Earth and Life Studies RSS Feedhttp://dels.nas.edustudies in progressCopyright 2011 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.http://dels.nas.eduen-usWed, 23 05 2012 07:28:36 EDTWed, 23 05 2012 07:28:36 EDTDELS-Webmaster@nas.eduDELS-Webmaster@nas.eduhttp://dels.nas.edu/images/dels/dels-earth-title.pnghttp://dels.nas.eduhttp://dels.nas.edu/Study-In-Progress/Trends-Opportunities-Federal-Earth/DELS-BESR-11-032012-02-07 00:00:00.0http://dels.nas.edu/Study-In-Progress/Subsurface-Characterization-Modeling-Monitoring-Remediation/DELS-BESR-09-032011-11-01 00:00:00.0<a href="http://nas-sites.org/nuclear-radiochemistry-expertise/">Q&A with the Committee Chair >></a> <br /><br /> Despite the growing use of nuclear medicine, the potential expansion of nuclear power generation, and the urgent need to protect the nation against nuclear threats and manage nuclear wastes generated in past decades, the number of students opting to specialize in nuclear and radiochemistry has decreased significantly over the past few decades. Now, with many experts in these topics approaching retirement age, action is needed to avoid a workforce gap in these critical areas, for example by building student interest in these careers, expanding the educational capacity of universities and colleges, and providing more sector specific on-the-job training.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Assuring-Future-Based/133082012-05-14 00:00:00.0The use of hazardous chemicals such as methyl isocyanate can be a significant concern to the residents of communities adjacent to chemical facilities, but is often an integral, necessary part of the chemical manufacturing process. In order to ensure that chemical manufacturing takes place in a manner that is safe for workers, members of the local community, and the environment, the philosophy of inherently safer processing can be used to eliminate or reduce the hazards associated with chemical processing. However, the concepts of inherently safer process analysis have not yet been adopted in all chemical manufacturing plants. This report develops a framework to guide plant managers through the process of developing an inherently safer chemical manufacturing system.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Storage-Methyl/133852012-05-11 00:00:00.0Although all weather is driven by large scale weather patterns, the characteristics of urban settings—such as buildings of varying heights and large areas of paved streets and parking lots—can generate a unique urban weather environment. Given that three out of five people worldwide are expected to live in an urban environment by 2030, accurately forecasting urban weather is becoming increasingly important to protect these densely-populated areas from the impacts of adverse weather events. Currently, the diverse needs of users of meteorological data in the urban setting, such as emergency managers and urban planners, are not being well met by the scientific community, mainly because of limited communication between the two communities. A clear mechanism to help the urban meteorological community better identify user groups, reach out to them, and maintain an ongoing dialogue would lead to better urban weather forecasting and planning in the future.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Urban-Meteorology-Forecasting-Monitoring-Meeting/133282012-05-10 00:00:00.0At 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 chemical releases in community, workplace, transportation, and military settings, and for the remediation of contaminated sites. Three AEGLs are approved for each chemical, representing exposure levels that result in: 1) notable but reversible discomfort; 2) long-lasting health effects; and 3) life-threatening health impacts. This volume in the series includes AEGLs for butane, chloroacetealdehyde, chlorobenzene, chloroform, methyl bromide, methyl chloride, and propane.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Acute-Exposure-Guideline-Levels-Selected/133772012-04-27 00:00:00.0We will be holding a free webinar discussing this report on May 2, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. ET.<br /><a href="http://dels.nas.edu/Upcoming-Event/Lessons-Legacies-International/AUTO-8-60-81-P">More Information >></a> <br /><br /> International Polar Year 2007-2008 (IPY) was an intense, coordinated field campaign of observations, research, and analysis. IPY engaged the public to communicate the relevance of polar research to the entire planet, strengthened connections with the Indigenous people of the Arctic, and established new observational networks. Overall, IPY was an outstanding success. Activities at both poles led to scientific discoveries that provided a step change in scientific understanding and helped translate scientific knowledge into policy-relevant information&mdash;and at a time when the polar regions are undergoing a transformation from an icy wilderness to a new zone for human affairs, these insights could not be more timely or more relevant. From outreach activities that engaged the general public to projects that brought researchers from multiple disciplines and several nations together, the legacies of IPY extend far beyond the scientific results achieved, and valuable lessons learned from the process will guide future endeavors of similar magnitude.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Lessons-Legacies-International/133212012-04-03 00:00:00.0Water management in the California Bay Delta is directed toward providing a more reliable water supply for California, and protecting and rehabilitating the Delta ecosystem, including five endangered and threatened populations and species of fish that live in or migrate through the Delta. However, water management in the Bay and Delta is distributed among many agencies and organizations, a structure that hinders the development and implementation of an integrated, comprehensive plan. As a result, recent Bay Delta planning efforts have not resolved the best plan for the environment or for satisfying anticipated water needs. Challenges include the fact that water scarcity has not been adequately addressed in planning for Delta water and environmental management; the interacting effects of the many environmental stressors that impact the Delta ecosystem, and the many biological and physical effects of climate change. This report discusses the issue of scarcity, factors affecting the listed species and the Delta ecosystem in general, future water-supply and delivery options, scientific uncertainties, the degree of restoration likely to be attainable, and the need for comprehensive planning.