Enhanced Scientific Leadership and Capacity in the US Environmental Protection Agency - Science For Environmental Protection: The Road Ahead - page 150

sustainability. A narrow focus on “program silos” and defensibility can be
a barrier to formulating and responding to problems as they occur in the
real world. Such a limited approach can hinder integration of new scien-
tific information into decisions and new applications of science to develop
innovative, effective solutions to environmental problems (EPA SAB
2012b, p. 5).
In the committee's analysis of the strengths and limitations of an enhanced
agency-wide leadership position, it has concluded that successful implementa-
tion of the systems-based application of emerging tools and technologies to meet
persistent and future challenges cannot be achieved under the current structure.
Success will require leadership throughout the agency, in the programs and re-
gions as well as in ORD. There will need to be clear lines of authority and re-
sponsibility, and regional administrators, program assistant administrators, and
staff members at all levels will need to be held accountable for ensuring scien-
tific quality and the integration of individual science activities into broader ef-
forts across the agency.
Finding: The need for improvement in the oversight, coordination, and man-
agement of agency-wide science has been documented in studies by the National
Research Council, The Government Accountability Office, and the agency's
own SAB as a serious shortcoming and it remains an obstacle at EPA. The
committee's own analysis of challenges and opportunities for the agency indi-
cates that the need for integration of systems thinking and the need for enhanced
leadership at all levels is even stronger than it has been in the past.
Recommendation: The committee recommends that the EPA administrator
continue to identify ways to substantially enhance the responsibilities of a
person in an agency-wide science leadership position. That person should
hold a senior position, which could be that of a deputy administrator for
science, a chief scientist, or possibly a substantially strengthened version of
the current science advisor position. He or she should have sufficient au-
thority and staff resources to improve the integration and coordination of
science across the agency. If this enhanced leadership position is to be suc-
cessful, strengthened leadership is needed throughout the agency and the
improved use of science at EPA will need to be carried out by staff at all
levels.
Whatever administrative arrangement is adopted, the following are sug-
gestions of the types of responsibilities that the committee thinks should be as-
sociated with this position:
 Chairing and assuring that the work of the Science and Technology
Policy Council is comprehensive and effective.