U.S. Geological Survey Environmental Health Science Strategy— Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World

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Circular 1383–E

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover. Clockwise left to right: Great Blue Heron fishing in the Salton Sea. Photograph by Milton Friend (emeritus), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). USGS scientist collecting an emerging-contaminants bed-sediment sample at the Susquehanna River at Danville, Pennsylvania. Photograph by Connie Loper, USGS. Little Brown bat with fungal growth on muzzle. Photograph by Al Hicks, New York Department of Environmental Conservation. USGS researcher examining bass for abnormalities in Colorado. Photograph by USGS. Squirrel Creek fire near Laramie, Wyoming. Photograph by Laura Hallberg, USGS. The Blue Marble. Image by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Cover background. Elwah River restoration project, Olympic National Park, Washington. Photograph by John McMillan, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Inside cover. Headwaters drainage of Peru Creek, Colorado, and the upper workings of the Pennsylvania Mine. Photograph by Robert L. Runkel, USGS. U.S. Geological Survey Environmental Health Science Strategy—Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World

By Patricia R. Bright, Herbert T. Buxton, Laurie S. Balistrieri, Larry B. Barber, Francis H. Chapelle, Paul C. Cross, David P. Krabbenhoft, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Donald E. Tillitt, Patricia L. Toccalino, and James R. Winton

Circular 1383–E

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2013

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Suggested citation: Bright, P.R., Buxton, H.T., Balistrieri, L.S., Barber, L.B., Chapelle, F.H., Cross, P.C., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Plumlee, G.S., Sleeman, J.M., Tillitt, D.E., Toccalino, P.L., and Winton, J.R., 2013, U.S. Geological Survey environmental health science strategy—Providing environmental health science for a changing world: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1383–E, 43 p.

ISBN 978-1-4113-3546-2 iii

Foreword

In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) published a Bureau Science Strategy Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges—U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007–2017. It provided a view of the future, establishing science goals that reflected the USGS’s fundamental mission in areas of societal impact such as energy and minerals, climate and land use change, ecosystems, natural hazards, environmental health, and water. Intended to inform long-term program planning, the strategy emphasizes how USGS science can make substantial contributions to the well-being of the Nation and the world. In 2010, I realigned the USGS management and budget structure, changing it from a structure associated with scientific disciplines—Geography, Geology, Biology and Hydrology—to an issue-based organization along the lines of the Science Strategy. My aim was to align our management structure with our mission, our science priorities, our metrics for success, and our budget. An added benefit was that the USGS immediately appeared relevant to more Americans, and it became easier for those outside the agency to navigate our organizational structure to find where within the USGS they would find the solution to their problem. External partners rarely approached us with a problem in “geology,” but they might need help with an issue in climate change or energy research. The new organization is focused on seven science mission areas: • Climate and Land Use Change • Core Science Systems • Ecosystems • Energy and Minerals • Environmental Health • Natural Hazards • Water The scope of each of these new mission areas is broader than the science directions outlined in the USGS Science Strategy and together cover the scope of USGS science activities. In 2010, I also commissioned seven Science Strategy Planning Teams (SSPTs) to draft science strategies for each USGS mission area. Although the existing Bureau Science Strategy could be a starting point for this exercise, the SSPTs had to go well beyond the scope of the existing document. What is of value and enduring from the work of the programs that existed under the former science disciplines needed to be reframed and reinterpreted under the new organization of the science mission areas. In addition, new opportunities for research directions have emerged in the five years since the Bureau Science Strategy was drafted, and exciting possibilities for cooperating and collaborating in new ways are enabled by the new mission focus of the organization. Scientists from across the Bureau were selected for these SSPTs for their experience in strategic planning, broad range of experience and expertise, and knowledge of stakeholder needs and relationships. Each SSPT was charged with developing a long-term (10-year) science strategy that encompasses the portfolio of USGS science in the respective mission area. Each science strategy will reinforce others because scientific knowledge inherently has significance to multiple issues. Leadership of the USGS and the Department of the Interior will use the science vision and priorities developed in these strategies for program guidance, implementation planning, accountability reporting, and resource allocation. These strategies will guide science and technology investment and workforce and human capital strategies. They will inform our partners regarding opportunities for communication, collaboration, and coordination. The USGS has taken a significant step toward demonstrating that we are ready to collaborate on the most pressing natural science issues of our day and the future. I believe a leadership aligned to support these issue-based science directions and equipped with the guidance provided in these new science strategies in the capable hands of our scientists will create a new era for USGS of which we can all be proud. Marcia McNutt Director iv

Contents

Foreword...... iii Executive Summary...... 1 Introduction...... 4 Environmental Health Challenges...... 4 About This Report...... 7 What is Environmental Health Science?...... 8 The USGS Role in Environmental Health Science...... 8 USGS Partner and Stakeholder Relationships...... 11 USGS Core Strengths, Capabilities, and Future Challenges to Core Strengths and Capabilities...... 12 Core Strengths and Capabilities...... 12 Future Challenges to Core Strengths and Capabilities...... 13 USGS Environmental Health Science Vision, Mission, and Goals...... 14 Identifying USGS Environmental Health Science Goals...... 14 Goal 1: Identify, Prioritize, and Detect Contaminants and Pathogens of Emerging Environmental Concern...... 15 Priority Science Questions...... 17 Strategic Science Actions...... 17 Outcomes and Relevance...... 18 Goal 2: Reduce the Impact of Contaminants on the Environment, Fish and Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and People...... 19 Priority Science Questions...... 21 Strategic Science Actions...... 22 Outcomes and Relevance...... 23 Goal 3: Reduce the Impact of Pathogens on the Environment, Fish and Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and People...... 24 Priority Science Questions...... 24 Strategic Science Actions...... 26 Outcomes and Relevance...... 27 Goal 4: Discover the Complex Interactions Between, and Combined Effects of, Exposure to Contaminants and Pathogens...... 28 Priority Science Questions...... 29 Strategic Science Actions...... 30 Outcomes and Relevance...... 30 v

Goal 5: Prepare for and Respond to the Environmental Impacts and Related Health Threats of Natural and Anthropogenic Disasters...... 31 Priority Science Questions...... 31 Strategic Science Actions...... 31 Outcomes and Relevance...... 33 A Strategy for Communicating Science to Society...... 34 Strategic Actions...... 34 Outcomes...... 35 Integrating Science Across USGS...... 36 Summary of Intended Outcomes...... 39 Acknowledgments...... 40 References Cited...... 41

Figures

1. Diagram describing the relations among environmental drivers, exposure to disease agents (contaminants and pathogens) through various media and exposure pathways, and the complex responses to contaminant and pathogen exposure that result in environmental disease...... 4 2. Diagram depicting environmental health science as the study of the interrelations among the quality of the physical environment, the health of the living environment, and human health...... 8 3. Illustration showing the role of USGS in environmental health science, to provide scientific information and tools to environmental, natural resource, agricultural, and public health agencies for management and policy decisionmaking...... 9 4. Illustration showing environmental contaminant source and transport pathways...... 19 5. Illustration showing infectious disease transmission pathways...... 25

Table

1. Agents of environmentally driven disease, exposure and transmission pathways, and corresponding examples of diseases...... 5 vi

Highlights Earth Materials, Natural Earth Processes, and Environmental Health...... 7 Why USGS?...... 10 Native American Communities in Alaska are Inseparably Linked to Their Surrounding Natural Resources...... 11 Providing Information About Potential Exposures to Chemicals in Drinking Water...... 12 USGS Laboratories Are OIE Collaborating Centre and Reference Laboratories...... 13 Manufacturing Facilities Found to Release Pharmaceuticals into the Environment...... 14 Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus in the Great Lakes...... 15 Implications of New Fungicides in Streams...... 16 Tracking Wild Birds and Avian Influenza...... 17 Endocrine Disruption in Fish Populations...... 20 Anthropogenic Sources of Mercury and Methylmercury Identified in the North Pacific Ocean...... 21 Pesticides and Risk to Fish Reproduction...... 22 Brucellosis in Wildlife and Livestock...... 24 White-Nose Syndrome in Bats...... 25 Reduction of Bacterial Kidney Disease (BKD) in Chinook Salmon...... 26 Effects of Plague on Wildlife May Have Been Underestimated...... 27 Endocrine Disruption of Immune Function in Fish...... 28 Antimicrobial Resistance in the Natural Environment...... 29 Responding to Recent Wildfires and Their Potential Environmental Health Risks...... 32 U.S.-Mexico Border Health Initiative and Environmental Health-Risk Assessment Along the Upper Santa Cruz River...... 34 Uranium Production and Environmental Health...... 36 Sensitivity of Freshwater Mussels to Ammonia Results in Lower Water-Quality Criteria...... 37 Environmental Health and Hazards...... 38 vii