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Sustainable-Water-Environmental-Management/133942012-03-29 00:00:00.0<br /> <a href="http://dels.nas.edu/Materials/Report-In-Brief/4304-Cancer-Risk">Report in Brief >></a> <br /><br /> The question of whether there are cancer risks associated with living near a nuclear facility is of great interest to the public, especially those living closest to the facilities. Airborne and waterborne emissions of radioactive materials from the facilities’ normal operations (called effluents) can expose nearby populations to ionizing radiation, which could elevate the risk of cancer in the exposed populations. The first phase of a two-phase project, this report identifies scientific approaches for carrying out an assessment of cancer risks for populations near the 104 nuclear reactors and 13 fuel cycle facilities that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses across the United States, as well as for people who have lived close to former sites. <br /><br /> Studies of health effects in populations (epidemiologic studies) could provide clues for a potential association between living near nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities and risk of cancer. However, such studies are challenging because of incomplete data on occurrences of cancer and cancer deaths in geographic areas of interest (i.e., smaller than the county level), incomplete information on radioactive releases from nuclear facilities during early years of operation, and other factors. Moreover, because radioactive releases are generally low, any risks would be expected to be small and difficult to detect with statistical certainty. This report identifies two health study designs deemed suitable for assessing cancer risks in populations near nuclear facilities, having both scientific merit and the ability to address some public concerns. A pilot study would be needed to determine whether either or both of the two recommended study designs are feasible to implement on a large scale and to assess the required time and resources. Communicating with and involving the public and other stakeholders is an essential element in the study process.<br /> <br /> <strong>The report will be open for public comment for 60 days starting April 1, 2012. Comments submitted about the report's proposed methodologies will be used to inform the design of the next phase of study and will be placed in the project’s public access file, which can be made available to the public upon request. Comments can be submitted via email to <a href="mailto:crs@nas.edu">crs@nas.edu</a> or faxed to 202-334-3077.</strong><br /><br /> Have a question about this report? From March 29-April 11, 2012, you can submit questions to the chair of the committee that authored the report <a href="http://nas-sites.org/cancer-risk-studies">at this website.</a>http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Analysis-Cancer-Risks-Populations/133882012-03-22 00:00:00.0The Environmental Protection Agency's estimate of the costs associated with implementing numeric nutrient criteria in Florida's waterways was significantly lower than many stakeholders expected. This discrepancy was due, in part, to the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency's analysis considered only the incremental cost of reducing nutrients in waters it considered "newly impaired" as a result of the new criteria&mdash;not the total cost of improving water quality in Florida. The incremental approach is appropriate for this type of assessment, but the Environmental Protection Agency's cost analysis would have been more accurate if it better described the differences between the new numeric criteria rule and the narrative rule it would replace, and how the differences affect the costs of implementing nutrient reductions over time, instead of at a fixed time point. Such an analysis would have more accurately described which pollutant sources, for example municipal wastewater treatment plants or agricultural operations, would bear the costs over time under the different rules and would have better illuminated the uncertainties in making such cost estimates.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Review-Economic/133762012-03-06 00:00:00.0Fort Detrick's Area B has been used for disposal of chemical, biological, and radiological material, storage of explosives, and research activities. The groundwater of Area B was contaminated by perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), which leaked from storage drums buried in Area B. Members of the public who live near Fort Detrick in Frederick County, Maryland, are concerned that the contaminated groundwater might have affected their health. This report reviews two investigations of potential health hazards: a 2009 public health assessment conducted by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and a cancer investigation in Frederick County by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Frederick County Health Department.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Review-Studies-Possible-Toxic/133752012-03-05 00:00:00.0At 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 chemical releases in community, workplace, transportation, and military settings, and for the remediation of contaminated sites. Three AEGLs are approved for each chemical, representing exposure levels that result in: 1) notable but reversible discomfort; 2) long-lasting health effects; and 3) life-threatening health impacts. This volume in the series includes AEGLs for bis-chloromethyl ether, chloromethyl methyl ether, chlorosilanes, nitrogen oxides, and vinyl chloride.