The most recent survey
results for FY 2020 research products indicated more than 80 percent met partner needs. EPA is
working to improve partner engagement by developing a partner dashboard.
EPA's state engagement82 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA and EPA's
research programs, and to better understand the science needs of state environmental and health
80 For more information about SERDP, please see: https://www.serdp-estcp.org/About-SERDP-and-ESTCP/About-SERDP.
81 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/lead/federal-action-plan-reduce-childhood-lead-exposure.
82 For more information on EPA's work with states, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
94
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agencies. Key partners at the state level include: the Environmental Council of the States, with its
Environmental Research Institute of the States and Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council;
the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; as well as state media associations, such
as the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials.
EPA's commitment to advancing Tribal partnerships is demonstrated in the Research and
Development Program, in which key partnerships are established through the Tribal Science
Program which provides a forum for the interaction between Tribal and Agency representatives of
mutual benefit and responsibility to work collaboratively on environmental science issues. The
Tribal Science Program is committed to development of sound scientific and cultural approaches
to meet the needs of tribes.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM RDl) Percentage of Office of Research and Development (ORD)
research products meeting stakeholder needs.
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
81
82
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$951.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$53.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs.
• (+$3,408.0 / +20.0 FTE) This net program change increases funding and FTE for the
Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research Program. These FTE will help to address
the acceleration of cleanup and return of contaminated sites to beneficial use, protection of
vulnerable populations, and the revitalization of vulnerable communities.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified as Title 5 App.) (EPA's organic statute).
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Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability
96
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Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Program Area: Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$143.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
Science it- t echnology
VA\ '
ss'j.t/s.n
s'j.i.sis.n
S-IJOtU)
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$4,115.6
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
Total Budget Authority
$99,966.3
$89,518.0
$93,818.0
$4,300.0
Total Workyears
270.6
273.9
295.9
22.0
Total Workyears include 3.2 FTE funded by TSCA fees in both FY 2021 and FY 2022.
Program Project Description:
The Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) Research Program provides scientific and technical
approaches, information, tools, and methods to make better-informed, more-timely decisions about
chemicals and their potential risks to human health and the environment.83 CSS products
strengthen the Agency's ability to evaluate and predict human health and ecological impacts from
the use, reuse, recycling, and disposal of manufactured and naturally occurring chemicals and their
by-products.
The CSS Research Program is one of six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs in
EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD). CSS research addresses real-world problems,
informs agency implementation of environmental regulations, and helps EPA and its stakeholders
make timely decisions based on the best available science. Each of the six programs is guided by
a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP)84 that reflects the research needs of agency program and
regional offices, states, and tribes, and is implemented with their active collaboration and
involvement. The CSS FY 2019-2022 StRAP builds upon the science foundation for chemical
evaluations built by research in prior years and continues a practice of conducting innovative
scientific research aimed at solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
CSS research informs agency decisions about chemicals, accelerates the pace of chemical
assessment and decision-making, and helps to replace, reduce, and refine the use of mammalians
used to evaluate chemical risk to ecological and human health. CSS products inform agency
programs as they implement environmental regulations that govern agency actions, including the
evaluation of existing and new chemicals (Toxic Substances Control Act [TSCA]), development
and use of alternative testing protocols (TSCA, Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
[FIFRA], Food Quality Protection Act [FQPA], Federal Food Drug Cosmetics Act [FFDCA]),
chemical prioritization (TSCA, Safe Drinking Water Act [SDWA]), evaluation of pesticide
registrations (FIFRA, Endangered Species Act), and mitigation activity at Superfund sites
(Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act [CERCLA]). CSS
83 For the CSS StRAP, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/chemical-safetv-sustainabilitv-strategic-research-action-plan-
2019-2022.
84 For all ORD StRAPs, please see: https://www.epa. gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-2019-2022.
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research activities are coordinated with the activities of other national research programs to inform
high priority research topics, such as research focused on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS). Coordination with the Human and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) Research
Program ensures that the approaches, tools, and information produced by CSS can be used to
improve chemical risk assessments, reduce uncertainties associated with those assessments, and
increase the speed of delivering chemical information to the Agency.
