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Current FEM Activities
The FEM is currently engaged in a number of activities to implement its mission. These include:
- Ensuring and demonstrating the competency of EPA laboratories
- Identifying and correcting problems with existing measurement methods
- Validation of new EPA measurement methods
- Consolidation of EPA-supported measurement science conferences
- Use of a performance approach in EPA-mandated monitoring programs
Ensuring and Demonstrating the Competency of EPA Laboratories
On February 23, 2004, the EPA Science Policy Council approved a new Policy Directive developed by the FEM, Assuring the Competency of Environmental Protection Agency Laboratories (4 pp, 169KB, About PDF). All EPA operated laboratories, including Agency owned, contractor operated facilities will need to address the specific items listed in the Laboratory Quality System Components section of the Policy Directive as well as maintain a documented quality system that meets the existing specifications of the EPA Quality System as defined in EPA Order 5360.1 (PDF) (13 pp, 38KB, About PDF), Policy and Program Requirements for the Mandatory Agency-wide Quality System. All laboratories will demonstrate adherence to their quality system through periodic independent assessments and by participation in inter-laboratory comparisons. In addition, where appropriate accreditation programs are available for one or more components of a given laboratory's operations, the laboratory will seek accreditation for those components. The FEM's Laboratory Competency Action Team will provide assistance with policy implementation.
Identifying and Correcting Method Problems
The FEM recognized the need to establish a mechanism to identify, define and correct concerns with existing EPA issued measurement methods. The use of scientifically sound methods of analysis is pivotal to obtain technically valid data that can be used by the EPA to support decision-making, and monitoring and enforcement programs. Historically it has taken years to correct problem methods once they are identified. A FEM Action Team has been established to develop a system to identify and correct problem methods in a timely manner. The team is currently documenting instances of problems with EPA methods and will then look at what changes may be needed to quickly resolve these problems.
Validation of New EPA Measurement Methods
While the Identifying and Correcting Methods Problems Action Team is addressing the issue of what to do when problems are uncovered with methods that have already been issued, it is important that all EPA measurement methods receive adequate validation and peer review before being issued in order to prevent future problems. The objective of the Validation Action Team is to help the FEM develop guidelines as to what constitutes the minimum level of method validation and peer review before methods are issued by the Agency.
The Action Team is reviewing the current state of methods validation and peer review within the EPA and comparing it to recognized national standards and EPA policies. The team plans to develop an Issue Paper and if needed, will draft changes to Agency guidelines to eliminate future problems.
Consolidation of EPA-supported Measurement Science Conferences
One of the goals of the FEM is to foster closer relationships between EPA program offices and regions to promote consistency in the area of measurement methodology and policy. Also, it is important that EPA maintains a strong and supportive relationship with monitoring communities in the states, other federal agencies, and the private sector. EPA's many measurement science conferences support and encourage the strong ties between EPA and the environmental monitoring community. Over the years conferences have been held under the sponsorship or support of the many EPA program offices. Having so many conferences, however, has a number of disadvantages, including increased cost of attendance; reduced opportunity for information sharing across environmental programs; difficulty in communicating consistently to all target audiences, and increased costs to the Agency for supporting multiple conferences.
The FEM believes that reducing the number of measurement science conferences
by combining them, where appropriate, will increase opportunities for
the entire community to stay current with new developments while reducing
time and costs associated with attending multiple conferences. The first
result of this effort by the FEM is the expansion of the National
Environmental Monitoring Conference (NEMC) 
to include water monitoring issues historically covered in a separate
conference. The Consolidating Conferences Action Team continues to look
for opportunities to recommend improvements to EPA measurement conferences.
Use of a Performance Approach in Agency-Mandated Monitoring Programs
The performance paradigm is an approach to describing monitoring requirements by specifying the minimum quality of information to be gathered rather than specific protocols and methods to be used to conduct the monitoring. Under the performance approach, EPA determines and specifies performance criteria, and laboratories, or other data generators, then demonstrate that their data meet those criteria.
During the 1980's two cross-Agency work groups were formed to look at issues that developed as a result of EPA's use of the required methods approach. The white papers that these work groups produced led to the Agency's Environmental Monitoring Management Council (EMMC) addressing the issue. Given the constraints to rapid regulatory changes imposed by the Administrative Procedures Act, the EMMC concluded that in order to:
- reduce the cost of monitoring,
- stimulate the development and use of new, more cost-effective monitoring technologies,
- speed up the introduction of new methods by eliminating the need for formal rule-making with its notice and comment requirements, and
- improve the quality of science in the monitoring community
- What steps does the Agency need to do to increase the rate of implementation?
- What can be done to encourage states to adopt the performance paradigm?
- How can the needed training most cost-effectively be delivered to EPA and state staffs and the private sector?
- What mechanisms needs to be developed to assist EPA Programs in developing the performance criteria needed to implement the performance paradigm?