Linking Science and Technology to Society's Environmental Goals (1996) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Measurement of Environmental Quality in the United States
Measurement of Environmental Quality in the United States
Pages 135-178
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From page 135... ...
136 FRAMEWORKS FOR ORGANIZING ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS .................................................................................................. 137 Indicators of Environmental Quality, 139 Suspended Sediment Concentrations in the Nation's Rivers and Streams, 140 Indicator/Data Selection, 140 Table 1 State of the Environment -- Global Ecosystem, 141 Table 2 State of the Environment -- Regional Ecosystems, 142 Table 3 State of the Environment -- Local Ecosystems, 143 Table 4 State of Human Health and Welfare VEAs, 144 ONGOING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT ......................
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From page 136... ...
The Council also develops and recommends to the President national policies that further environmental quality; performs continuing analysis of changes or trends in the national environment; reviews and appraises programs of the federal government to determine their contributions to sound environmental policy; conducts studies, research, and analyses relating to ecological systems and environmental quality; and assists the President in the preparation of the annual environmental quality report to Congress. In its annual report, CEQ uses data obtained from a number of federal agencies to report on: 1.
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From page 137... ...
of the condition of the nation's environment and can also be used to evaluate temporal trends in environmental quality. These "environmental indicators" would be used much in the same way that we use economic indicators to assess the state of the economy and forecast economic trends.
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From page 138... ...
3. Each subcategory is elaborated with a generic menu designed to facilitate linking environmental information collection efforts to common sets of environmental values, goals, and priorities.
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From page 139... ...
Like economic indicators (e.g., unemployment rates, cost-of-living index) , environmental indicators hope to provide the public and decision makers with directional measures of change that will allow for a more informed public and improved environmental planning and decision making.
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From page 140... ...
The quantity of suspended sediment transported to coastal waters decreased or remained the same in all but the North Atlantic region. Indicator/Data Selection Assessments of environmental quality can utilize either primary data collected specifically for the purpose for which they are used or secondary data that 50 Percent of stations with >100 mg/L 40 30 20 10 0 1980 1983 1986 1989 FIGURE 2 National trends in suspended sediment concentrations, 1980-1989.
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From page 141... ...
Various assumptions, models, and extrapolations are then applied in an effort to "adjust" the data so they can be used in a new assessment context (see, for example, Kineman5 ) .6 The USEPA has developed a draft proposal for a process to be used in selecting environmental indicators for a variety of purposes (policy development, program assessment, state of the environment, etc.)
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From page 142... ...
Air quality Water quality Productivity of valued plant or animal species Stocks of nonrenewable resources: minerals, metals, fossil fuels, etc. Hydrologic functions of landscapes: flood regulation; groundwater recharge; water supply; water filtration; river flows to support aquatic species, irrigation, recreation, transport, power Geomorphological functions of landscapes: wind and wave buffering; erosion control; sediment retention Stability of regional climate: precipitation, temperature, humidity, storms, etc.
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From page 143... ...
Sanitation (disposal, treatment, recycling options) Recreationally, aesthetically valued locations/sites/vista Other aesthetically and culturally valued attributes -- Quiet -- Absence of noxious odors -- Cultural and historical sites and districts Conditions and Changes of Human and Natural Origin Quantity and distribution of land and water suitable for various human uses Local climate Pollutant levels, proliferation of disease vectors in air, water, soil, food Proliferation of unwanted exotic species, less desired native species Local habitat alteration/fragmentation, destruction Trophic structure and functioning of ecosystems, including energy transfer, nutrient flows, etc.
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From page 144... ...
144 LINKING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS TABLE 4 State of Human Health and Welfare VEAs Human Health and Health-Related Economic Welfare Longevity (i.e., avoidance of premature death) Appropriate physiological function of body systems (i.e., avoidance of morbidity for each of the following systems)
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From page 145... ...