Abbreviations

ARG antibiotic resistance genes AVMA American Veterinary Medical Association BEHI Border Environmental Health Initiative BKD bacterial kidney disease CCD colony collapse disorder DOI Department of Interior EDC endocrine disrupting chemicals GAO Government Accountability Office HIV/AIDS human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome HPAI highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) IOM Institute of Medicine NIEHS National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences OIE World Organisation for Animal Health ppb parts per billion SARS Severe acute respiratory syndrome SMB small mouth bass SSPT Science Strategy Planning Team µg/L micrograms per liter USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency USGS U.S. Geological Survey VHSV viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus WHO World Health Organization WNS white-nose syndrome WQC National Water Quality Criteria Lake Michigan near Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on a calm morning while USGS scientists sample dead and dying fish for viral hemorrhagic septicemia. Photograph by Gael Kurath, USGS. U.S. Geological Survey Environmental Health Science Strategy—Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World

America has an abundance of natural resources. We have Bureau and providing it to environmental, natural resource, bountiful clean water, fertile soil, and unrivaled national parks, agricultural, and public health managers. wildlife refuges, and public lands. These resources enrich our USGS specializes in science at the environment-health lives and preserve our health and wellbeing. These resources interface, by characterizing the processes that affect the have been maintained because of our history of respect for interaction among the physical environment, the living their value and an enduring commitment to their vigilant pro- environment, and people, and the resulting factors that affect tection. Awareness of the social, economic, and personal value ecological and human exposure to disease agents. The USGS of the health of our environment is increasing. The emergence is a Federal science agency with a broad range of natural of environmentally driven diseases caused by exposure to science expertise relevant to environmental health. USGS contaminants and pathogens is a growing concern worldwide. provides scientific information and tools as a scientific basis New health threats and patterns of established threats are for management and policy decisionmaking. affected by both natural and anthropogenic changes to the This report describes a 10-year strategy that encompasses environment. Human activities are key drivers of emerging the portfolio of USGS environmental health science. It sum- (new and re-emerging) health threats. Societal demands for marizes national environmental health priorities that USGS is land and natural resources, quality of life, and economic pros- best suited to address, and will serve as a strategic framework perity lead to environmental change. Natural earth processes, for USGS environmental health science goals, actions, and climate trends, and related climatic events will compound the outcomes for the next decade. Implementation of this strategy environmental impact of human activities. These environmen- is intended to aid coordination of USGS environmental health tal drivers will influence exposure to disease agents, including viral, bacterial, prion, and fungal pathogens, parasites, activities and to provide a focal point for disseminating infor- synthetic chemicals and substances, natural earth materials, mation to stakeholders. toxins, and other biogenic compounds. The “One Health” paradigm advocated by the World The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) defines environ- Health Organization (WHO; World Health Organization, mental health science broadly as the interdisciplinary study 2011), and the American Veterinary Medical Association of relations among the quality of the physical environment, (AVMA; American Veterinary Medical Association, 2008), the health of the living environment, and human health. The among others, is based on a general recognition that the health interactions among these three spheres are driven by human of humans, animals, and the environment are inextricably activities, ecological processes, and natural earth processes; linked. Thus, successful efforts to protect that health will the interactions affect exposure to contaminants and pathogens require increased interdisciplinary research and increased and the severity of environmentally driven diseases in animals communication and collaboration among the broader scien- and people. This definition provides USGS with a framework tific and health community. This strategy is built upon that for synthesizing natural science information from across the paradigm. 2 USGS Survey Environmental Health Science Strategy—Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World

The vision, mission, and five cornerstone goals of the • Strategic Science Action 2.—Conduct research, surveil- USGS Environmental Health Science Strategy were developed lance, and monitoring to provide early warning of with substantial input from a wide range of stakeholders. emerging health threats. • Strategic Science Action 3.—Develop approaches and Vision—The USGS is a premier source of the environmental tools that identify vulnerable environmental settings, health science needed to safeguard the health of the environ- ecosystems, and species. ment, fish and wildlife, domesticated animals, and people. Goal 2: Reduce the impact of contaminants on the environ- Mission—The mission of USGS in environmental health ment, fish and wildlife, domesticated animals, and people. science is to contribute scientific information to environmen- • Strategic Science Action 1.—Systematically charac- tal, natural resource, agricultural, and public health managers, terize the sources, occurrence, transport and fate of who use that information to support sound decisionmaking. environmental contaminants to guide efforts to manage USGS will provide science to achieve the following societal and mitigate contamination. goals: • Goal 1: Identify, prioritize, and detect contaminants • Strategic Science Action 2.—Evaluate the threat of and pathogens of emerging environmental concern. environmental contamination to the health of the environment, fish and wildlife, domesticated animals, • Goal 2: Reduce the impact of contaminants on the and people, and inform the associated management and environment, fish and wildlife, domesticated animals, protection efforts. and people. • Strategic Science Action 3.—Characterize potential • Goal 3: Reduce the impact of pathogens on the envi- human exposure to support establishment of health ronment, fish and wildlife, domesticated animals, and standards and contamination-reduction efforts. people. Goal 3: Reduce the impact of pathogens on the environment, • Goal 4: Discover the complex interactions between, fish and wildlife, domesticated animals, and people. and combined effects of, exposure to contaminants and pathogens. • Strategic Science Action 1.—Determine the biotic and abiotic factors that control the ecology of infectious • Goal 5: Prepare for and respond to the environmen- diseases in natural populations of aquatic and terres- tal impacts and related health threats of natural and trial species and potential transmission to other animals anthropogenic disasters. and humans.

Goals 1 through 4 are intended to provide science to address • Strategic Science Action 2.—Establish how natural environmental health threats in a logical order, from inform- and anthropogenic environmental changes affect the ing prevention and preparedness, to supporting systematic distribution and severity of infectious diseases in natu- management response to environmental health issues. Goal 4 ral populations of aquatic and terrestrial species and addresses the interaction among contaminants and pathogens, potential transmission to other animals and humans. an issue of emerging concern in environmental health science. • Strategic Science Action 3.—Develop surveillance sys- Goal 5 acknowledges the fact that natural and anthropogenic tems to identify changing patterns of disease activity in disasters (for example, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, priority geographic areas. droughts, fires, industrial accidents, oil spills, acts of terrorism, and pandemics) can cause immediate and prolonged adverse Goal 4: Discover the complex interactions between, and com- environmental health threats. bined effects of, exposure to contaminants and pathogens. This strategy proposes that USGS take the following • Strategic Science Action 1.—Identify how expo- strategic science actions to achieve each of the five goals of sure to one class of disease agents (contaminants or this strategy: pathogens) can make an organism more susceptible Goal 1: Identify, prioritize, and detect contaminants and to adverse effects from exposure to the other class of pathogens of emerging environmental concern. disease agents. • Strategic Science Action 1.—Prioritize contaminants • Strategic Science Action 2.—Implement interdisciplin- and pathogens of emerging concern to guide research, ary studies that characterize the effects of combined detection, and management activities. exposure to pathogens and contaminants. Executive Summary 3

Goal 5: Prepare for and respond to the environmental impacts This strategy describes how USGS will address the high- and related health threats of natural and anthropogenic est priority environmental health issues facing the Nation. disasters. The ultimate intended outcome of this science strategy is • Strategic Science Action 1.—Establish a formal inter- prevention and reduction of adverse impacts to the quality disciplinary science capability to rapidly assess the of the environment, the health of our living resources, and environmental health risks associated with disasters. human health. Communication with, and receiving input from, partners and stakeholders regarding their science needs is • Strategic Science Action 2.—Enhance methods to essential for successful implementation of this strategy. It is anticipate, prepare for, and identify environmental and incumbent on USGS to reach out to all stakeholders to ensure related health impacts of future disasters. that USGS efforts are focused on the highest priority envi- This strategy is one of seven USGS science strategies ronmental health issues, and that products are provided in the developed concurrently: most timely and usable form to all those who can use them. USGS must reach out to the scientific community, internally • Climate and Land Use Change and externally, to ensure that our efforts are integrated with • Core Science Systems and take full advantage of the activities of others. • Ecosystems • Energy and Mineral Resources • Environmental Health • Natural Hazards USGS scientist sampling infant geyser in Yellowstone National • Water Park to assess discharge of volatile mercury to the environment. 4 USGS Environmental Health Science Strategy—Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World