Recent Accomplishments of the CSS Research Program include:
• Protecting Children's Health Through Improved Developmental Neurotoxicity
(DNT) Screening of Chemicals: The potential effects of chemicals on the development of
the human nervous system in children is a high priority concern of multiple agency
programs. Currently available whole animal methods that evaluate developmental
neurotoxicity (DNT) are costly, animal intensive, and encumbered with challenges and
technical issues. Thus, they are infrequently used in decision-making. CSS scientists have
developed alternative new approach methods (NAMs) for DNT endpoints that can be used
to screen chemical libraries for potential DNT activity. These new assays include an in
vitro method to evaluate neuronal network formation and function using specialized
microelectrode arrays and a high content imaging approach to microscopically evaluate
neuronal cell lines for effects of chemicals on key cellular processes of development. These
methods, along with those developed by international collaborators, provide a battery of
assays that represent many of the key events and processes necessary for normal nervous
system development. These DNT NAMs were successfully reviewed by the FIFRA SAP
in the Fall of 2020. Further development of the battery and additional testing of chemicals
through the battery will provide essential data for evaluating the DNT potential of
chemicals.
• Development of innovative methods and tools for estimating exposure for thousands
of chemicals: As part of ORD's efforts to support implementation of the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA), CSS scientists have developed tools and methods to inform high-
throughput exposure predictions for thousands of chemicals. It is critical to develop tools
which allow for estimation of exposures needed for the evaluation of risk which can be
applied even when data is limited. The Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation
High-Throughput (SHEDS-HT)85 model developed by CSS scientists models population
level distributions of exposure to nearfield chemical sources. The model accounts for
multiple routes, scenarios, and pathways of exposure so that we can understand total
exposure to chemicals. CSS investigators have additionally developed critical data sets
needed as input for the SHEDS-HT model, including the Chemical and Products Database
(CPDat)86. CPDat includes nearly 4 million data points on chemicals relevant to estimation
of exposure, including data types such as chemical use categorizations, general use and
consumer product specific use, consumer product composition, and chemical functional
use. The database maps these data points to more than 29,000 unique chemical structures
and includes data on more than 500,000 products. Because an individual's exposure to
85 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/stochastic-human-exposure-and-dose-simulation-
sheds-estimate-human-exposure.
86 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/chemical-and-products-database-cpdat.
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chemicals is correlated with their use of consumer products and associated behaviors,
investigators are able to use both the CPDat database and the SHEDS-HT model to
examine differences in chemical exposure for different subpopulations, including
stratification of exposure by age (e.g. children vs. elderly), race and ethnicities, and
household socioeconomic level.
• Continued Release, Evolution, and Updating of Multiple Digital Information
Products to Inform Decision Making: The Computational Toxicology Chemicals
Dashboard187 is the Agency's 'first-stop-shop' for the delivery of information on chemical
physico-chemical properties, structure, toxicity, exposure, and persistence. Thq Dashboard
is used by the Agency and its external stakeholders, and allows for real-time quantitative
structure-activity relationship (QSAR) predictions for chemical property and toxicity
endpoints, and flexible searches including chemical and functional use, supporting mass
spectrometry (mass and formula) and batch search functionality. As of the June 2021
release, the Dashboard houses curated data on 900,000 chemicals. The ECOTOX
Knowledgebase88 serves as the comprehensive, publicly available source of environmental
toxicity data on aquatic life, terrestrial plants, and wildlife. The March 2021 release of the
ECOTOX Knowledgebase contains over 1 million records and provides information on
over 12,000 chemicals and over 13,000 species from over 50,000 references. The Chemical
Transformation Simulator continues development as a web-based tool for predicting
environmental and biological transformation pathways for organic chemicals. Recently,
the Simulator was expanded to include environmental transformation information for
PFAS chemicals. SeqAPASS89 - Sequence Alignment to Predict Across Species
Susceptibility - is a tool enabling extrapolation of toxicity information across species.
Version 5.0, released in December 2020, features improved functionalities and
visualization of results. Research and development for all these systems continues in order
to meet the information needs of decision makers.
• Development and Advancement of New Approach Methods (NAMs): CSS objectives
and research activities are strongly supporting the development of new approach methods
(NAMs) that are improving understanding of chemical toxicity. NAMs are focused on
providing better understanding of toxicity with faster, less expensive approaches that
reduce the use of mammals and other vertebrate animals for toxicity testing. CSS continues
to collaborate closely with the Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Program to
implement the June 2018 TSCA Strategic Plan90 to promote the development and
implementation of alternative test methods. Additionally, CSS has a central role in the
implementation of the June 2020 NAMs workplan.91 Critical to this effort is
implementation of a tiered hazard evaluation strategy. CSS investigators are currently
advancing methods in high-throughput phenotypic profiling (HTTP) and high-throughput
transcriptomics (HTTr), to be used for chemical prioritization and grouping of chemicals.
