Consensus Study Report

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International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-71446-4
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-71446-X
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/27440

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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. Enhancing EPA Science Capability for a Complex Future: Recommendations for Use of Title 42 Special Hiring Authority. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/27440.

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COMMITTEE ON REVIEW OF EPA’S USE OF TITLE 42 SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITY

DANIEL S. GREENBAUM (Chair), Health Effects Institute (Emeritus)

TARA S. BEHREND, Michigan State University

LINDA S. BIRNBAUM, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Emeritus)

THOMAS A. BURKE, Johns Hopkins University (Emeritus)

G. ALLEN BURTON JR., University of Michigan

EDAN T. DIONNE, IBM

ANNE FAIRBROTHER, Exponent (Retired)

TISSA H. ILLANGASEKARE, Colorado School of Mines

WILLIE E. MAY, Morgan State University

PAULA J. OLSIEWSKI, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

C. MATTHEW SNIPP, Stanford University

Study Staff

NATALIE ARMSTRONG, Program Officer and Responsible Staff Officer

CLIFFORD S. DUKE, Director

RAYMOND WASSEL, Scholar

LESLIE BEAUCHAMP, Senior Program Assistant

ANTHONY DEPINTO, Associate Program Officer

THOMASINA LYLES, Senior Program Assistant

Sponsor

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY

Members

FRANK W. DAVIS (Chair), University of California, Santa Barbara, CA

DANA BOYD BARR, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

ANN M. BARTUSKA, U.S. Department of Agriculture (Retired), Washington, DC

WEIHSUEH A. CHIU, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

FRANCESCA DOMINICI, Harvard University, Boston, MA

MAHMUD FAROOQUE, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

R. JEFFREY LEWIS, ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc., Annandale, NJ

MARIE LYNN MIRANDA, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN

MELISSA J. PERRY, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

REZA J. RASOULPOUR, Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis, IN

JOSHUA TEWKSBURY, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá

SACOBY M. WILSON, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

TRACEY JEAN WOODRUFF, University of California, San Francisco, CA

Staff

CLIFFORD S. DUKE, Director

RAYMOND WASSEL, Scholar

KATHRYN GUYTON, Senior Program Officer

NATALIE ARMSTRONG, Program Officer

ANTHONY DEPINTO, Associate Program Officer

LAURA LLANOS, Finance Business Partner

LESLIE BEAUCHAMP, Senior Program Assistant

THOMASINA LYLES, Senior Program Assistant

KATHERINE KANE, Senior Program Assistant

Reviewers

This consensus study report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published report as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations of this report, nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this report was overseen by LYNN R. GOLDMAN (NAM), George Washington University, and DANNY D. REIBLE (NAE), Texas Tech University. They were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with the standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Academies.

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Contents

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

SUMMARY

1 INTRODUCTION

Statement of Task

Previous Reviews of the Title 42 Program

The Committee’s Approach

Organization of This Report

2 EVALUATING TITLE 42 PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

Setting Title 42 Priorities

Recruiting, Evaluating, and Selecting Job Applicants

Review and Renewal of Title 42 Appointments at Term

Evaluation of the Overall Title 42 Program

Findings

3 SCIENTIFIC CAPACITY BUILDING: AN OVERVIEW OF CURRENT TITLE 42 INITIATIVES

Organizational Overview of Current Title 42 Positions

Overall Impact of EPA’s Title 42 Program

Findings

4 A PATH FORWARD FOR EPA’S TITLE 42 AUTHORITY

Program Evolution and Expansion

Best Practices of Title 42 Programs

Conclusion

Recommendations

REFERENCES

APPENDIXES

A COMMITTEE BIOSKETCHES

B OPEN SESSION AGENDAS

C FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM NRC (2010)

D CONSIDERATIONS FOR ENHANCING EQUITY AND FAIRNESS IN TITLE 42 RECRUITMENT

E SUMMARY OF HOW EPA’S TITLE 42 PROGRAM STRENGTHENS ORD’S INITIATIVES

F FY 2023 TITLE 42 POSITIONS

G TITLE 42 IN OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES

BOXES, FIGURES, AND TABLES

BOXES

S-1 Committee’s Approach to the Evaluation

1-1 ORD’s National Research Programs and Centers

1-2 Statement of Task

1-3 Overview of Scientific and Technical Work at EPA

C-1 Findings and Recommendations from NRC (2010)

G-1 Title 42 Authority in Federal Agencies

FIGURES

1-1 History of EPA ORD’s Title 42 Hiring Authority

2-1 Buying power of a Title 42 salary: Change in buying power from 2006 to 2023 for $250,000

2-2 Noncompetitive and competitive mechanisms in the Title 42 hiring process in EPA’s ORD

2-3 Title 42 positions hired competitively and noncompetitively by EPA’s ORD, as of FY 2023

3-1 Organizational placement of current (left) and planned (right) Title 42 positions in EPA’s ORD

3-2 Title 42 positions and expertise of employees in EPA’s CCTE, as of FY 2023

3-3 Title 42 distribution by position type within EPA’s ORD, including current positions as of FY 2023 and future positions planned for FY 2024

3-4 Impact of the Title 42 program in EPA’s ORD, FYs 2006–2023

TABLES

1-1 EPA’s Title 42 Appointment Categories

4-1 Comparison of Title 42 Programs at EPA’s ORD and NIH’s NIEHS

E-1 Summary of How EPA’s Title 42 Program Strengthens ORD’s Initiatives

F-1 FY 2023 Title 42 Positions

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Acronyms and Abbreviations

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