Introduction

Environmental Health Challenges Environmentally driven diseases are referred to America has an abundance of natural resources. We have herein as diseases that are caused by exposure to bountiful clean water, fertile soil, and unrivaled national parks, contaminants (toxicologic disease) or pathogens wildlife refuges, and public lands. These resources enrich our (infectious disease) and are significantly influenced lives and preserve our health and wellbeing. These resources by environmental factors. have been maintained because of our history of respect for their value and an enduring commitment to their vigilant protection. Awareness of the social, economic, and personal value of the health of our environment is increasing. The emergence Changes in the use, handling, and disposal of chemical of environmentally driven diseases caused by environmental wastes affects the environment, the health of fish and wildlife, exposure to contaminants and pathogens is a growing concern and human health by affecting the quality of the air (and dust) worldwide. New health threats and patterns of established we breathe, the water we drink, the soil we till, and the food threats are affected by both natural and anthropogenic changes we eat. Other human-induced alterations such as changes in to the environment. Human activities are key drivers of emerg- land use and increasing urbanization alter fish and wildlife ing (new and re-emerging) health threats. Societal demands habitats and ultimately species diversity. The increasing spatial for land and natural resources, quality of life, and economic interconnections between human communities and natural and prosperity, lead to environmental change. disturbed ecosystems enhance the risk of transmission of zoo- Natural earth processes (such as erosion and weathering), notic diseases from wildlife to people. Weathering, runoff of climate trends, and related climatic events will compound the natural and disturbed landscapes, windblown particulates, and environmental impact of human activities. These environmen- dissolution of harmful minerals in rocks and aquifers, as well tal drivers will influence exposure to disease agents includ- as the environmental disruption from natural hazards increase ing viral, bacterial, prion, and fungal pathogens, parasites, the potential for exposure to contaminants and pathogens. synthetic chemicals and substances, natural earth materials, New approaches to meet the increasing demands for food, toxins and other biogenic compounds (fig. 1). Environmental water, energy, and other resources can introduce more contam- drivers, such as climate change, may also affect an organ- ination to the environment and increase exposure to contami- ism’s sensitivity to contaminants in the environment (Stahl nants and pathogens. Furthermore, unprecedented increases and others, 2013). Organisms can be exposed to environmental in international travel and trade, as well as climate change, contamination through multiple routes of exposure (consump- further complicate efforts to protect the health of the environ- tion, inhalation, contact) and in many forms (drinking water, ment, fish and wildlife, domesticated animals, and people. food, air, soil, sediment, dusts, and other aerosols), which are affected by contaminant occurrence and distribution in the environment (table 1). Similarly, pathogens spread in the An environmental driver is any natural or human environment and via other living organisms, and are transmit- induced factor that directly or indirectly causes a ted to other organisms or people via host-to-host transmis- change in the environment. sion, vector-borne transmission, or environmental exposure (table 1).

Environmental drivers Environment Organism

• Natural earth processes Environmental Exposure • Accidental or intentional media pathways chemical or pathogen releases • Air • Inhalation Contaminants • Land use change • Water • Contact Interactions Disease • Resource extraction • Soils • Drinking water Pathogens • Global travel and trade • Sediment • Food • Climate trends • Tissue • Host-to-host • Disasters • Vector borne

Figure 1. The relations among environmental drivers, exposure to disease agents (contaminants and pathogens) through various media and exposure pathways, and the complex responses to contaminant and pathogen exposure that result in environmental disease. Introduction 5

A WHO study determined that an estimated 24 percent fraction of the 80,000 chemicals in use in the United States of the global burden of disease and 23 percent of all global today have been tested for safety according to the 2008–2009 deaths can be attributed to environmental factors (Prüss-Ütün Annual Report of the President’s Cancer Panel. They said and Corvalán, 2006). The threat of contaminants to the health “A growing body of research documents myriad of the environment and public health is widely acknowledged. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences established and suspected environmental factors (NIEHS) stated “Experience tells us that virtually all human linked to genetic, immune, and endocrine dysfunc- diseases can be caused, modified, or altered by environmental tion that can lead to cancer and other diseases. … agents,” where they describe environmental agents as pollut- the consequences of cumulative lifetime exposures ants and chemicals, commercial products we use that enter our to known carcinogens and the interaction of specific environment, and naturally occurring toxins (National Institute environmental contaminants remain largely unstud- of Environmental Health Sciences, 2006). Only a small ied” (President’s Cancer Panel, 2010).

Table 1. Agents of environmentally driven disease, exposure and transmission pathways, and corresponding examples of diseases.

Disease agents and Exposure and Example diseases and agents examples transmission pathways Pathogens (agents of Host-to-host • Bacterial kidney disease in fish (agent:Renibacterium salmonarium) infectious diseases) • White-nose syndrome in bats (agent: Geomyces destructans, • Bacteria a fungus) • Viruses • Sarcoptic mange in wolves (agent: Sarcoptes scabiei, an arthropod • Protozoa parasite) • Fungi • Toxoplasmosis in feral cats (agent: Toxoplasmosis gondii, a protozoan parasite) • Parasites Vector-borne • West Nile virus (vector: mosquito) • Prions • Lyme disease (vector: deer tick) • Sylvatic plague (vector: flea) Natural earth materials Water-borne • Arsenicosis (agent: arsenic) • Radionuclides • Cryptosporidiosis (agent: cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite) • Metals • Algal toxin poisoning (agent: cyanotoxins) • Mineral dusts • Endocrine disruption in fish (agent: ethinyl estradiol) • Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (agent: fish rhabdovirus) Biogenic compounds • Liver cancer (agent: trichloroethylene) • Hormones Food-borne • Minamata disease (agent: methylmercury) • Toxins • Gastroenteritis (agent: Norwalk-like viruses) • Salmonellosis (agent: salmonella) • Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (agent: prion) Synthetic chemicals and • Avian botulism (agent: Clostridium botulinum Type C or E, substances a bacterium) • Pesticides Air- and aerosol-borne • Highly pathogenic avian influenza (agent: the H5N1 virus) • Volatile organic • Lung cancer (agent: radon) chemicals • Severe acute respiratory syndrome (agent: SARS coronavirus) • Engineered nano- • Asthma and other respiratory diseases (agent: ozone and particulate material matter) Dust- and soil-borne • Mesothelioma, lung cancers, asbestosis (agents: asbestos, fibrous erionite) • Pulmonary coccidioidomycosis “Valley Fever” (agent: Coccidioides immitis, a fungal spore) • Asthma, other respiratory problems (agents: urban particulate matter, natural dusts) 6 USGS Survey Environmental Health Science Strategy—Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World

Pathogens are biological agents, including bacteria, Contaminants are physical or chemical agents, viruses, protozoa, fungi, parasites, and prions, that including minerals, chemicals, toxins, and radionu- cause harmful effects to humans or other living clides, that are present where they do not naturally organisms. occur or at concentrations above those that occur naturally, and may cause harmful effects to humans or other living organisms.

