Environmental Quality, Health, and Management: Expert Reports
The division produces 60-70 reports per year. These reports are unique, authoritative expert evaluations. Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review. The experts who volunteer their time participating on study committees are vetted to make sure that the committee has the range of expertise needed to address the task, that they have a balance of perspectives, and to identify and eliminate members with conflicts of interest. All reports undergo a rigorous, independent peer review to assure that the statement of task has been addressed, that conclusions are adequately supported, and that all important issues raised by the reviewers are addressed. Thus, while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy.
Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals: Volume 14 (2013)
At the request of the Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Research Council has reviewed the relevant scientific literature compiled by an expert panel and established Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) for several chemicals. AEGLs represent exposure levels below which adverse health effects are not likely to occur and are useful in responding to emergencies, such as accidental or intentional chemica... More >>
Assessing Risks to Endangered and Threatened Species from Pesticides (2013)
When determining the potential effects pesticides could pose to endangered or threatened species, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) should use a common scientific approach, this report finds. Specifically, the agencies should use a risk-assessment approach that contains problem formulation, exposure analysis, effects analysis, and ris... More >>
Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals: Volume 13 (2013)
At the request of the Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Research Council has reviewed the relevant scientific literature compiled by an expert panel and established Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) for several chemicals. AEGLs represent exposure levels below which adverse health effects are not likely to occur and are useful in responding to emergencies, such as accidental or intentional chemica... More >>
Potential Health Risks to DOD Firing-Range Personnel from Recurrent Lead Exposure (2012)
There is overwhelming evidence that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) general industry standards for lead exposure, set more than 30 years ago, are inadequate to protect worker populations. This report was conducted at the request of the Department of Defense (DOD), whose employees at military firing ranges are exposed to lead recurrently when they handle ammunition, conduct maintenance on ranges, and breathe lead dus... More >>
Alternatives for Managing the Nation's Complex Contaminated Groundwater Sites (2012)
Across the United States, thousands of hazardous waste sites are contaminated with chemicals that prevent the underlying groundwater from meeting drinking water standards. These include Superfund sites and other facilities that handle and dispose of hazardous waste, active and inactive dry cleaners, and leaking underground storage tanks; many are at federal facilities such as military installations. While many sites have been closed over the pas... More >>