Environmental
Indicators
Initiative
March
3,
2003
Environmental
indicators
are
scientific
measurements
that
track
environmental
conditions
over
time.
Indicators
help
measure
the
state
of
our
air,
water
and
land
resources,
the
pressures
on
them,
and
the
resulting
effects
on
ecological
and
human
health.
Indicators
also
show
our
progress
in
making
the
air
cleaner,
the
water
purer,
and
in
protecting
our
land.

Purpose:
EPA's
"
Environmental
Indicators
Initiative"
will
improve
the
Agency's
ability
to
report
on
the
status
of
and
trends
in
environmental
conditions
and
their
impacts
on
human
health
and
the
nation's
natural
resources.
EPA's
long­
term
goal
is
to
improve
the
indicators
and
data
that
are
used
to
guide
the
Agency's
strategic
plans,
priorities,
performance
reports,
and
decision­
making.

Report
on
the
Environment:
One
of
the
key
products
of
the
Environmental
Indicators
Initiative
will
be
developing
and
publishing
a
report
on
the
environment,
using
available
national­
level
data
and
indicators
to
describe
environmental
conditions
and
human
health
concerns.
Using
available
data
and
indicators,
EPA
and
its
partners
are
drafting
a
report
on
the
environment
that
will
address
many
of
the
public's
frequently­
asked
questions
and
document
national
environmental
and
human
health
conditions.
The
report
will
also
address
environmental
issues
which
EPA
would
like
the
American
public
to
better
understand.
A
draft
report
will
be
released
in
the
Spring
of
2003
for
public
review
and
comment.
It
will:
1)
Describe
current
national
environmental
conditions
and
trends
using
existing
data
and
indicators;
2)
Identify
data
gaps
and
research
needs;
3)
Discuss
the
challenges
government
and
our
partners
face
in
filling
those
gaps;
and
4)
Be
accompanied
by
supporting
technical
information.

Contact:
Vivian
Turner
(
202)
566­
6793;
Denice
Shaw
(
202)
564­
3234
Short­
term
Followup:
Meet
with
Indicators
staff
to
determine
ways
to
utilize
the
results
in
the
Report
on
the
Environment
as
a
screening
level
tool
for
identifying
national­
level
concerns
or
trends
in
human
health
and
the
environment.
Also
discuss
with
Indicators
staff
additional
possible
ways
to
use
environmental
indicators
to
assist
with
the
304(
m)
planning
process.

Long­
term
Followup:
Discuss
with
Indicators
staff
the
possibility
of
using
environmental
indicators
for
more
in­
depth
evaluation
of
the
stressors
identified
in
the
short­
term
(
and
their
possible
sources)
to
support
the
more
detailed
investigation
phase
of
the
304(
m)
planning
process.