Continued increases in the types and number of contaminants and limited understanding of the mechanisms by which contaminants can cause adverse health effects are challenges influenza (HPAI) had their genetic origins in wildlife (Friend, to continued efforts to safeguard environmental health. Envi- 2006). Many zoonotic disease outbreaks are evident in wild ronmental release of engineered nanomaterial is an example animal populations before they affect people or domesticated of a new type of contaminant; new approaches and methods animals. Therefore, wildlife health and disease monitor- are needed to measure their presence in the environment and ing serve as early warning indicators of environmental and to assess their potential ecological and human health effects ecosystem health and are essential to any information system (National Science and Technology Council, 2008). Scientists designed to protect human health. Increasing coordination are reevaluating current approaches for assessing risk and the among wildlife, domesticated animal, and human health agen- potential health outcomes associated with exposure to envi- cies will improve our ability to understand the potential for ronmental contaminants (Birnbaum, 2012). New challenges cross-species transmission (Jerolmack, 2012). include defining the potential health effects of chronic expo- Diseases can no longer simply be regarded as natural sures to extremely low (sub part-per-billion) concentrations, regulators of wild populations; they often pose a serious threat potential increased vulnerability of some populations such as to fish and wildlife conservation, an increasing challenge for the elderly or early life stages, the fact that exposures in early natural resource management, and may threaten the health of life stages can cause impacts much later in life or in subse- humans and domesticated animals. Numerous endangered spe- quent generations, and exposure to mixtures of environmen- cies are threatened by disease. For example, chytridiomycosis, tal contaminants that have unknown combined effects. The caused by an emerging fungal pathogen, has resulted in global effect of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on exposed extinction of amphibian species, and continues to jeopardize organisms is an example of the need for improved understand- the persistence of a number of species. In addition, the impacts ing of the mechanisms by which contaminants affect organ- of disease on populations of common species may result in isms (Vandenberg and others, 2012). EDCs increasingly are major losses to ecosystem services on which we depend. being recognized as serious environmental health threats, White-nose syndrome in bats, for instance, has resulted in dra- and in their first Scientific Statement, the Endocrine Society matic declines of insectivorous species that control important implicated EDCs as a significant concern to public health pests. The loss of these natural insect predators may result in (Diamanti-Kandarakis and others, 2009). damage to crops and forestry products, increased use of insec- Like contaminants, pathogens threaten the health and security of the Nation and its resources. Of particular concern ticides, and negatively impact the economy. are pathogens that can lead to global pandemics, and they The scientific community increasingly is acknowledging are featured prominently in the National Security Strategy the complex interaction within organisms of exposure to both (The White House, 2010), the National Response Framework contaminants and pathogens, and considering implications (Department of Homeland Security, 2008), and the National for the health of an organism, of populations, and of sensitive Health Security Strategy (Department of Health and Human subpopulations. Figure 1 describes how environmental drivers Services, 2009). Most pathogens that infect humans are of influence the environment, human and ecological exposure animal origin (zoonotic) (Woolhouse and Gowtage-Sequeria, to disease agents, and ultimately the complex responses from 2005); the Institute of Medicine (IOM) stated “The signifi- exposure to contaminants and pathogens that result in disease. cance of zoonoses in the emergence of human infections can- The “One Health” paradigm, advocated by the WHO not be overstated” (Lederberg and others, 1992). Virtually all (World Health Organization, 2011) and the AVMA (Ameri- of the major pandemics to date have been caused by zoonotic can Veterinary Medical Association, 2008) among others, diseases, including the Black Death, Spanish influenza, and is based on recognition by the scientific community that the HIV/AIDS (Morens and others, 2008). Between 1940 and health of humans, the health of animals, and the quality of the 2004, more than 60 percent of emerging infectious diseases environment are inextricably linked. Thus, successful health were zoonotic; more than 70 percent of these originated in protection will require increased interdisciplinary research wildlife (Jones and others, 2008). Many emerging diseases, and increased communication and collaborations among the such as Ebola, HIV/AIDS, Lyme disease, Severe Acute broader scientific community. This strategy is built upon that Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and highly pathogenic avian paradigm. USGS scienceactivitiesareorganized: by establishingsevenissue-basedmissionareasaroundwhich ance, andregionalimplementationstrategies. execution, andasabasisforbudgetinitiatives,nationalguid It willbeusedbyUSGSleadershipinscienceplanningand that arecriticaltoadvancingenvironmentalhealthscience. stakeholders. Itidentifiesinternalandexternalpartnerships the USGS,andfacilitatedisseminationofinformationto dination ofenvironmentalhealthscienceactivitiesacross the nextdecade. The strategyisintendedtoimprove coor USGS environmentalhealthgoals,actions,andoutcomesfor suited toaddress,andwillserveasastrategicframeworkfor national environmentalhealthprioritiesthattheUSGSisbest USGS environmentalhealthscienceactivities.Itsummarizes About ThisReport available onlineat ing fromCadizDryLake,California.Moreinformationis courtesy ofMarithReheis,USGS,showsdustsemanat pose ahealthriskingivensituations.Photograph and evaluatewhetherornotcontaminantsactually cesses ondistributionsandtoxicityofcontaminants, contaminants, understandtheinfluenceofearthpro human exposurestoearthmaterialsandotherpotential health scientiststohelpcharacterizeecosystemand tinely collaboratewithbiologists,ecologists,andpublic biogeochemical reactions.USGSearthscientistsrou processes suchaswindtransport,waterand taminants canbesignificantlymodifiedbynaturalearth these andmanyothernaturalanthropogeniccon wastes, fossilfuelcombustionbyproducts,commercialasbestos).Thedistribution,exposurepathways,andtoxicityof arsenic orothercontaminantsindrinkingwater),andearthmaterialsextractedforusebysociety(suchashistoricmine health impacts.Theseincludenaturalearthmaterials(suchasvolcanicashandgases,desertdusts,bedrocksourcesof Many earthmaterialshavebeenlinkeddefinitivelyto,orblamed(insomecasesincorrectly)foradverseenvironmental Earth Materials,NaturalProcesses,andEnvironmentalHealth • • • • • • • In 2010,theUSGSrealigneditsorganizational structure This reportdescribesa10-yearstrategythatencompasses Water Natural Hazards Environmental Health Energy andMineral Resources Ecosystems Core ScienceSystems Climate andLandUseChange http://health.usgs.gov . ------scientists andmanagers, partners,andthepublic. health science, andincorporatedinputfrom numerous USGS defined abroadrangeofUSGS contributionstoenvironmental impacts ofnaturalandanthropogenic contaminants. The Team wildlife, toenvironmentalsources, occurrence,andadverse ronmental healthfields,from infectiousdiseasesoffishand from acrossUSGSwithexpertise inawiderangeofenvi the nextdecade(McNutt,2010). The Team includedscientists portfolio ofUSGSenvironmentalhealthscienceactivities for Environmental HealthScienceStrategythatencompasses the missioned aScienceStrategyPlanning Team todevelopan nation andinfectiousdiseasesinfish,wildlife,people. USGS coreresponsibilitiesrelatedtoenvironmentalcontami from acrosstheUSGS. This newmissionareabuildsupon helps integratediverseenvironmentalhealthscienceactivities sion Area, forthefirsttime, theUSGShasafocalpointthat (DOI) StrategicPlan(U.S. DepartmentoftheInterior, 2010). foundation forUSGSsupportoftheDepartmentInterior Wildlife inHumanHealth cally onthechaptertitled 2007). This EnvironmentalHealthstrategyisbased specifi Science intheDecade2007–2017 Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges—U.S.GeologicalSurvey outlined intheUSGS10-yearBureau-widesciencestrategy: In November2010,theDirectorofUSGScom With theestablishmentofEnvironmentalHealthMis These missionareasbuildonthebroadsciencethemes . This strategyalsoprovidesa The RoleoftheEnvironment and (U.S.GeologicalSurvey, Introduction 7 - - - - - Highlight 8 USGS Environmental Health Science Strategy—Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World

What is Environmental Health Science? pathogens interact to affect an organism’s health (fig. 1). The need for such integration is recognized in the environmental The USGS defines environmental health science as the health science community (Feingold and others, 2010). interdisciplinary study of relations among the quality of the physical environment, the health of the living environment, and human health (fig. 2). The USGS Role in Environmental Health Science • The quality of the physical environment includes the The USGS is a non-management, non-regulatory science physical, chemical, and aesthetic characteristics of agency within the DOI. The Bureau provides impartial and both natural environments (including those affected reliable scientific information on the conditions and health of by human activities) and built environments (such as ecosystems and the environment, on our natural resources, and homes and workplaces). on potential hazards that affect people. The role of USGS in environmental health science is providing scientific informa- • The health of the living environment reflects the tion and tools to environmental, natural resource, agricultural, health of all organisms from microbes to fish, wildlife, and public health managers. The information and tools are and plants. used as a scientific basis for management and policy decision- • People’s health and wellbeing are affected by both the making (fig. 3). In its current strategic plan, DOI states: quality of the physical environments and the health of “Science is a key component of the Department of the other living organisms with which they interact. the Interior mission. The U.S. Geological Survey The quality of our physical environment, the health of our serves as the Department’s primary science orga- living environment, and human health are inextricably linked. nization ... Science is an essential, cross-cutting The interactions among these three spheres are driven by element that assists bureaus in land and resource human activities, ecological processes, and natural earth pro- management and regulation. Department science cesses. These interactions affect exposure to contaminants and also reaches beyond the boundaries of Interior lands pathogens and the severity of environmentally driven diseases and the United States. ... products are available in animals and people. Changes in the environment affect the worldwide to provide credible, applicable, unbiased health of people and wild and domesticated animals. Changes information to inform decisionmaking related to in the health and abundance of wild and domesticated animals ecosystems, climate change, land use change, energy affect human health and wellbeing. The significance of these and mineral assessments, environmental health, interactions to environmental health along with the need for natural hazards, and water resources.” (U.S. Depart- increased collaboration across disciplines increasingly is being ment of the Interior, 2010). acknowledged by public- and animal-health professionals, conservationists, and environmental scientists. USGS specializes in science at the environment-health interface, by characterizing the processes that affect the interaction among the physical environment, the living environment, and people, and the resulting factors that affect ecological and human exposure to disease agents (fig. 2). There are many definitions of environmental health; the definitions vary based on the perspectives and responsibilities of the authors. A value of the broad definition of environmental health science presented herein is that it provides USGS with a framework for synthesizing natural science information from across the Bureau and providing it to environmental, natural resource, agricultural, and public health managers, regulators, and scientists. A major implication of this definition is the integration of the study of infectious and toxicologic disease. The definition acknowledges the need to consider how contaminants and

Figure 2. Environmental health science as the study of the interrelations among the quality of the physical environment, the health of the living environment, and human health. USGS science focuses on the environment-health interface—the interactions among these three spheres. Introduction 9

The role of USGS in environmental health science is to provide scientific information and tools to environmental, natural resource, agricultural, and public health managers. The information and tools are used as a scientific basis for management and policy decisionmaking.

