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Energy's Ames Laboratory, Ames, IA
E
EDD
Acronym for "Enforcement Decision Document" which means a document that provides an
explanation to the public of EPA's selection of the cleanup
alternative at enforcement sites on the National Priorities List.
Similar to a Record of Decision.
Emission factor
The relationship between the amount of pollution produced and
the
amount of raw material processed. For example, an emission factor
for a blast furnace making iron would be the number of pounds of particulates per ton of raw materials.
Emission limitation
A requirement established by a State, local government, or the
Administrator which limits the quantity, rate, or concentration of
emissions of air pollutants on a continuous basis, including any
requirements which limit the level of opacity, prescribe equipment,
set fuel specifications, or prescribe operation or maintenance
procedures for a source to assure continuous emission
reduction.
Environmental assessment
(1) A written environmental analysis which is prepared pursuant
to
the National Environmental Policy Act to determine whether a
federal
action would significantly affect the environment and thus require
preparation impact statement.
(2) A concise public document of
which a Federal agency is responsible that serves to (a) Briefly
provide sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to
prepare an environmental impact statement or a finding of no
significant impact. (b) Aid an agency's compliance with the Act
when
no environmental impact statement is necessary. (c) Facilitate
preparation of a statement when one is necessary.
(3) Shall include
brief discussions of the need for the proposal, of alternatives as
required by Sec. 102(2)(E) of NEPA, of the environmental impacts of
the proposed action and alternatives, and a listing of agencies and
persons consulted.
Environmental economics
Questions of the social costs and benefits that accompany
issues
relating to pollution, resource depletion, and environmental
degradation fall within the area of environmental economics. Few
today would disagree that a factory emitting large amounts of
smoke
causes air pollution, which affects the health of local residents. A
fundamental issue in environmental economics is the assessment of
the
costs of that pollution to the residents, in terms of illness; to
society, in terms of health-care costs and lost work time; and,
ultimately, to the world, as the factory smoke contributes to the
formation of acid rain and may increase the likelihood of global
warming. Equally important, however, is the inclusion in the cost
equation, of the values created by the activities of the polluting
factory: the usefulness of its products and the worth of the jobs it
creates.
Environmental impact appraisal
An environmental review supporting a negative declaration. It
describes a proposed EPA action, its expected environmental impact,
and the basis for the conclusion that no significant impact is
anticipated.
Environmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement is a report on the probable
environmental effects of proposed projects, such as highways,
large-scale residential or commercial construction, power plants, or
dams, which might significantly alter the environment. The National
Environmental Policy Act, which became effective in 1970, requires
every U.S. government agency to issue a statement on any project it
plans to undertake, regulate, or fund. The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) reviews all federal environmental impact statements
to
ensure that they comply with the law. The use of environmental
impact statements has spread to many state and local governments.
Please e-mail comments to: epsciwebkeeper@ameslab.gov.
Last modified: 1 April 2002 by dave eckels
ESC Glossary: etd/library/glossary/glossaryE.html