87 For more information, please see: https://comptox.epa.gov/dashboard.
88 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ecotox/.
89 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/sequence-alignment-predict-across-species-
susceptibility.
90 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-06/documents/epa alt strat plan 6-20-
18 clean final.pdf.
91 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/new-approach-methods-work-plan.
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Additionally, investigators are exploring approaches and models for species extrapolation
in the ecotoxicology domain, and development of high-throughput exposure and
toxicokinetic models in the exposure domain.
The CSS Research Program provides ongoing support to the Agency's Chemical Safety and
Pollution Prevention Program for the successful implementation of TSCA activities related to
alternative toxicity testing (Section 4), the evaluation of new chemicals (Section 5), and the
evaluation of existing chemicals in the TSCA active inventory list (Section 6). CSS also provides
ongoing support for the evaluation of pesticides under FIFRA.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
In FY 2022, CSS research will continue to provide information needed to inform agency decisions
about chemicals. Research efforts will focus on replacing, reducing, and refining the use of
vertebrates in testing, while accelerating the pace of chemical assessment and decision-making.
CSS research products will continue to use innovative in vitro and in silico (computer modeling)
approaches to provide timelier, more comprehensive information about chemical hazard and
exposure while still providing information of equal or greater biological predictivity than current
in vivo animal models. The objective of CSS research activities is to provide chemical information
informing risk-based decisions made by EPA programs, states, tribes, and others. Of particular
relevance are 'chemicals of emerging concern,' such as PFAS, which heighten the need for rapid,
scientifically-sound approaches to evaluate potential chemical safety.
The CSS Research Program is organized into eight, integrated research areas that include research
on toxicity, exposure, human health, ecological health, chemical modeling and prediction, and
chemical integration and informatics. Selected research areas are highlighted below for work in
FY 2022.
• High-Throughput Toxicity (HTT) Testing: CSS research in the HTT research area is
focused on developing, testing, and applying NAMs to evaluate chemical hazards. NAMs
address EPA's need to evaluate large numbers of chemicals more efficiently for potential
adverse human and ecological effects. Scientific and technological advances have paved
the way for using additional NAMs in the HTT research area. These will enable EPA to
make better, more timely decisions about chemicals by increasing toxicological
information for more chemicals. Specifically, high-throughput methods research is focused
on developmental neurotoxicology, inhalation toxicology assessment, and
methodologically challenging chemicals, This research directly supports the Agency's
efforts to fulfill requirements for: chemical evaluation under TSCA as amended by the
Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act; pesticide evaluation under
FIFRA; chemical testing for endocrine system impacts under FQPA; and chemical
evaluation as part of SDWA.
• Rapid Exposure Modeling and Dosimetry: In FY 2022, EPA research under the CSS
Research Program will continue to provide data, models, and tools to characterize total
human exposure to environmental chemicals. This will inform agency chemical
prioritizations and evaluations (TSCA, SDWA); agency implementation of TSCA Section
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5 (New Chemicals) and Section 6 (Existing Chemicals); and identify contaminants of
emerging concern. Research in the Rapid Exposure Modeling and Dosimetry research area
parallels work in the HTT research area to provide information to inform agency chemical
risk assessment activities. Chemical exposure research also includes the continued
development of advanced analytical and computational tools, such as non-targeted
analysis, to detect and identify unknown chemicals in complex environmental media,
biological media, and consumer products.
• PFAS Research:92 PFAS are a class of substances of concern and EPA is committed to
supporting states, tribes, and local communities in understanding and managing risks
associated with these chemicals.93 With research integrated across multiple CSS research
areas, CSS has responded with research designed to: expand understanding of the toxicity
of PFAS chemicals; evaluate PFAS fate, transport, occurrence, and persistence in the
environment and in consumer products; and deliver chemical information to the Agency
and its stakeholders in the government and private sector. The PFAS class of compounds
include over 6,000 different chemicals, of which approximately 1,200 have been or are
being used in commerce. For most PFAS chemicals, there are little or no published toxicity
data available.94 CSS is addressing this gap by conducting high-throughput toxicological
screening assays on hundreds of PFAS chemicals. The chemicals were selected to represent
a broad array of PFAS chemical and physical structural properties and to represent specific
interests of EPA program and regional offices and the states. The results will be used to
identify categories of PFAS chemicals having similar structural and toxicological
properties that may inform the development and strength of predictive toxicological
models. These in vivo and in silico methods are combined with targeted in vivo tests to
reduce uncertainties and improve the reliability of toxicity predications. This work is being
done in collaboration with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences:
National Toxicology Program. Resources requested in FY 2022 will build upon the
research foundation formed from completed work outlined in the PFAS Action Plan.