USGS scientists collected environmental data and samples USGS environmental health science activities (1) are at in coastal areas affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil the forefront of identifying wild animal disease reservoirs and spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Photograph by Lori Lewis, USGS. the sources of emerging contaminants; (2) monitor the quality of the environment and the health wildlife at local, regional, and national scales; (3) synthesize critical knowledge about wild animal disease transmission (including to domesticated Although the USGS does not have a direct public health animals and humans); (4) identify the environmental prop- mission, information from these activities contributes directly erties and ecological effects of natural and anthropogenic to the work of partner agencies responsible for safeguarding contaminants; (5) characterize potential human exposure to public health, as well as the health of domesticated animals. contaminants via drinking and recreational water, air, dust, USGS science is useful for defining human exposure to soil, and sediment; (6) evaluate bioaccumulation and toxicity zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, parasites, harmful earth of contaminants to fish and wildlife; and (7) provide capabili- materials, synthetic chemicals and substances, and biogenic ties for geographic analysis and interpretation of environmen- contaminants. Fish and wildlife can act as sentinels that pro- tal data. These agency activities are the foundation of USGS vide valuable insight into threats to human and domesticated environmental health science. animal health.

USGS Environmental Decisionmaking to Safeguard Health Science Research Environmental Health

Science Needs for: • Managing reservoirs of emerging pathogens and sources of emerging Environmentally Driven Diseases contaminants, and protecting the Determining environmental health outcomes in terms associated vulnerable areas of wildlife disease and potential human exposure • Managing the release, mitigation Environmental Disease Agents and remediation of the most Defining contaminant and pathogen sources, occurrence, significant environmental and spread contaminants • Preventing and controlling the Controlling Processes and Factors transmission of infectious diseases Understanding the processes that affect disease among fish and wildlife, agents, exposure, and health outcomes domesticated animals, and humans • Managing the complex interactions of exposure to combinations of pathogens and contaminants Management Feedback • Mitigating the environmental health Management priorities and needs impacts of disasters

Figure 3. The role of USGS in environmental health science, is to provide scientific information and tools to environmental, natural resource, agricultural, and public health agencies for management and policy decisionmaking. Highlight 10 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. environmental healthscienceactivities: public, wildlife,anddomesticanimalresources.USGS safeguarding thehealthofenvironment, The USGSprovidessciencethatisessentialto Why USGS? USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld data inageospatialcontext. Synthesize, analyze,andinterpretenvironmental sediment; and inhalation oforcontactwithair, dust,soil,and water, consumptionoffishandwildlife, contaminants throughdrinkingandrecreational Characterize potentialhumanexposureto contaminants; ecological effectsofnaturalandanthropogenic Identify theenvironmentalpropertiesand and humans; transmission, includingtodomesticatedanimals, Synthesize criticalknowledgeaboutdisease tions ofaquaticandterrestrialspecies. infectious diseasesthataffectnaturalpopula Define thefactorsthatcontrolecologyof national scales; health offishandwildlifeatlocal,regional, Monitor thequalityofenvironmentand contaminants; disease reservoirsandthesourcesofemerging Are attheforefrontofidentifyingwildanimal - mine wastematerials.PhotographbyBriantKimball,USGS. metal inputstoCementCreekfromdrainingminetunnelsand Creek, nearSilverton,Colorado.USGSstudieshelpedquantify The abandonedMogulminecomplexadjacenttoCement many importantsocietalissues. increasingly askedtoserveasimpartialscientificarbitersin customer orcollaborator. As aresult,USGSscientistsare regulators becauseitisnotbeholdentoanyparticular USGS scienceisvaluedbythepublic,industry, and and domesticatedanimals. usual scopeofUSGSactivities,suchasthehealthpeople science todecisionmakers,particularlyinareasoutsideofthe and collaborationwithotherscienceagenciesthatprovide Additionally, itiscriticalforUSGStoimprovecoordination ment ofHomelandSecurity, andtheDepartmentofState. the DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,Depart tration, theDepartmentofDefense,Energy, Agriculture, theNationalOceanicand Atmospheric Adminis mental Protection Agency (U.S.EPA), theU.S.Departmentof local). These includeagencieswithinDOI,theU.S. Environ makers atalllevelsofgovernment(Federal,State, Tribal, and USGS PartnerandStakeholderRelationships http://www.climatechange.alaska.gov/chh.htm Woody, USGS.Moreinformationisavailable onlineat lance inhorses.Photographcourtesy ofCarolAnn and West NileVirus andSt.LouisEncephalitissurveil fecal pathogensknowntocause illnessinhumans; Influenza viruses;monitoringmarinemammalsfor and animalarboviruses;testingBlackBrantforAvian methods fordisposalofmedications;studyingzoonotic trations inhumanhair;promotingenvironment-friendly and humanmercuryexposureasindicatedbyconcen the relationshipbetweennorthernpikeconsumption evaluating contaminantsinsalmonandpike;assessing mining intheBirchCreekWatershed ofcentral,Alaska; quality, andtraceelementsassociatedwithplacer- Group haveincludedassessingthehydrology, water Sub-Cabinet onClimateChange.ActivitiesoftheWork mate ChangeExecutiveRoundtableandtheGovernor’s municates keyprioritiesandneedstotheAlaskaCli of ideas,data,andresearchopportunities,com tium. TheWork Groupmeetstofacilitatetheexchange Agency, andtheAlaskaNativeTribal HealthConsor Social Services,theUSEnvironmentalProtection co-chaired bytheAlaskaDepartmentofHealthand tions. USGSparticipatesintheWork Group,whichis elevate awarenessaboutclimate—healthconnec and technicalassistanceavailabletoAlaskans, intends toimprovethequalityofinformation,services human health,andchangingclimate.TheWork Group explains therelationsamongecosystemimpacts, Work Groupisprovidingscientificinformationthat The AlaskaClimate,EcosystemsandHumanHealth Resources Native AmericanCommunitiesinAlaskaareInseparablyLinkedtoTheirSurroundingNatural USGS providessciencetomanagersandotherdecision . ------nate information. to setpriorities,planandconductjointresearch,dissemi alliances willrequirecooperationandregularcommunication ages betweenscienceneedsandresourceinvestments. These organizations alsowillbeessentialinenablingefficientlink among governmentpartners,academia,andnongovernmental made availableinausefulandtimelymanner. Coordination (3) datagapsareidentifiedandfilled;(4)informationis are enhanced;(2)resourcesleveragedamongpartners; bilities foridentifyingemerging environmentalhealththreats and publichealthagenciesisessentialtoensurethat(1)capa alliances withenvironmental,naturalresource,agricultural, and exploringnewpartnershipopportunities.Fosteringstrong mitted tostrengtheningrelationshipswithestablishedpartners The USGSEnvironmentalHealthMission Area iscom Introduction 11 - - - -

Highlight Highlight 1. capabilities fordatacollection,analysis,andsynthesis. national presenceandinfrastructure;(3)significant ciplinary workforcewithdiverseexpertise;(2)adistributed mental healthscienceissuesisenhancedby(1)aninterdis Core StrengthsandCapabilities Challenges toCoreStrengthsandCapabilities USGS CoreStrengths,Capabilities,andFuture 12 is availableonlineat wells. Photographcourtesyof iStockPhotographs.Moreinformation decisions abouttheuseofdrinking waterfromuntreateddomestic Local healthofficialsandthe public alsouseUSGSdatatomake should beregulatedindrinking waterfrompublicsupplies. Act requirementsfordeterminingwhetherspecificcontaminants taminants inwaterresourcestofulfillpartoftheSafeDrinking Water Protection AgencyusesUSGSdataontheoccurrenceofthese con contaminants insourcesofdrinkingwater. TheU.S. Environmental USGS providesdataatnationalandregionalscalesonunregulated Exposures toChemicalsinDrinkingWater Providing InformationAboutPotential Interdisciplinary workforcewithdiverseexpertise: • • • • • • The abilityofUSGStoaddressawiderangeenviron USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld Expertise relatedtotheeconomicvaluationofecosys Expertise incharacterizingtheenvironmentaland Knowledge oftheinfluenceenvironmentalandearth Expertise inthediagnosis,pathology, epidemiology, Expertise indevelopingindicators(benchmarks)of Expertise incharacterizingthesources,occurrence, tem services. floods, droughts,pandemics,andbiologicalthreats). (earthquakes, volcaniceruptions,hurricanes,wildfires, landslides, andclimaticvariability),disasters activities, naturalprocesses(weathering,erosion, related healtheffects ofawiderangehuman agents. processes onthespreadanddistributionofdisease and terrestrialorganisms. development ofanimalmodelsrelevanttobothaquatic and ecologyofinfectiousdiseases,includingthe environmental health. the environment. impacts ofnaturalandanthropogeniccontaminantsin behavior, toxicologicalcharacteristics,andecological http://health.usgs.gov/dw_contaminants

