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Building a Foundation for Sound Environmental Decisions (1997) / Chapter Skim
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5 Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations
Pages 59-66

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From page 59...
... Instead and hopefully more valuably this report provides an overview of important environmental issues and presents a framework for organizing environmental research. The report also describes major research themes and programs of relevance to EPA; suggests criteria that can be used to identify and prioritize among important research areas; recommends actions EPA should take to build its scientific capacity; and provides illustrations of the kinds of research projects that EPA should consider.
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From page 60...
... Research activities within problem-driven and core research programs may often overlap. Fundamental discoveries can be made during the search for a solution to a narrowly defined problem; likewise, as illustrated earlier in this report, breakthroughs in problem-solving often occur as a result of core research efforts.
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From page 61...
... Another factor to consider in determining EPA's research role on a particular environmental issue is whether the private sector has any incentive to study or develop better solutions, or whether the primary research must originate from the public sector to serve the public good. Examples of areas of "public good" that might deserve EPA attention include municipal wastewater and drinking water treatment, nonpoint-source pollution control, restoration of degraded ecosystems, and large-scale regional and global air pollution problems.
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From page 62...
... One important method for identifying emerging issues is to review and synthesize new findings from the core research program. EPA research personnel should be fully engaged in the issue identification and research planning process.
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From page 63...
... · EPA should make a long-term financial and intellectual commitment to core research projects. Progress in core research generally does not come quickly; therefore it is important that the agency provide adequate long-term support to this kind of knowledge development, allowing it to follow its often unpredictable course.
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From page 64...
... environmental Issues. Select core research projects based on relevance to EPA's mission, coverage by others, and the quality of the proposed science.
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From page 65...
... By implementing the recommendations contained in this report, EPA can increase the effectiveness of its research program and thus continue to play an important role in efforts to protect the environment and human health into the next century.
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Key Terms

  • research themes
  • emerging issues
  • environmental policies
  • identifying emerging
  • improve understanding

  • address current
  • conduct retrospective
  • report provides
  • core component
  • retrospective evaluations

  • issues arise
  • framework described
  • environmental information
  • knowledge development
  • environmental resources

  • including utilities
  • include municipal
  • deserve epa
  • scientific principles
  • set priorities

  • assessment framework
  • adaptive feedback
  • illustrated earlier
  • appropriate environmental
  • assessment evaluation

  • various environmental
  • recommends actions
  • accurate models
  • interagency coordination
  • describes major


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