[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 31, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14551-14552]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7183]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-ORD-2009; FRL-8787-5]
Guidance on the Development, Evaluation, and Application of
Environmental Models
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of Document Availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing
the availability of the final ``Guidance Document on the Development,
Evaluation, and Application of Regulatory Environmental Models,'' EPA/
100/K-09/003 (hereinafter ``Models Guidance''). EPA's Council for
Regulatory Environmental Modeling (CREM) developed the Models Guidance
and its companion product, the ``Models Knowledge Base'' (hereinafter
``Models KBase,'' http://cfpub.epa.gov/crem/knowledge_base/knowbase.cfm), to
[[Page 14552]]
improve the practices associated with the development, evaluation, and
application of models for environmental decision making. Furthermore,
by providing access to its tools and methods, EPA increases
transparency and can improve the public's understanding of how science
is used to make environmental decisions.
While the Models Guidance does not impose legally binding
requirements on EPA or the public, it provides recommendations on the
principles of good modeling practice, stressing the importance of model
quality, documentation, and transparency with the aim of helping to
determine when and how a model can be used to inform a decision.
ADDRESSES: The Models Guidance is available electronically through the
CREM Web site: http://www.epa.gov/crem. A limited number of paper
copies will be available from EPA's National Service Center for
Environmental Publications (NSCEP), P.O. Box 42419, Cincinnati, OH
45242; telephone 1-800-490-9198 or 513-489-8190; facsimile: 301-604-
3408; e-mail: lmit.com">NSCEP@bps-lmit.com. Please provide your name, mailing
address, title, and EPA number (as given above) of the requested
publication.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Noha Gaber, Council for Regulatory
Environmental Modeling, Office of the Science Advisor, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave, NW., Mail Code: 8105R, Washington, DC 20460; by
telephone/voice mail at 202-564-2179; Fax: 202-564-2070; or via e-mail
at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To achieve its mission of protecting human
health and safeguarding the natural environment, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) often employs mathematical models to study
environmental systems and processes. These modeling analyses often
provide input for the development of regulatory decisions. EPA
established the Council for Regulatory Environmental Modeling (CREM) in
2000 in an effort to improve the quality, consistency and transparency
of EPA models. In 2003, the EPA Administrator directed the CREM to
provide guidance for the development, assessment, and use of
environmental models and to develop a publicly-accessible inventory of
EPA's most frequently used models. The Models Guidance and Models KBase
were developed in close collaboration with members of the CREM, who
represent EPA's program and regional offices. This document represents
the consensus view among EPA offices. The Models Guidance was also
evaluated and approved by the EPA's Science Policy Council, the
Agency's forum for senior level policy deliberation and coordination on
significant science issues.
Both the Models Guidance and the Models KBase were issued in draft
form in January 2004. In addition to internal review, the CREM products
have undergone an external review process through EPA's Science
Advisory Board (the report may be found at http://www.epa.gov/sab/panels/cremgacpanel.html). The CREM also commissioned the National
Academy of Science's (NAS) National Research Council to assess evolving
scientific and technical issues related to the selection and use of
computational and statistical models in decision making processes at
EPA. The NRC report, entitled ``Models of Environmental Regulatory
Decision Making,'' was released in 2007 and provides advice on the
management, evaluation, and use of models at the EPA. The report may be
found at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11972.
A revised draft of the Models Guidance, which built on the
recommendations of the Science Advisory Board review panel and the NRC
report, was issued for public comment in August 2008.
Dated: March 5, 2009.
Kevin Teichman,
Acting EPA Science Advisor.
[FR Doc. E9-7183 Filed 3-30-09; 8:45 am]
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