- - - /. 3. 2. - Capabilities fordataintegration: National presenceandinfrastructure: • • • • • • • • • The abilitytoconductlandscape-scaleassessments Internationally recognizedresearchlaboratoriesthat Databases thatprovidereal-timeandlong-term A nationallydistributedstaff ofscientistswhocollect Project teamswithabroadrangeofscientificexpertise Expertise indevelopingtechniquesandmodelsto Ability tointegrateresearch,data,andknowledge Ability tointegrateandmodelenvironmentaldata Ability tosynthesizespatiallydiverseenvironmental across stateandinternationalboundaries. measure newandunderstudieddiseaseagents. develop andprovidestate-of-the-artmethodsto local tonationalspatialscales. environmental informationanddatarangingfrom sistent protocols. environmental datawithspatiallyandtemporallycon that useinterdisciplinaryapproaches. contaminants. characterize novelandemerging pathogensand environmental healththreatsacrosstheNation. to applyremotelysenseddataandmappingtools monitoring atasitetodevelopmentofapproaches across awiderangeofscalesfrominvestigationand strategies. and compareoutcomesofalternativemanagement on thecausesandeffects ofenvironmentalstressors, human demographics,andlandscapechanges. data withinformationonecosystemcharacteristics,

- (water, sediment,orsoil). in theenvironment,andcontaminated environmentalmedia comes ofspecificchemicals or mixturesofchemicalsfound mechanisms ofactionandpotential adversebiologicalout Broad applicationofsuchtools canindicatethebiological able environmentalsettingsand prioritycontaminants. biological activitywillbeessentialinidentifyingvulner of are potentialenvironmentalhealththreats.Similarly, use assessment ofthewidecombinationsdiseaseagentsthat throughput toolsforgeneticcharacterizationswillenable likely willrequirecompletelynewtechnologies.High- nate theenvironment,suchasengineerednanomaterial, Measuring newsubstancesthatcouldpotentiallycontami levels—measurements thatwerenotpossibleadecadeago. ronmental contaminantsmeasuredatsubpart-per-trillion example ofthisistheabilitytoanalyzeimpactenvi management, andmitigationactions.Perhapsthebest and humanhealtheffects andguidepollutionprevention, at concentrationsnecessarytoassesspotentialecological ties toanticipateandmeasureenvironmentalcontaminants health andnationalsecurity. emerging biohazardousagentsthatthreatenenvironmental with maintainingspecializedlaboratoriestoinvestigate environmental transport.USGSalsowillbechallenged be integratedwithmodelsofphysicalprocessesthataffect and effects ofbiologicallyactivecontaminantswillneedto levels. Chemicalandpharmacologicalmodelingoffate mode ofactionatthecellular, organismal, andpopulation contaminants willrequiremechanisticunderstandingofthe effects ofcontaminantsandtheinteractionsmultiple sensing willbeessential. A completeunderstandingofthe Taking fulladvantageofthenewestcapabilitiesinremote processes, diseaseecology, pathology, andbioinformatics. require increasedexpertiseinatmospheric/meteorological pathogens andcontaminantsofemerging concernwill driven diseases.Understandingthefactorsthatinfluence analysis tounderstandtheepidemiologyofenvironmentally gies relatedto,geneticsandgenomics,modelingrisk relevant, andaddsvaluetodecisionmaking. mechanisms fordeliveringresourcesciencethatistimely, problems. Ultimately, itwillrequirebuildingcapacityand that enableinnovativeapproachestothehighestpriority also requirewiseinvestmentsofresourcesintechnologies with skillsinintegratinginterdisciplinaryscience.Itwill attention tomaintainingatechnicallyproficientworkforce tal healthproblems. The nextdecadewillrequireclose and evolvinginterdisciplinaryapproachestoenvironmen tific technologies,fundamentalscientificunderstanding, Capabilities Future ChallengestoCoreStrengthsand in vitro It willbeessentialforUSGStoachievethecapabili USGS willneedincreasedcapabilitiesandmethodolo USGS willbechallengedbyrapidadvancesinscien bioassaystoscreenenvironmentalsamplesfor ------highest priority scienceneedsforthefuture. investments wiselytoavoidduplication whiletargeting the resources withgovernmentand universitypartnersandmaking vative techniquesandtechnologies. This means leveraging maintain ourcapabilitiesand stay abreastofnewandinno global leaderinthefieldofenvironmental science,wemust specialized laboratorysettings.ForUSGStocontinuebe a requires specializedinstrumentationandequipmentinhighly USGS laboratoriesprovidespecializedexpertiseto Centre andReferenceLaboratories USGS LaboratoriesAreOIECollaborating h Rogall, USGS.Moreinformationisavailableonlineat disease offish.PhotographcourtesyGailMoede- etic necrosis(aviraldisease)andbacterialkidney international expertiseoninfectioushaematopoi Center isanOIEReferenceLaboratorythatprovides in wildlife.TheUSGSWestern FisheriesResearch ing Centreforresearchanddiagnosisofpathogens Wildlife HealthCenterservesasanOIECollaborat specific animalhealthexpertise.TheUSGSNational ence Laboratories–anelitegroupofinstitutionswith is itsnetworkofCollaboratingCentresandRefer and animalproducts.AcriticalcomponentoftheOIE disease incidentsandfacilitatessafetradeofanimals enhances intergovernmentalcoordinationonglobal mal Health(OIE),aninternationalorganizationthat collaboration withtheWorld OrganisationforAni the internationalanimalhealthcommunitythrough Research intotheinfectiousdiseasesoffishandwildlife ttp://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/