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Acute-Exposure-Guideline-Levels-Selected/133742012-03-05 00:00:00.0New research opportunities to advance hydrologic sciences promise a better understanding of the role of water in the Earth system that could help improve human welfare and the health of the environment. Reaching this understanding will require both exploratory research to better understand how the natural environment functions, and problem-driven research, to meet needs such as flood protection, supply of drinking water, irrigation, and water pollution. Collaboration among hydrologists, engineers, and scientists in other disciplines will be central to meeting the interdisciplinary research challenges outline in this report. New technological capabilities in remote sensing, chemical analysis, computation, and hydrologic modeling will help scientists leverage new research opportunities.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Challenges-Opportunities-Hydrologic/132932012-02-16 00:00:00.0Science at the U.S. Geological Survey is intrinsically global, and from early in its history, the USGS has successfully carried out international projects that serve U.S. national interests and benefit the USGS domestic mission. Opportunities abound for the USGS to strategically pursue international science in the next 5-10 years that bears on growing worldwide problems having direct impact on the United States—climate and ecosystem changes, natural disasters, the spread of invasive species, and diminishing natural resources, to name a few. Taking a more coherent, proactive agency approach to international science—and building support for international projects currently in progress—would help the USGS participate in international science activities more effectively.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/International-Science-National-Interest/133022012-02-15 00:00:00.0Despite substantial research, gaps remain in understanding the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) risks of nanomaterials—materials just one billionth of a meter in size—used in an array of products including drug-delivery systems, cosmetics, and food additives. With the nanotechnology sector poised to expand rapidly, there could be greater exposure of workers, consumers, and the environment to nanomaterials. As a result, there is a critical need for a research strategy to build knowledge of the unique properties of nanomaterials, this report finds.<br /><br /> This report sets out a conceptual framework for environmental, health, and safety research on nanomaterials, develops a research plan with short- and long-term research priorities, and estimates the resources needed to implement the plan. In a subsequent report, the committee will evaluate progress toward these goals.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Research-Strategy-Environmental-Health/133472012-01-25 00:00:00.0<a href="http://dels.nas.edu/Materials/Report-In-Brief/4307-Water-Reuse">Report in Brief >></a> <br /><br /> <a href="http://nas-sites.org/waterreuse">Q&A with the Chair >></a> <br /><br /> Expanding water reuse—the use of treated wastewater for beneficial purposes including irrigation, industrial uses, and drinking water augmentation—could significantly increase the nation’s total available water resources, this new report finds. A portfolio of treatment options is available to mitigate water quality issues in reclaimed water, and new analysis suggests the risk of exposure to certain microbial and chemical contaminants from drinking reclaimed water does not appear to be any higher than the risk experienced in at least some current drinking water treatment systems and may be orders of magnitude lower. Adjustments to the federal regulatory framework could enhance public health protection for both planned and unplanned (or de facto) reuse, and increase public confidence in water reuse.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Water-Reuse-Potential-Expanding/133032012-01-10 00:00:00.0"Global change research" engages agencies and departments across the federal government in many diverse activities, coordinated by the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). The USGCRP is developing a 10-year Strategic Plan to strengthen the Program's role in sustaining a strategically-driven, coordinated national effort. As independent advisor to the Program, a National Research Council committee has reviewed the draft Plan. The committee encourages the Program's intent to broaden its focus, to address not only climate change, but also “climate-related global changes,” and the committee identifies a number of key issues regarding the Program’s scope, goals, and capacity to meet those goals over the coming 10 years.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Review/133302012-01-05 00:00:00.0<a href="http://dels.nas.edu/Materials/Report-In-Brief/4308-Uranium-Virginia">Report in Brief >></a><br /><br /> A range of health and environmental issues and related risks are important considerations as Virginia deliberates on whether to rescind its almost 30-year moratorium on mining uranium. Although there are internationally accepted best practices to mitigate most of these risks, there are still steep hurdles to be surmounted before mining and processing could take place within a regulatory setting that appropriately protects workers, the public, and the environment.