• Improved Understanding of Biological Impacts: The CSS Research Program will
employ data generated from its chemical evaluation research to develop interpretive
frameworks and models to place complex information into biological, chemical, and
toxicological context. This information is captured in adverse outcome pathways (AOPs)
which link molecular initiating events at the cellular level to apical outcomes expressed at
the whole animal level. These pathways help decision-makers understand the significance
of chemical impacts on biological systems as commonly determined by in vitro assays.
Included in the development of these AOPs are data developed in the HTT and Virtual
Tissue Modeling (VTM) research areas to capture information on chemical impacts to
molecular pathways, cells, and complex tissues. This is especially important to
understanding chemical impacts on developmental and reproductive biology. As part of
the CSS Ecotoxicology and Modeling research area, CSS is applying AOP frameworks to
model ecological outcomes across broad taxonomic and ecological scales.
92 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-
02/documents/pfas action plan 021319 508compliant l.pdf.
93 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-communitv-engagement.
94 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/epa-pfas-research.
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• Delivery of Chemical Information: The CSS Research Program will deliver integrated
chemical data and related information to the Agency in a scientifically robust, transparent
manner. In FY 2022, CSS will continue to expand the tools highlighted previously under
recent accomplishments. Additionally, the Chemical Safety Analytics research area of CSS
provides computational, predictive tools to estimate physicochemical, toxicological, and
exposure information for data poor chemicals. The Informatics, Synthesis, and Integration
research area brings together chemical information developed by the CSS Research
Program with information from other sources to inform agency decision makers. Building
on this foundation, CSS is working with the Agency to build program-specific applications,
such as RapidTox, an interactive series of customized workflows that facilitate access and
use of relevant information to support different decision contexts. These applications will
give risk assessors and decision-makers confidence that the new approaches, data, and tools
developed in CSS are both scientifically sound and relevant to environmental decision
making.
Research Planning:
EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) is a federal advisory committee that provides
advice and recommendations to EPA on technical and management issues of its research
programs.95 The CSS Research Program and the Chemical Safety Subcommittee of the BOSC will
continue to meet regularly over the next several years to seek input on topics related to research
program design, science quality, innovation, relevance, and impact.
The Agency assesses the impact of its research through a survey tool and discussion with key
users. Metrics center around quality, usability and timeliness of particular research products. This
provides evidence for how research products are being used and by whom. Through the evaluation
process, the Agency is able to identify targeted areas for improvement. The most recent survey
results for FY 2020 research products indicated more than 80 percent met partner needs. EPA is
working to improve partner engagement by developing a partner dashboard.
EPA's state engagement program96 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA and
EPA's research programs, and to better understand the science needs of state environmental and
health agencies. Key partners at the state level include: the Environmental Council of the States,
with its Environmental Research Institute of the States and the Interstate Technology and
Regulatory Council; the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; as well as state media
associations, such as the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials.
EPA's commitment to advancing Tribal partnerships is demonstrated in the Research and
Development Program, in which key partnerships are established through the Tribal Science
Program which provides a forum for the interaction between Tribal and Agency representatives of
mutual benefit and responsibility to work collaboratively on environmental science issues. The
Tribal Science Program is committed to development of sound scientific and cultural approaches
to meet the needs of tribes.
95 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/bosc.
96 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
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Performance Measure Targets:
(PM RDl) Percentage of Office of Research and Development (ORD)
research products meeting stakeholder needs.
FY 2021
Target
FY 2022
Target
81
82
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$660.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
(+$11.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs.
• (+$3,629.0 / +22.0 FTE) This net program change increases funding and FTE for the
Chemical Safety and Sustainability Research Program. These FTE will assist in providing
scientific and technical approaches, information tools, and methods to better inform
decision-making.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act §§ 103, 104; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act (CERCLA); Children's Health Act; 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development
Act; Clean Water Act; Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA); Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Pollution Prevention Act (PPA); Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA).