It is estimated that the USEPA spends in excess of $500 million a year on data collection, most of which is for enforcement and compliance data. Other federal agencies, as well as states, local governments, the regulated community, and environmentally focused NGOs, also spend significant dollars on environmental information collection.
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From page 146... ...
It defends environmental challenges to government programs and activities; and represents the United States in all matters concerning the protection, use, and development of the nation's natural resources and public lands, wildlife protection, Native American rights and claims, and the acquisition of federal property. • Department of Labor -- Through its Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Department administers a variety of federal laws guaranteeing workers' rights to safe and healthful working conditions.
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From page 147... ...
; National Science Foundation (supports research for improved understanding of the fundamental laws of nature) ; Nuclear Regulatory Commission (licenses and regulates civilian use of nuclear energy to protect public health and safety and the environment)
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From page 148... ...
In addition, statutes such as the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act, the National Forest Management Act, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, which outline various procedures to follow in federal public land planning, also authorize the employment of principles intrinsic to ecosystem management. For example, they call for planning to be interdisciplinary, coordinated among agencies, and based on available science.
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From page 149... ...
In many respects, sustainable development is a corollary of ecosystem management -- management approach that integrates ecological, economic, and social factors in restoring and/or maintaining the health, sustainability, and native biological diversity of ecosystems to support human communities and their economic base. Sustainable development operates on the tenet that the economy and the environment are inextricably linked; that an economy will not remain healthy if renewable resources are consumed faster than they can be replenished, or non-renewable resources faster than substitutes can be developed.
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Patterned somewhat after widely used economic indicators, sustainable development indicators are being designed to measure performance in relation to sustainability goals and policies, and to provide the feedback needed to promote improvement of management techniques in a timely manner. Work in this area is progressing.
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From page 151... ...
and other energy-efficient products. Also toward this end, agencies are now required to set goals of reducing energy consumption, increasing energy efficiency, auditing their facilities for energy and water use, increasing the use of solar and other renewable energy sources, designating "showcase" facilities, and minimizing the use of petroleum-based fuels.
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From page 152... ...
In 1993, the United States joined the governments of Canada and Mexico in signing the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, an integral part of NAFTA. The objectives of the Environmental Agreement are to promote improved environmental conditions throughout North America and to improve national enforcement of laws relating to environmental protection.
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153 2. Adriaanse, Albert, Environmental Policy Performance Indicators, p.
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• Timely indicators that anticipate future changes in the environment are preferred over those that are not anticipatory. To the extent that an indicator does not anticipate future conditions, the indicator with the least time lag would be preferred.
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PHILLIP ROSS ET AL. 155 TABLE A-1 Criteria for Selecting Indicators Criterion Explanation Validity Scientific Relevance to the Scientific theory links the indicator to societal or Valued Attributea environmental values.
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From page 156... ...
Critical criteria for selecting data sets would include the availability of data on the selected parameters, appropriate temporal and spatial coverage, documented quality, and accessibility. Because changes in the data collection procedures might affect the technical credibility, the magnitude of the estimation error (and the associated sample size)
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PHILLIP ROSS ET AL. 157 TABLE A-2 Criteria for Selecting Existing Data Sets to Quantify Indicators Criterion Explanation Availability of Dataa Data set provides measurements of the parameter(s)
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Indicators will be rejected if they do not satisfy all of the critical criteria shown in Table A-1. Of the remaining indicators, use a combination of peer review, literature review, and expert knowledge to select the candidate indicators for further consideration.
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From page 159... ...
This requires examining existing data collection and analysis programs to determine if appropriate information is or will be available. To the extent that characteristics of the data collection procedures affect the evaluation of the criteria for selecting indicators -- validity, interpretability, sensitivity, timeliness, understandability, and cost effectiveness -- the program should evaluate these criteria in light of the proposed data set.
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From page 160... ...
b. If the information cannot be made available by changes to existing data management or data analysis procedures, determine if there are validated test methods, statistical methods, etc., at the levels of accuracy and levels of reliability required: -- For each indicator with validated methods, identify the type of data required (including statistical design)
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From page 161... ...