and http://wfrc.usgs.gov/ Introduction 13 - - - - . -

Highlight Highlight well asfromscientistsandmanagersacrossUSGS. with significantinputfromabroadrangeofstakeholdersas USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategyweredeveloped ing criteria. science goals. These goalswereidentifiedbyusingthefollow Goals Identifying USGSEnvironmentalHealthScience USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceVision, Mission,andGoals 14 PMFs.html is availableonlineat courtesy ofPatrickPhillips,USGS. Additionalinformation a pharmaceuticalmanufacturing plant.Photograph wastewater treatmentplantreceiving dischargefrom Mill Brook,NewYork, downstreamoftheoutfalla shows USGShydrologictechnicianssamplingHallocks emerging contaminantssincethelate1990’s. Photograph distribution, andeffectsofpharmaceuticalsother a barbiturate.USGShasbeeninvestigatingthesources, drug withdrawal,astimulantprescribedforobesity, and muscle relaxant,anopioidprescribedforpainreliefand charge (Phillipsandothers,2010).Thedrugsincludeda not receivepharmaceuticalmanufacturingfacilitydis wastewater treatmentplantsacrosstheNationthatdo concentrations ofpharmaceuticalsthaneffluentsfrom manufacturing facilitieshad10to1,000timeshigher aquatic environments.Effluentsfromtwowastewatertreatmentplantsthatreceivedischargepharmaceutical USGS discoveredthatpharmaceuticalmanufacturingfacilitiescanbeasignificantsourceofpharmaceuticalsto Manufacturing FacilitiesFoundtoReleasePharmaceuticalsintotheEnvironment The vision,mission,andfivecornerstonegoalsofthe • • • • • This sectiondescribesfiveUSGSenvironmentalhealth USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld The combinedgoalsmustfocusUSGSscienceonthe Each goaloptimizesUSGSopportunitiestoleverage Achieving thegoalisrealisticintermsofstate-of- The USGShasawell-definedroleandthenecessary Achieving thegoalwilladdresscriticalenvironmental Nation. highest priorityenvironmentalhealthissuesfacingthe tural, andpublichealthmanagers. assistance toenvironmental,naturalresource,agricul robust partnershipswith,andprovidecriticaltechnical ing thehealthandprosperityofNation. science, andwillcontributesubstantiallytosafeguard bution toachievingthegoal. interdisciplinary expertisetomakeasignificantcontri health scienceknowledgegaps. . h ttp://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/ - - - - - will providesciencetoachievethefollowingsocietalgoals: use thatinformationtosupportsounddecisionmaking.USGS natural resource,agricultural, and publichealth managers, who ence istocontributescientificinformationenvironmental, Mission ment, fishandwildlife,domesticatedanimals,people. health scienceneededtosafeguardtheofenviron Vision— • • • • • Goal 3: Goal 2: Goal 1: Goal 5: Goal 4: people. ronment, fishandwildlife,domesticatedanimals, and people. environment, fishandwildlife,domesticatedanimals, and pathogensofemerging environmentalconcern. anthropogenic disasters. tal impactsandrelatedhealththreatsofnatural pathogens. and combinedeffects of,exposuretocontaminantsand —The missionofUSGSinenvironmentalhealthsci USGS isapremiersourceoftheenvironmental Reduce theimpactofpathogensonenvi Reduce theimpactofcontaminantson Identify, prioritize,anddetectcontaminants Prepare forandrespondtotheenvironmen Discover thecomplexinteractionsbetween, - - - - aquatic andterrestrial speciestoinfectiouspathogens. diversity) further increasethevulnerability of free-ranging sub-lethal effects ofcontaminantsandreductionsingenetic Other factorsthatreducepopulation resilience(suchasthe syndrome (WNS)inbatpopulations intheUnitedStates. ing effects onwildlife conservation,suchaswhite-nose tion andmitigation. action willbecriticalfortimelyandcost-effective preven increasingly complex,informeddecisionmakingandearly environmental healththreatscontinuestogrowandbecome and anticipateemerging healththreats. As thenumberof a significantscientificgapintheNation’s abilitytoidentify approach thatallowsustoreactpastchanges,butleaves conditions thataffect environmentallydrivendisease—an itoring programstoassesschangesintheenvironmental grow. vulnerability ofourincreasinglyinterconnectedplanetwill continue toincreaseandthatthehealthriskseconomic communities thatthreatsfromemerging diseaseagentswill is agrowingconsensusamongthescientificandhealth including thehealthoffish,wildlife,andpeople. There tute acriticalandgrowingthreattoenvironmentalhealth— Environmental Concern Contaminants andPathogensofEmerging Goal 1:Identify, Prioritize,andDetect by naturelarger inscopeandlevelofresourceinvestment. paratory goals.Goals2,3,and4arefoundationalgoals health scienceneeds.Goals1and5arerapidresponsepre invested; however, theyeachidentifycriticalenvironmental not intendedtobeequalintermsofthelevelresources environmental impactsofdisasters(Goal5). The goalsare be essentialinpreparingforandmitigatingtheadverse understanding gainedinachievingGoals1through4will domesticated animals,andpeople. The knowledgeand protect thehealthofenvironment,fishandwildlife, and addasignificantadditionalcomplicationinefforts to can causeimmediateandprolongedadversehealththreats edges thefactthatnaturalandanthropogenicdisasters exposure tocontaminantsandpathogens.Goal5acknowl surrounding theunderstandingofcombinedeffects of Goal 4 acknowledgestheincreasingbiologicalcomplexity determine effective, long-termmanagementstrategies. assessment activities,andfundamentalknowledgeto 3 areintendedtoprovidethesystematicresearch,national research conductedtoaddressgoals2and3.Goals issues. The resultsfromGoal1willbeusedtoprioritize systematic managementresponsetoenvironmentalhealth from informingpreventionandpreparednesstosupporting to addressenvironmentalhealththreatsinalogicalorder Emerging infectiousdiseasescanhave devastat Historically, scientistshavereliedonestablishedmon Emergence ofenvironmentallydrivendiseasesconsti Goals 1through4areintendedtoprovidescience - - - USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceVision, Mission,andGoals - - - challenge fornatural resourcemanagement. The availability ous threattofish andwildlifeconservation and anincreasing natural regulatorsofwildpopulations; theynowposeaseri Consequently, diseasescannolongersimplyberegardedas Great Lakes Viral HemorrhagicSepticemiaVirus inthe Viral hemorrhagicsepticemiavirus(VHSV)isamong online at ity event,LakeErie.Additionalinformationisavailable Environmental Conservation,showsgizzardshadmortal courtesy ofAndrewNoyes,NewYork Departmentof of thevirustoanaïvepopulationfish.Photograph diversity consistentwitharecent,singleintroduction Great LakesBasinrevealedaverylowlevelofgenetic of morethan100VHSVisolatesfrom37locationsinthe and trackstrainsofthevirus.Geneticsequenceanalysis ovum) transmission,andusingmoleculartoolstoidentify ods fordisinfectionofeggs,testingvertical(intra oping improveddiagnosticmethods,determiningmeth State, FederalandCanadianpartnersfocuseson:devel dolomieu soma cepedianum yellow perch( goby ( masquinongy Ohio. Significantoutbreaksaffectedmuskellunge( and inlandlakesinNewYork, Michigan,Wisconsin,and Lake Ontario,theNiagara,andSt.LawrenceRivers, Lake Huron,Michigan,St.Clair, LakeErie, has beenfoundin31speciesoffishfromLakeSuperior, ing aseriesoflargefishkills.AsJune2011,thevirus 2005–06, VHSVemergedintheGreatLakesBasin,caus ing lossesinbothfreshwaterandmarinespecies.In the mostimportantviralpathogensoffinfish—caus Neogobius melanostomus http://wfrc.usgs.gov/fieldstations/hq/vhs.html ). Work byUSGSscientistsincollaborationwith ), freshwaterdrum( Perca flavescens ) andsmallmouthbass( ), gizzardshad( ), burbot( Aplodinotus grunniens Lota lota Micropterus Doro Esox ), - - - . - - ), - - 15