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Health and Environmental Risk Assessment
Program Area: Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Sciciuv ^ icclnwhixy
SJ,S.V2I.5
S 41.412.0
S3.V30.0
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$3,882.1
$12,824.0
$12,876.0
$52.0
Total Budget Authority
$42,803.6
$50,306.0
$54,288.0
$3,982.0
Total Workyears
152.3
154.9
174.9
20.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) Research Program is focused on the
science of assessments that inform decisions made by EPA and others, including states and tribes.
These assessments provide the scientific basis for decisions under an array of environmental laws,
including: Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Toxic Substances Control
Act (TSCA); and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
(CERCLA).
The HERA Research Program is one of six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs in
the Research and Development Program. Each of the six programs is guided by a Strategic
Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research needs of agency program and regional
offices, states, and tribes, and is implemented with their active collaboration and involvement. The
HERA FY 2019-2022 StRAP builds upon prior Human Health Risk Assessment StRAPs and
continues a practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at solving the problems
encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
The current portfolio of HERA products encompasses these two topic areas:
• Science Assessments and Translation: The Science Assessments and Translation topic
showcases EPA's focus on the science and practice of assessment development. A portfolio
of assessment products will be produced that are responsive to agency priorities and
timelines. The portfolio will include assessments from among the traditional product lines
- Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), Integrated Science Assessment (ISAs), and
Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTVs) - in addition to a wide range of
innovative 'fit-for-purpose' products. Additionally, significant emphasis will be placed on
providing scientific and technical support throughout the lifecycle of decisions, from
development to application of the assessment products.
• Advancing the Science and Practice of Risk Assessment: The HERA Research Program
is multidisciplinary and aimed at incorporating scientific innovations to advance analytic
approaches and applications for risk assessment. Research under this topic is targeted at
enhancing hazard characterization, expanding the repertoire of dose-response methods and
models, and characterizing the utility of emerging data and new computational tools as
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applied to risk assessment. It also enhances and maintains critical assessment
infrastructure, including databases, models, and software support, to ensure transparency
and to facilitate understanding and translation to agency partners and external stakeholders.
Refinements to current approaches will be anchored in assessment development and are
expected to improve the accuracy, efficiency, flexibility, and utility of applications across
a large landscape of assessment activities.
Recent Accomplishments of the HERA Research Program include:
The HERA Research Program has been developing assessment products to enhance timely
responses, improve screening capabilities, and augment toxicity value derivations for use in risk
assessments.
• PFAS-related Toxicity Values: Decision-making at the state and local level is hindered
by a limited number of standard toxicity values (such as reference doses and cancer risk
estimates) for many per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) of interest. The Agency
continues to provide toxicity values with current values available for PFOA and PFOS,97
as well as draft toxicity assessments for GenX98 chemicals. In FY 2021, HERA released
the final Human Health Toxicity Values for Perfluorobutane Sulfonic Acid (CASRN 375-
73-5) and Related Compound Potassium Perfluorobutane Sulfonate (CASRN 29420-49-
3)", providing additional toxicity values for these substances.
• Portfolio of Assessment Products: In April 2021, HERA released the final Human Health
Toxicity Values for Perfluorobutane Sulfonic Acid (CASRN 375-73-5) and Related
Compound Potassium Perfluorobutane Sulfonate (CASRN 29420-49-3)100, delivering on
EPA's commitment to address PFAS in the environment. HERA anticipates posting final
IRIS assessments for ethyl tertiary butyl ether and tert-butyl alcohol, as well as publicly
releasing assessment materials for mercury salts, vanadium and compounds (oral
exposure), and vanadium and compounds (inhalation exposure).101 HERA anticipates
delivering nine high-priority PPRTV assessments in FY 2021 to support Superfund
priorities;102 at least eight more assessments are expected in FY 2022. The ISA for Oxides
of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and Particulate Matter - Ecological Criteria was released in
October 2020103, after peer review by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee.
• Innovations in Risk Assessment: HERA peer reviewed and anticipates finalizing the EPA
version of the multi-path particle dosimetry (MPPD) model and software in the fall of 2021
for improved mechanistic modeling of inhalation dosimetry for particles. Continued
advancements were made to HERA's dose-response analysis tool, Benchmark Dose
1 Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Perfluorooctanesulphonic Acid (PFOS).
98 GenX chemicals assessment is owned by EPA's Water Program; the timeline for this assessment is different than PFBS. For
more information on the timeline of this assessment, please contact EPA's Water Program.
99 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/learn-about-human-health-toxicitv-assessment-pfbs.