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Uranium-Mining-Virginia-Scientific-Technical/132662011-12-19 00:00:00.0The St. Johns River in Northeast Florida is under consideration as an additional water source for a large and rapidly growing segment of the state's population. In 2008, the river's Water Management District undertook a Water Supply Impact Study of the proposed water withdrawals and asked the National Research Council to review science aspects of the study as it progressed. This final report of the NRC Committee focuses on the seven ecological impact analyses conducted, it presents final thoughts about the hydrologic and hydrodynamic studies, and it provides some overall perspectives on the Impact Study. <br /><br /> The report finds the District performed a competent job in relating predicted environmental responses, including their magnitude and general degree of uncertainty, to the proposed range of water withdrawals. Two of the District’s workgroups achieved state-of-the-art science, according to the Committee, with potential uses beyond this study; those workgroups focused on hydrology and hydrodynamics and on submersed aquatic vegetation.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Review-Johns-River/133142011-12-16 00:00:00.0The penultimate draft of an assessment of the risks associated with opening the proposed National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory at Boston University is a substantial improvement over past documents reviewed in previous National Research Council reports. The risk assessment is now closer to reaching its goal of being "scientifically and technically sound" and, in general, addresses the concerns raised in previous National Research Council reviews of the document. This letter report provides suggestions for improving the final draft report that is prepared for public comment.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Continuing-Assistance-National-Institutes/133102011-12-15 00:00:00.0A national strategy to sustain basic research and training across all areas of the Earth sciences can help inform many of the most urgent societal issues that will face the planet in coming years. Issues including fossil fuel and water resources, earthquake and tsunami hazards, and profound environmental changes due to shifts in the climate system could all be informed by new research in the Earth sciences. The National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences, as the only federal agency that maintains significant funding of both exploratory and problem-driven research in the Earth sciences, is central to these efforts, and coordinated research priorities are needed to fully capitalize on the potential contributions that the Earth sciences can make.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Research-Opportunities-Earth/132362011-12-13 00:00:00.0Transformational Medical Technologies, a component of the Department of Defense, funds the development of medical countermeasures to protect warfighters against potential biothreats such as emerging infectious agents and toxins and future genetically engineered biological weapons. Because these pathogens are potentially lethal or cause debilitating diseases in humans, it is ethically impermissible to test the effectiveness of medical countermeasures on human volunteers. Instead, these products are tested on laboratory animals under a legal mechanism developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, relying solely on animal models for the development of countermeasures to biothreats is challenging. In many cases, qualified animal models that can reasonably predict the efficacy of new products are not available, and developing better animal models can involve years of effort without guaranteed success. In addition, there are difficulties in establishing good alternatives to using laboratory animals for medical countermeasure evaluation prior to human administration. This report evaluates existing and candidate animal models for testing medical countermeasures against biothreats, addresses the process and feasibility of developing new animal models, and evaluates alternatives to the use of animals based on the premise of the Three Rs—refinement, reduction, and replacement of the use of animals in research and testing.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Animal-Models-Assessing-Countermeasures/132332011-12-01 00:00:00.0Mycoherbicides, which are developed from plant pathogenic fungi that infect specific host plants, have been proposed as a targeted means of preventing or reducing the cultivation of illicit drug crops. This study focused on mycoherbicides intended to target illicit plantings of cannabis, coca, and opium poppy. The committee was asked to examine questions about the efficacy of the mycoherbicides, their persistence in the environment, the feasibility of their large-scale manufacture and delivery, their potential for mutation, their potential to have detrimental effects on nontarget plants, animals, or humans, and the need for additional research and development. The committee concluded that the research done on these pathogens was not adequate to draw conclusions about the feasibility of developing them to control illicit drug crops.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Feasibility-Using-Mycoherbicides-Controlling/132782011-11-30 00:00:00.0<a href="http://dels.nas.edu/Materials/Report-In-Brief/4309-FSIS-Food-Saferty-Data-Brief">Report in Brief >></a> <br /><br /> The release of food safety data gathered during federal inspections of meat, poultry, and egg product processing establishments such as slaughterhouses, warehouses, and retail stores would help increase transparency and could lead to improvements in public health. For example, purchasers, consumers, and public interest organizations could use the data to identify companies with performance records consistently above or below the industry average, potentially creating economic pressures on food processing establishments to improve food safety. However, in order to maximize its effectiveness and minimize unintended adverse consequences, data release should be guided by a carefully designed information-disclosure strategy.http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Potential-Consequences-Public-Release/133042011-11-30 00:00:00.0