Improving Public Access to EPA’s Science

Published October 14, 2020

EPA is committed to making its science available for use by the public, scientific community, other federal organizations, states, and tribes. Transparent, open and accessible research contributes to EPA’s mission to protect the environment and public health.

EPA has recently improved two online resources for accessing the science produced by EPA scientists and engineers. The resources are the Science Inventory, a searchable database of more than 80,000 EPA reports, publications, and presentations, and the Science Models and Research Tools (SMaRT) Search inventory of tools that provides scientific reports, journal articles, presentations and other science products.

The Science Inventory has been revamped with a new look and improved search and navigation functions. Advanced search allows users to look up publications by author, journal, and publisher. Information in the Science Inventory dates back to the 1970s, and new entries are regularly added as research is published or presented.

“Since last year, the Science Inventory has received nearly a million visits, making this a popular resource. The updates have enhanced the user experience and will help people find the science that can assist them with their work,” says Dr. Jerry Blancato, Senior Information Officer and Director of EPA’s Office of Science Information Management in ORD.

For those looking for a model or other tool to use to make environmental decisions or conduct research, check out SMaRT Search. SMaRT Search was released this summer and offers a new searchable inventory of freely available scientific tools for solving real-world environmental problems. The resource offers easy and fast access to more than 120 environmental and public health resources developed by scientists in ORD.

A few of the popular tools found in SMaRT Search include:

• SWMM - A model for stormwater management to protect water quality;
• EnviroAtlas – An interactive web-based tool for learning about local ecosystem services;
• CMAQ – An air quality model used for air quality management;
• I-Waste – A tool for waste management following an incident or natural disaster;
• CompTox – A chemical toxicity dashboard that offers detailed information on chemical toxicity, transport, exposure and more.

To provide feedback to SMaRT Search developers, visit the Contact Us About SMaRT Search page.

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