100 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/learn-about-human-health-toxicitv-assessment-pfbs.
101 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recent-additions.
102 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pprtv.
103 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/isa/integrated-science-assessment-isa-oxides-nitrogen-oxides-sulfur-
and-particulate-matter.
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Software (BMDS),104 as well as critical information management databases including
HERA's Health and Environmental Research Online105 and the Health Assessment and
Workplace Collaborative106. Having modernized its assessment infrastructure, EPA
research under HERA is using evidence mapping to provide a better understanding of the
extent and nature of data available to address agency chemical assessment priorities,
including PFAS. It also serves to focus the assessments on support for specific decision
contexts {i.e., 'fit for purpose'). This approach is expected to improve assessment
throughput and prioritize more timely assessments responsive to the priority needs of the
Agency.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
In FY 2022, the HERA Research Program's work will focus on efforts integral to achieving EPA
priorities and informing the Agency's implementation of key environmental decisions.
Specifically, in FY 2022, HERA will:
• Continue developing additional assessments through IRIS of perfluorinated compounds as
described in EPA's PFAS Action Plan,107 as well as other priority chemicals as identified
by EPA's Water Program, Air and Radiation Program, and Land and Emergency
Management Program. These HERA assessments include polychlorinated biphenyls,
methylmercury, mercury salts, vanadium compounds, hexavalent chromium, inorganic
arsenic, and formaldehyde. HERA also will provide support to the Air and Radiation
Program with the development of the ISA for Lead to support review of the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). HERA will continue to provide scientific and
technical support on assessments, such as to the Air and Radiation Program on decisions
to retain or revise the NAAQS, and to the Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
Program on TSCA implementation.
• Continue to develop and apply evidence mapping to provide a better understanding of the
extent and nature of evidence available to address priority needs of the Agency and its
partners, and focus the assessments on support for specific decision contexts {i.e., 'fit for
purpose') through a modernized assessment infrastructure.
• Provide the resources and workflow to two of the five Research and Development
Program's Superfund technical support centers (TSCs)108 to provide localized and tailored
technical assistance and scientific expertise on human and ecological risk assessments to
states, tribes, and EPA's program and regional offices. This includes direct support in cases
of emergencies and other rapid response situations.
104 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/bmds.
105 For more information, please see: https://hero.epa.gov/hero/.
106 For more information, please see: https://hawcprd.epa. gov/.
107 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/epas-pfas-action-plan.
108 HERA supports the Superfund Health Risk Technical Support Center (STSC) and the Ecological Risk Assessment Support
Center (ERASC). For more information on EPA's five TSCs, please see: https://www.epa.gov/land-research/epas-technical-
support-centers.
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• Apply new and alternative approaches, methods, and data to risk assessment products, and
technical support to better respond to the needs of the states, tribes, and EPA's program
and regional offices, in cooperation with the Chemical Safety for Sustainability Research
Program.
• Provide training to staff, partners, and stakeholders on risk assessment practice, assessment
tool literacy, and standard operating procedures for assessment development via easy to
access modules.
In addition to the activities listed above, EPA also conducts research across programs in the
following areas:
• PFAS Research: PFAS are a class of chemicals of growing concern in the environment,
and EPA has committed to taking action to support states, tribes, and local communities in
understanding and managing risks associated with these chemicals. There are still large
numbers of other PFAS of high interest to stakeholders which currently have no federal
published, peer-reviewed toxicity values. Within the HERA Research Program, EPA is
prioritizing additional PFAS for development of peer-reviewed toxicity values. This will
result in an expanded set of high-quality peer-reviewed toxicity values for use by federal,
state, and tribal decision makers in making risk assessment and management decisions. In
addition, EPA is identifying, reviewing, organizing and presenting relevant health
information on PFAS through systematic evidence mapping to identify data gaps, inform
prioritization and hazard characterization, and facilitate human health assessments for
PFAS.
• Lead: Childhood lead exposure continues to be one of the highest priorities for EPA. To
advance lead exposure and biokinetic models used in EPA regulatory decisions and site
assessments, research focuses on enhancing, evaluating, and applying lead exposure and
biokinetic models used for estimating potential blood lead levels and related analyses for
regulatory determinations. Additionally, the Exposure Factors Handbook109 provides up-
to-date data on various human factors, including soil and dust ingestion rates, used by risk
assessors.
Research Planning:
EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) is a federal advisory committee that provides
advice and recommendations to EPA on technical and management issues of its research programs.
