About this Issue

Cleaner water and healthier communities. Smoke-free offices, schools, and public spaces. Even longer life spans. These are just some of the impacts of EPA science.

EPA Integrated Science Assessments: Helping Fight Air Pollution

EPA's Integrated Science Assessments deliver the science to support the Clean Air Act, one of the most beneficial federal programs in the nation.

Clearing the Air

The Impact of EPA's Landmark Health Assessment on "Passive Smoking"

Tapping Green Infrastructure to Curb Sewer Overflows

Utilizing EPA research and guidance, Cleveland and Cincinnati plan to reduce sewage overflows with the help of sustainable, green practices.

New Testing Methods for Arsenic and Lead in Soil

EPA's innovative soil-testing methods could save millions in cleanup costs at Superfund sites across the nation.

The BP Oil Spill: Responsive Science Supports Emergency Response

EPA scientists provided key support for the federal response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Advancing the Science and Engineering of Decontamination

Using innovative science and engineering, EPA's research is improving the response to anthrax incidents.

Power Generation and the Environment

EPA's New Haven accountability project helps community strike a balance.

Investing in a Sustainable Future

Two of EPA's signature awards programs – the People, Prosperity, and Planet (P3) Student Design Competition for Sustainability and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program – have furthered the Agency's goal to advance innovation in the name of a cleaner environment and have also led to job growth.

Science Wednesday: Tox21's 10,000 Compound List
You've heard of public libraries, school libraries, and academic libraries. But how about a library of 10,000 chemical compounds found in food additives, drugs, industrial processes, and consumer products? Senior science writer Aaron Ferster introduces this library and its use in the cutting-edge research program Tox21.

Science Wednesday: Nitrogen, Think About It
What are the dangers of excess nitrogen? Algal blooms that damage marine ecosystems, air pollution that clouds visibility, and acid rain that damages soil, plant, and aquatic life – to name a few. Sarah Blau discusses how EPA research is helping to tackle these issues.

Science Wednesday: Riding in Style
Katie Lubinsky describes a ride in EPA's air quality "sniffing machine." The car uses state-of-the-art technology to measure levels of different air pollutants as it drives further from the source. The result: pollution maps that inform researchers and policymakers in protecting public health. Read Katie's blog.

Science Wednesday: What Does National Security Have To Do With The Environment
National security today, Drs. Alan Hecht and Joseph Fiksel remind us, is about more than defense against military attacks: it's about the threat of population growth, climate change, and increasing demand for resources to our food, water, and resource security. Learn more in their blog.

Science Wednesday: Five Letter Word for an Inert, Radioactive Gas
You wouldn't see it or smell it, but this naturally occurring gas is present in some homes, schools, and office buildings. As the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers, radon deserves your attention. EPA scientist Jack Barnette explains this, how to test for radon in your building, and more in his blog.

EPA Releases Dioxin Health Assessment
EPA released a non-cancer health assessment of dioxin, the latest effort in a successful, coordinated strategy by the federal government that has reduced known and measurable industrial dioxin emission levels by about 90% since 1987.

Assistant Administrator Paul Anastas Returns to Yale
EPA's Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development stepped down in mid February.

Final Health Assessment of Perc
On February 14th, EPA posted a final health assessment of tetrachloroethylene (perc) to EPA's Integrated Risk Information System, declaring the chemical a likely human carcinogen.

EPA Scientific Integrity Policy
EPA has released a Scientific Integrity Policy incorporating input from the EPA Science and Technology Policy Council, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the public, and EPA scientists.

EPA and L'Oréal Partnership
EPA and L'Oréal announced a research collaboration to determine if EPA's chemical toxicity forecaster (ToxCast) can be used in cosmetics testing.

Grants and Funding Opportunities

EPA supports the nation's leading scientists and engineers through competitive grant programs and fellowships to ensure that the latest science is available to support the Agency’s mission to protect human health and the environment.

For information about EPA grants and funding opportunities, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/ncer.