![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Program Brief
The mission of the Environmental Engineering Economics (E3) program is to provide environmental scientists and decision makers with objective, authoritative information on the cost-effectiveness of environmental technologies and risk management methods. Eight specific goals of the E3 program are: establish ourselves as the national experts in environmental technology and risk management cost-effectiveness; organize/standardize cost-effectiveness analysis; guide the collection and reporting of cost-effectiveness data; provide technical support to program offices and regions in environmental cost-effectiveness analysis; provide improvements and links to cost-benefit analysis in EPA; guide risk management research investments in environmental technology; provide sensitivity analyses on technology cost-effectiveness; and, promote a risk management-wide program.
The E3 program is carried out through projects undertaken by the Systems Analysis research team and by members of each of National Risk Management Research Laboratory's other Divisions (Air Pollution Prevention and Control ; Land Remediation and Pollution Control ; Water Supply and Water Resources ; Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration; and Technology Transfer and Support ). Projects fall within the following focus areas:
Focus Area I - Support In-house Research and Development Activities
We are taking several steps to increase our internal capability to perform engineering economic analyses and to integrate cost considerations and cost effectiveness analysis into NRMRL research activities. This will serve to focus our research efforts on technologies or technology components that offer cost effective approaches for the solution of environmental problems. This E3 focus area is not a research activity per se but is an activity to support the broader laboratory research program.
Focus Area 2 - Support the Program Offices and Regions
The Agency has a substantial infrastructure already in place for conducting regulatory impact analyses and for dealing with areas such as benefit valuation. E3 Program efforts to support EPA program or regional offices are targeted to specific issues and involve NRMRL staff with the technical expertise most appropriate to the problem at hand. This approach integrates the E3 program throughout the laboratory.
Focus Area 3 - Cutting Edge Research
This area (largely comprised of "in-house" and "cooperative" research efforts) deals with the development of innovative cost and cost-effectiveness tools and methodologies, and the application of existing approaches to new problems in an innovative way. One such effort supported by the E3 program is the development of a costing methodology to evaluate indoor air quality (IAQ) control approaches. Other projects being planned/considered include an effort to integrate cost considerations with life cycle assessment; and the development of a tool to integrate process design, environmental impact assessment, and cost considerations.