The HERA Research Program and the HERA Subcommittee of the BOSC will continue to meet
regularly over the next several years to seek input on topics related to research program design,
science quality, innovation, relevance, and impact.
The Agency assesses the impact of its research through a survey tool and discussion with key
users. Metrics center around quality, usability, and timeliness of particular research products. This
provides evidence for how research products are being used and by whom. Through the evaluation
109 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/risk/recordisplav.cfm?deid=236252.
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process, the Agency is able to identify targeted areas for improvement. The most recent survey
results for FY 2020 research products indicated more than 80 percent met partner needs. EPA is
working to improve partner engagement by developing a partner dashboard.
EPA's state engagement110 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA and EPA's
research programs, and to better understand the science needs of state environmental and health
agencies. Key partners at the state level include: the Environmental Council of the States, with its
Environmental Research Institute of the States and the Interstate Technology and Regulatory
Council; the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; as well as state media
associations, such as the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials.
EPA's commitment to advancing Tribal partnerships is demonstrated in the Research and
Development Program, in which key partnerships are established through the Tribal Science
Program which provides a forum for the interaction between Tribal and Agency representatives of
mutual benefit and responsibility to work collaboratively on environmental science issues. The
Tribal Science Program is committed to development of sound scientific and cultural approaches
to meet the needs of tribes.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability Program under the S&T appropriation.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$406.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$3,524.0 / +20.0 FTE) This program change increases funding and FTE for the Health
and Environmental Assessment program. These FTE will assist in advancing science
assessments, such as IRIS, as well as analytical approaches for the applications of risk
assessments. This investment includes $3,502.0 thousand in payroll costs.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act §§ 103, 108, 109, and 112; Clean Water Act §§ 101(a)(6), 104, 105; Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) § 3(c)(2)(A); Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA) § 1458; Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
110 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
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Water: Human Health Protection
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Drinking Water Programs
Program Area: Water: Human Health Protection
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$101,007.3
$106,903.0
$118,265.0
$11,362.0
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Total Budget Authority
$105,272.3
$111,267.0
$124,709.0
$13,442.0
Total Workyears
472.2
475.2
531.0
55.8
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water Technical Support Center leads the collection of national occurrence data for
unregulated contaminants in drinking water; develops and evaluates analytical methods that are
used to monitor drinking water contaminants accurately and reliably; leads the national program
under which laboratories are certified to conduct the analyses of water contaminants with
designated analytical methods; and works with states and public water systems collaboratively to
implement tools that help systems achieve performance and optimization practices that achieve
compliance and maximize technical capacity while reducing operational costs.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
In FY 2022, EPA is requesting an increase of over $2.0 million and 4.0 FTE for the Drinking
Water Technical Support Center to carry out the following activities:
• Lead the development, revision, evaluation, and approval of analytical methods for
unregulated and regulated contaminants to assess and ensure protection of public health
from contaminants in drinking water (e.g., polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS]). This work
supports the activities underway for the Agency's PFAS Action Plan;
• Implement EPA's Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Program,111 which sets
direction for oversight of state, municipal, and commercial laboratories that analyze
drinking water samples. Conduct three regional program reviews during FY 2022 and
deliver two laboratory certification officer training courses (chemistry and microbiology)
for state and regional representatives to ensure the quality of analytical results;
• Partner with states and water systems to optimize their treatment technology and
distribution systems under the drinking water Area Wide Optimization Program
(AWOP).112 AWOP is a highly successful technical/compliance assistance and training
program that enhances the ability of public water systems to comply with existing
microbial, disinfectant, and disinfection byproduct standards, and addresses distribution
111 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/dwlabcert.
