EPA Science Matters Newsletter
EPA Research: June 20, 2017
EPA researchers are measuring water quality on Lake Huron, looking at the connections between genes and air pollution, and exploring the drivers that affect rural drinking water quality. Learn more.
Latest Village Green Station Finds New Home in Houston Museum District
EPA scientists and partners have installed the latest Village Green bench at the John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science in Houston, Texas. The solar-powered bench was designed by EPA researchers to provide insights into new air monitoring technology and engage the community in their local air quality. Learn more.
EPA Research: June 13, 2017
EPA scientists and partners are collaborating on the Lake Michigan Ozone Study. Other recent EPA research includes a Community Health Vulnerability Index that can be used to help identify communities at higher health risk from wildfire smoke and research that shows the link between air pollution near roadways and cardiovascular disease. Learn more.
EPA Research: June 6, 2017
EPA researchers, working with scientists from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, are helping farmers improve the health of the soil and increase crop yields in the Atlantic coastal plain. Adam Nayak, a junior at Cleveland High School in Portland, OR, was this year’s winner of EPA’s Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award. And EPA scientists are filling in missing pieces of the puzzle on chemical exposure. Learn more.
Linking Minnesota Land Cover Changes to Drinking Water Treatment
EPA scientists and partners are using EnviroAtlas to model recent land cover changes in Minnesota to understand how projected changes could affect future water quality and associated treatment costs. Learn more.
EPA Research: May 24, 2017
EPA researchers and partners are teaming up to respond when disaster strikes. Researchers have also been examining how the hormone estrone affects male fish, and how to reduce the effects of roadway air pollution. Learn more.
Staging a Comeback Along the St. Louis River
EPA researchers and a host of partners have been working to restore the St. Louis River estuary and help local communities reap the full benefits of a clean, healthy environment. Their work is already making improvements in water quality. Learn more.
EPA Research: May 9, 2017
In this research update, EPA researchers find associations between poor environmental quality and cancer; help scientists monitor and track algal blooms; EPA grantees investigate the links between community stressors and asthma; and EPA's M-Wiz app helps you navigate the world of materials management. Learn more.
New MARKAL Tool Designed to Help Cities Meet Environmental Protection Goals
EPA researchers are creating an energy and water technology tool - called the Community-Scale MARKAL Model - to help cities and other municipalities make decisions on how to protect the environment, while also providing energy required for water services. Learn more.
Local Partnership Works to Improve Watershed Health
EPA established the East Fork Watershed Cooperative—a group of scientists, engineers, economists, and water resource professionals from a variety of organizations—to find the best ways to improve water quality in the East Fork of the Little Miami River Watershed in Ohio. Learn more.
Living Close to Roadways: Health Concerns and Mitigation Strategies
Living close to roadways can pose health risks related to pollution from traffic. EPA researchers are looking at ways to mitigate these risks, including placing vegetation barriers along roads to reduce pollution. Learn more.
Small Systems with a Big Problem: Harmful Algal Blooms
Harmful algal blooms are a concern for all water managers, but can be a particularly tough issue to tackle for small systems managers. Responding to these blooms in a timely and efficient manner can make all of the difference in the treatment process. Learn more. (Posted October 27, 2016)
Universities Lend a Hand with Sustainability
Through EPA's Net Zero Initiative, EPA is supporting campus-community partnerships. These partnerships help cities and communities leverage the skills and expertise of local universities to improve sustainability, the health of community members, and the environment. Read more. (Posted October 13, 2016)
Leaving the Gray Behind
Researchers with EPA’s Net Zero Program are working with the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas Unified School District 475, and others to test and demonstrate green infrastructure technology, such as permeable pavement, at Fort Riley in Kansas. Read more. (Posted June 24, 2016)
Linking Air Pollution and Heart Disease
Researchers funded by EPA’s STAR grant program at the University of Washington found a direct link between air pollution and atherosclerosis, which is a buildup of plaque in the coronary artery that can affect heart health. Read more. (Posted June 10, 2016)
Improved Methods for Estimating Chemical Exposure
EPA researchers are using new technology to improve computational exposure science, which helps create a more complete picture of how and in what amounts chemicals enter our bodies. Learn more. (Posted May 17, 2016)
Net Zero: America's Food Waste Problem
Every year in the US, approximately 133 billion pounds of food is wasted. EPA’s Net Zero Initiative is working with communities in Columbia, South Carolina, including military base Fort Jackson, to evaluate ways to reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfills. Learn more. (Posted April 22, 2016)
Net Zero: Leading the Conversation about Sustainability
Under the Net Zero Initiative, EPA is improving the environment, saving money, and helping local communities become more sustainable. Learn more. (Posted April 21, 2016)
National Coastal Condition Assessment
Coastal waters are essential to industry, tourism, recreation, and the lifecycle of various species. This is why it’s so important to monitor these waters for potentially harmful trends and to identify areas in good condition. Learn how EPA scientists assess our coastal waters. (Posted April 19, 2016)