Ambient Air Quality. Graphics from the EPA, OPPE, ESID, Compen dium of Selected National Environmental Statistics in the U.S.
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From page 162... ...
162 LINKING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS Ambient concentrations of ozone, 1984-1993 Parts per million 0.15 0.10 0.05 0.00 1984 1987 1990 1993 Source: EPA/OAQPS. National Air Quality and Emissions Trends Report, 1993.
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From page 163... ...
. Graphic from the EPA, OPPE, ESID, Compendium of Selected National Environmental Statistics in the U.S.
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From page 164... ...
Graphic from EPA, OPPE & OAR and World Resources Institute, Protection of the Ozone Layer (Draft Environmental Indicators Bulletin, May 1995)
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From page 165... ...
Graphic from EPA, OPPE & OAR and World Resources Insti tute, Protection of the Ozone Layer (Draft Environmental Indicators Bulletin, May 1995)
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Stream Water Quality, by Pollutant Concentration Indicator. Graphic from the EPA, OPPE, ESID, Compendium of Selected National Envi ronmental Statistics in the U.S.
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From page 167... ...
167 B National Trends in River and Stream Water Quality -- continued National trends in dissolved solids concentrations, 1980-1989 80 Percent of stations with >100 mg/L 60 40 20 0 1980 1983 1986 1989 Source: USGS, National Water Summary (1993)
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. National trends in suspended sediment concentrations, 1980-1989 50 Percent of stations with >100 mg/L 40 30 20 10 0 1980 1983 1986 1989 Source: USGS, National Water Summary (1993)
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U.S. Waters Supporting Healthy and Diverse Aquatic Life 120 Percent of assessed rivers, 100 90 lakes, and estuaries 80 63 60 40 20 0 1992 Goal for 2005 Source: EPA, Proposed Environmental Goals For America With Benchmarks For the Year 2005 (1995)
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From page 170... ...
Graphics from the EPA, OPPE, ESID, Compendium of Selected Na tional Environmental Statistics in the U.S. Government (Draft: 8/24/94 with updates by agency)
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From page 171... ...
Graphic from the EPA, OPPE, ESID, Compendium of Selected National Environmental Statistics in the U.S. Government (Draft: 8/24/94 with updates by agency)
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From page 172... ...
A Energy Consumption by End-Use Sector Environmental Statistics and Information Division Compendium of Environmental Statistics Data Entry Author: Carroll Curtis Date Created: 07/27/95 02:58:40 PM Topic: Energy Consumption by End-Use Sector Environment Media: Energy GRAPH U.S.
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From page 173... ...
In the 1980s, a stagnant economy restrained industrial consumption, which declined to a 16-year low of 26 quadrillion Btu. In 1988 and 1989, economic growth spurred demand for energy in the industrial sector, and industrial energy consumption in 1989 rose to 29 quadrillion Btu.
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From page 174... ...
174 LINKING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS TABLE U.S. energy consumption, by end-use sector, 1950–1993 (quadrillion Btu)
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] , or Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey [Martha M
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From page 176... ...
Vehicle Fleet Environmental Statistics and Information Division Compendium of Environmental Statistics Data Entry Author: Carroll Curtis Date Created: 07/27/95 02:58:40 PM Topic: Aging of the U.S. Vehicle Fleet Environment Media: Transportation GRAPH 35 28 Percentage 21 14 7 0 1969 1977 1983 1990 0-2 years 3-5 years 6-9 years 10 years or older Source: DOT, FHWA, 1990 NPTS Databook, Vol.
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From page 177... ...
vehicle fleet has implications for energy consumption and air pollution issues, and the introduction of recent safety features into the household vehicle fleet. The fuel consumption characteristics of the older fleet clearly lag that of the newer fleet.
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From page 178... ...
. Technical Notes: The 1969 survey did not include pickups and other light trucks as household vehicles.
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