112 For more information, please see: https: //www, epa. go v/sdwa/ optimization-pro gram-drinking-water- sv stems.
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system integrity and water quality issues. During FY 2022, EPA expects to work with states
and tribes to expand efforts to train and assist systems, including those in disadvantaged
and tribal communities. This effort includes identifying performance limiting factors at
public water systems and developing and applying tailored tools to help them overcome
operational challenges, achieving performance and optimization levels, and addressing
health-based compliance challenges; and
• The Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) is a federal direct
implementation program coordinated by EPA, as directed by the Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA). The data collected are used by EPA as part of the Agency's determination of
whether to establish health-based standards to protect public health. Sampling activities
under the fourth cycle of the Program (UCMR 4) will conclude in 2021 and EPA will
compile and publish a final data set in early FY 2022. The Agency also will publish the
final rule for the fifth cycle of UCMR monitoring (UCMR 5) and conduct pre-monitoring
implementation activities to prepare for the UCMR 5 sampling period (anticipated to be
from January 2023 through December 2025). In March 2021, EPA published the proposed
UCMR 5 Federal Register notice for public comment. UCMR 5 would be the first cycle of
UCMR to implement the monitoring provisions of the America's Water Infrastructure Act
of 2018 (AWIA), which requires, subject to the availability of appropriations and adequate
laboratory capacity, sampling at all public water systems (PWSs) serving between 3,300
and 10,000 persons, and a representative sample of PWSs serving fewer than 3,300
persons. Key activities for EPA include ensuring laboratories are available to perform the
required analyses, managing the field sample collection and sample analysis for small
systems, and managing data reporting by large systems. In addition, EPA makes the data
available to our state and tribal partners and to the public.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports the Safe Drinking Water Act implementation and compliance
and requirements in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and Categorical Grant: Public Water
System Supervision Programs under the STAG appropriation to support safe drinking water for
the nation.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$66.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$2,014.0 / +4.0 FTE) This increase of resources and FTE supports regulatory analyses,
development and training, and technical assistance for state, tribal, and local communities
to address drinking water contaminants (including Lead and PFAS) in their efforts to
ensure safe and affordable drinking water. The increase also supports development and
implementation of the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions and the Unregulated Contaminant
Monitoring Rule. This total includes $9.0 thousand in non-pay and 1.0 FTE to support
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implementation of the Evidence Act. This investment also includes $705.0 thousand in
payroll costs and essential workforce support costs.
Statutory Authority:
SDWA.
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Congressional Priorities
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Water Quality Research and Support Grants
Program Area: Congressional Priorities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2020
Actuals
FY 2021
Enacted
FY 2022 Pres
Budget
FY 2022 Pres
Budget v.
FY 2021 Enacted
Environmental Programs & Management
$15,000.0
$21,700.0
$0.0
-$21,700.0
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.S ',500.0
S 0.0
-S '.500.0
Total Budget Authority
$19,992.0
$29,200.0
$0.0
-$29,200.0
Program Project Description:
In FY 2021, Congress appropriated $7.5 million in the Science and Technology appropriation to
fund high priority water quality and water availability research. EPA was instructed by Congress
to award grants on a competitive basis, independent of the Science to Achieve Results (STAR)
Program, and give priority to not-for-profit organizations that: conduct activities that are national
in scope; can provide a 25 percent match, including in-kind contributions; and often partner with
the Agency.
FY 2022 Activities and Performance Plan:
Resources are proposed for elimination for this Program in FY 2022.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2022 Change from FY 2021 Enacted Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$7,500.0) This Program is eliminated in the FY 2022 President's Budget. The goals of
this Program can be accomplished through core statutory programs.
Statutory Authority:
CAA 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. Title 1, Part A- Sec. 103 (a) and (d) and Sec. 104 (c); CAA 42 U.S.C.
7402(b) Section 102; CAA 42 U.S.C. 7403(b)(2) Section 103(b)(2); dinger Cohen Act, 40 U.S.C.
11318; CERCLA (Superfund, 1980) Section 209(a) of Public Law 99-499; Children's Health Act;
CWA, Sec. 101 - 121; CWPPRA; CZARA; CZMA 16 U.S.C. 1451 - Section 302; Economy Act,
31 U.S.C. 1535; EISA, Title II SubtitleB; ERDDA, 33 U.S.C. 1251 - Section2(a); ESA, 16 U.S.C.
1531 - Section 2; FFDCA, 21 U.S.C. Sec. 346; FIFRA (7 U.S.C. s/s 136 et seq. (1996), as
amended), Sec. 3(c)(2)(A); FQPA PL 104-170; Intergovernmental Cooperation Act, 31 U.S.C.
6502; MPRSA Sec. 203, 33 U.S.C. 1443; NAWCA; NCPA; National Environmental Education
Act, 20 U.S.C. 5503(b)(3) and (b)(ll); NEPA of 1969, Section 102; NISA; ODBA Title II; PPA,
42 U.S.C. 13103; RCRA; SDWA (1996) 42 U.S.C. Section 300j-18; SDWA Part E, Sec. 1442
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(a)(1); TSCA, Section 10, 15, 26, U.S.C. 2609; USGCRA 15 U.S.C. 2921; WRDA; WRRA; and
WWWQA.
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