Expert Reports
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.
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 >>
A Review of the Draft 2013 National Climate Assessment (2013)
Mandated by the Global Change Research Act, the National Climate Assessment is produced every four years by the U.S. Global Change Research Program. This NRC report evaluates the draft 2013 National Climate Assessment. It provides both practical suggestions for immediate improvements to the document, and broader considerations, for example, about fundamental approaches used in certain parts of the draft Assessment, and about the scope of th... More >>
Emerging Workforce Trends in the U.S. Energy and Mining Industries: A Call to Action (2013)
Access to energy and mineral resources is essential to support the United States' high standard of living, economy, and security. Energy in the U.S. comes from a variety of sources, including fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), nuclear energy, and renewable sources (solar, wind, and geothermal). Nonfuel minerals are necessary for the existence and operation of products and services used by people every day and are provided by the minin... More >>
Report in Brief
Levees and the National Flood Insurance Program: Improving Policies and Practices (2013)
In recent years, extreme storms and hurricanes have caused increasingly disastrous flooding along U.S. rivers and coastlines, with much of the damage occurring when levees failed or were overtopped by water. This report examines how FEMA National Flood Insurance Program assesses, mitigates, and insures against flood risk behind levees, and how the program communicates that risk to the public. FEMA needs an updated approach to analyze and manag... More >>
Report in Brief