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ter (SESYNC 2012). Given its corpus of researchers in both environmental and
health sciences, the agency is well positioned to pursue synthesis research that
brings together environmental science and public-health science data and per-
spectives.
SYNTHESIS AND EVALUATION FOR DECISIONS
Systems-level problems are rarely amenable to simple quantitative deci-
sion measures. More often than not, complex problems require consideration of
multiple types of information (including quantitative and qualitative data), char-
acterization of different types of uncertainty, and consideration of prevention
options. The information base might include outputs from tools such as LCA or
cumulative risk assessment, integrated with economic and other information in a
structured framework to inform decisions. There is a need for the agency to de-
velop consistent approaches for synthesizing a broad array of systems informa-
tion on hazards, exposures, solutions, and values. Although agencies like EPA
regularly “do synthesis” for decision-making, the approaches to synthesis have
been varied, often depending on regulatory demands. Most recently, EPA has
attempted to realign its existing science decision-making processes in line with
the sustainability framework proposed by the NRC Committee on Incorporating
Sustainability in the US Environmental Protection Agency (NRC 2011a), al-
though implementation of that realignment is in its early stages. The committee
identified several approaches that could provide support to the agency in estab-
lishing consistent approaches for more holistic decisions. They include enhanced
sustainability analysis (as recommended by NRC 2011a), solutions-oriented
approaches (such as alternatives assessment and health impact assessment), and
multicriteria decision analysis.
Sustainability Analysis
EPA has recently begun to implement tools and approaches to determine
how the science that it is developing and decisions made on the basis of it sup-
port sustainability (Anastas 2012). The NRC Committee on Incorporating Sus-
tainability in the US Environmental Protection Agency developed a sustainabil-
ity-analysis framework for EPA (NRC 2011a), starting with the definition of
sustainability espoused in Executive Order 13514 (2009). The definition of sus-
tainability provided in that executive order is “to create and maintain conditions,
under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony, and fulfill the
social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations of
Americans” (42 U.S.C. §§ 4331(a)[NEPA§101]). That committee developed its
sustainability framework and the sustainability assessment and management
approach (Figure 4-2) to provide guidance to EPA on incorporating sustainabil-
ity into decision-making. They build on the traditional risk-assessment and risk-
management framework of the agency.
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