Highlight Highlight of humans,animals,andfoodproducts. people, wildlife,andlivestock;globalchange;movement tions; expandingurbancenters;increasinginteractionamong health riskswillhavetoconsiderincreasinghumanpopula and others,2008).Inthe21stcentury, approachestoevaluate of thesezoonoticeventsoriginatedinwildlifespecies(Jones from animalsoranimalproducts.Furthermore71.8 percent last centurywerezoonotic—causedbypathogensoriginating public. environmentally unsound,aswellunpalatabletothegeneral are expensive,oftenlackanyassuranceofsuccess,andcanbe vaccines orotherbiologics,andenvironmentalmodification) few optionsthatdoexist(suchaspopulationreduction,useof of effective wildlifediseasemanagementtoolsislimited. The 16 fungicides_streams.html tion isavailableonlineat shows aerialsprayingoffungicides inIowa.Moreinforma registrations. Photographcourtesy ofDanaKolpin,USGS, information isreliedontoguide pesticideusepracticesand as thegutfungiofinsects,isbeinginvestigated.This impact ofthesefungicidesonnon-targetorganisms,such ment. Mixturesoffungicideswerecommon.Thepotential that someofthesefungicidesweredetectedintheenviron areas wheresoybeansaregrown.Thiswasthefirsttime in 20of29U.S.streamssampledduring2005and2006 metalaxyl, propiconazole,myclobutanil,andtebuconazole, detected oneormorefungicides,includingazoxystrobin, significantly since2002.Inarecentstudy, USGSscientists tomatoes. Thenumberoffungicidesusedhasincreased almonds, apples,grapes,lettuce,peanuts,potatoes,and turf andavarietyoffruitvegetablecrops,suchas planted intheUnitedStates.Fungicidesarealsousedon of the89millionhectarescorn,soybean,andwheat cides increasedfromlessthan2percentto25–30 In a5-yearperiod(2004to2009),theapplicationoffungi Implications ofNewFungicidesinStreams Most (60.3percent)emerging diseasesidentifiedinthe USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld . http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/ - - - - experience withlegacycontaminants,suchaspersistent or noavailabledataisextremelychallenging.Ourpast contaminants thatarenewlydevelopedandhavelimited levels ofconcern.Gatheringknowledgeonpotential (2) whetherthereisriskofexposureatorabovethe levels atwhichexposureposesahealthconcern,and human healthconcernrequiresdetermining(1) the contaminants thatconstitutesignificantecologicaland detection, andrapidresponsewhennewdiseasesarise. the globe,emphasizingneedforprediction,early are examplesofdiseasesthatcanspreadrapidlyacross enza andSevere Acute RespiratorySyndrome(SARS) the H5N1 Asian strainofhighlypathogenicavianinflu have severeecologicalandeconomicimpacts.Similarly, into theUnitedStatescanbedifficulttocontroland virus, theintroductionofanon-nativeinvasivepathogen immunity tothepathogen. As illustratedby West Nile and humanpopulationsarelesslikelytohavedeveloped tious diseasesareofparticularconcernbecauseanimal behavior anddegradationbyproducts. generally suffer from alackofknowledgetransport and useofpharmaceuticalsin animalagriculture,and from manufacturingfacilities, land-appliedbiosolids, adequately addressedpotential pharmaceuticallosses models ofpharmaceuticalsin theenvironmenthavenot source pathwaysandtransportprocesses.Forexample, contaminants arechallengedbythecomplexitiesof models thatpredicttheoccurrenceofenvironmental evaluation asapotentialhealthconcern.Furthermore, homes canentertheenvironmentandwarrantserious even chemicalsthatweuseinverysmallamountsour streams (Kolpinandothers,2002)demonstratedthat spread occurrenceofpharmaceuticalsintheNation’s emerging environmentalissues. The discoveryofwide demonstrated theneedforscientificvigilanceregarding crine-disrupting chemicalsintheenvironmenthas only continuetogrowinmagnitudeandcomplexity. information tosupportthismanagementapproachwill mental contaminantsisessential. The needforscientific and rapidresponsetodiscoveryofemerging environ concerns beforeuseofachemical,pollutionprevention, sizes recognitionofpotentialenvironmentalhealth pected. Therefore, amanagementapproachthatempha environment oranadversetoxicologiceffect issus is onlyrecognizedafteracontaminantobservedinthe sible. Inmanycases,however, theneedforinformation remediation canbeexpensiveanddifficult,ifnotimpos released intotheenvironment,management,removalor able environmentalbehavior, hasshownthatonce systems, andcontaminantsthatdonotexhibitpredict sediment, contaminantsthatenterlarge groundwater organic pollutants,contaminantsthatassociatewith The identificationoftheemerging environmental Emerging threatsfromnon-nativeandnovelinfec Our experiencewithpharmaceuticalsandendo ------management action. environmental health threats,andenabletimely, proactive tific communityontheNation’s highestpriorityemerging from theseefforts will helpfocustheattentionofscien ronmental settings,ecosystems, andspecies.Information develop approachesandtools thatidentifyvulnerableenvi provide earlywarningofemerging healththreats,and(3) activities, (2)conductsurveillanceandmonitoringto of emerging concerntoguideresearchandmanagement Strategic ScienceActions Priority ScienceQuestions toxicologic effects onhumansandotherorganisms. poorly understood,andlittleisknownabouttheirpotential of thesetechnologicallyimportantchemicalsandmetalsare rare earthelements. The environmentalbehaviorofmany chemicals orexoticmetalssuchastellurium,gallium,and gies mayrequireincreasedconsumptionofnewsynthetic opment anduseofnanomaterial.Manythesetechnolo to foodproduction,andtheincreasinglywidespreaddevel als intelecommunicationsandelectronics,newapproaches mineral andenergy resourceextraction,useofnewmateri include newformsofenergy production,newmethodsof ogies andmaterialstoenhanceourwayoflife. These can USGS will(1)prioritizecontaminantsandpathogens • • • • • • • Society iscontinuallydevelopingdiversenewtechnol Can sentinelorganisms beused toprovidean Which hostspeciesand(or)regionsaremostat-risk What factorspromotethemovementandestablish What istheriskofexposuretoemerging con What newclassesofcontaminantsand(or)path What arethemajorsourcesofemerging contami How doweidentifyemerging contaminantsand diseases? early warningofemerging environmentallydriven of introductionhigh-consequencediseases? ment ofnewpathogens? outcomes? taminants anddoweanticipateadversebiological occur inthenextdecade? ways ofcontaminationtotheenvironmentwill will theychangeinthefuture? nants orreservoirsofemerging pathogens,andhow ecological, andhumanhealththreats? pathogens thatarelikelytobecomeenvironmental, - - - - - USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceVision, Mission,andGoals - - - - - management activities. gens ofemerging concerntoguideresearch,detection,and Strategic Science Action 1. • humans. TheH5N1viruscontinuestoreemergeacross devastate wildbirdpopulationsandinfectpoultry Highly pathogenicavianinfluenza(HPAI H5N1)can Tracking WildBirdsandAvian Influenza being releasedinKoonthankulumSanctuary, India. global positioningsystem(GPS)satellitetransmitter goose ( courtesy ofJohnTakekawa, USGS,showsabar-headed States andourchancesofearlydetection.Photograph ity toassesstheriskofHPAI H5N1enteringtheUnited within Alaska.Thissurveillanceworkimprovesourabil the virusalongmigratoryroutestoUnitedStatesand source ofHPAI H5N1), andconductingsurveillancefor ments ofwaterfowlandshorebirdswithinAsia(thelikely ners havebeenusingsatellitetelemetrytotrackmove possibly leadingtoapandemic.TheUSGSanditspart the H5N1couldmutateintoamoretransmissibleform, ted betweenhumans,publichealthofficialsworrythat poultry. Althoughthediseaseisnotefficientlytransmit has ledtothecullingofmorethan250milliondomestic killed morethan340people,including18in2010,and much ofEurasiaandAfrica.Since2003,HPAI H5N1has Coordinate withotherFederalagenciestodevelop develop measurement methodsandfieldefforts toidentify tial healthconcerns. USGSwillusethisprioritization to effective prioritizationbasedonthemost likelypoten lead efforts tointegrate suchinformationandapplyitto agencies. USGSwillencourage, andwhereappropriate, oritization isdistributedwidely amongmultipleFederal emerging concern.Ensureinformation essentialforpri methods forprioritizingpathogensandcontaminantsof Anser indicus —Prioritize contaminantsandpatho ) equippedwithaminiaturized ------17

Highlight 18 USGS Environmental Health Science Strategy—Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World

and monitor contaminants and pathogens of emerging • Identify environmental contaminants of emerging concern. concern by combining (1) environmental monitoring data, which define the concentrations and mixtures • Utilize knowledge of the chemical life cycles and other of contaminants to which ecosystems and people are substances to identify point-source and nonpoint- exposed, and (2) the results of screening tools, which source pathways of release to the environment. Use estimate biological activity of contaminants and con- this knowledge to inform the design of monitoring taminant mixtures. efforts intended to identify which contaminants enter the environment, the pathways to the environment that may be of significant concern, and the complex Strategic Science Action 3.—Develop approaches and tools contaminant mixtures that may enter the environment that identify vulnerable environmental settings, ecosystems, via these pathways. and species. • Enhance USGS disease diagnostic capabilities to • Develop models and other forecasting tools that iden- provide early detection of emerging environmentally tify emerging environmental health threats, vulnerable driven diseases in aquatic and terrestrial organisms that ecosystems, susceptible species, and pathways for will be used for systematic disease surveillance. human exposure. Models of contaminants will build upon existing knowledge of contaminant sources and • Improve capabilities to conduct forensic studies to the hydrologic, atmospheric, and geologic processes identify unknown contaminants and contaminant mix- that affect the transport and fate of contaminants in tures in various environmental samples to aid in the the environment. Models of pathogens should build identification of contaminants that enter and persist in upon existing knowledge of disease reservoirs and the environmental media. environmental factors that affect disease epidemiology • Develop screening tools to test for the biological and etiology. activity of contaminated environmental media, and • Provide decisionmakers and other stakeholders with work with other Federal agencies, including NIEHS access to the latest USGS information on emerging and U.S. EPA, which are developing and applying environmental health threats within the decision frame- high-throughput screening techniques to evaluate the biological activity of individual chemicals. work that the information is used and using bioinfor- matics to increase availability and usability.

Strategic Science Action 2.—Conduct research, surveillance, and monitoring to provide early warning of emerging health Outcomes and Relevance threats. • Conduct surveillance and monitoring to establish Prevention of environmentally driven disease (resulting baseline conditions of environmentally driven disease from exposure to environmental contaminants and pathogens) and disease agents, and measure trends; develop the is the ultimate desired outcome of the aforementioned USGS needed measurement methods and field approaches; strategic science actions. However, agents of environmentally and rely on indicators to identify multiple sources and driven disease are often released into the environment before the associated mixtures of contaminants and pathogens management actions can prevent that from happening. There- in the environment. fore, the information and tools resulting from these actions also are intended to identify high-risk environmental settings • Develop and implement real-time monitoring and sur- and populations, to guide response activities, and to minimize veillance techniques that employ indicators of potential environmentally driven disease. Environmental data on new health threats and can be used specifically to provide or emerging environmental health threats, risk-analysis and early warning of rapid-onset threats, such as to drink- disease-management tools, information on potential exposure ing water or biosecurity. pathways, and improved knowledge of pathogen reservoirs • Utilize risk analysis, statistical, and epidemiological and contaminant sources are all essential to effective, proac- techniques to target surveillance and mitigation activi- tive, preventive management strategies and will enable manag- ties to the geographic areas and populations with the ers to prevent or minimize environmental contamination and highest likelihood of disease emergence. respond rapidly to emerging diseases. USGS Environmental Health Science Vision, Mission, and Goals 19

Goal 2: Reduce the Impact of Contaminants Many natural and anthropogenic contaminants can have on the Environment, Fish and Wildlife, toxic effects on individual organisms and adversely affect populations, ecosystems, and thus environmental health. Whether Domesticated Animals, and People a particular contaminant is harmful to wildlife or human health depends on the contaminant’s chemical form, concentration, Modern human societies produce large amounts of a and toxicity in the environmental media (such as soils, water, diverse array of chemicals and other substances that are used in manufacturing, agriculture, medical treatment, transporta- or air) through which organisms are exposed. Other factors tion, construction, and other applications. There are many that influence the adverse effects of these contaminants include pathways by which contaminants can enter the environment the susceptibility of individuals and the frequency and (or) (fig. 4). Some of these substances, such as fertilizers and duration of exposure to contaminated media (U.S. Environ- pesticides, are intentionally released into the environment and mental Protection Agency, 2008). Furthermore, the sensitivity can become problematic if improperly used or handled. Other of an organism to a contaminant can be significantly different chemicals or substances are released into the environment at different life stages. Often, embryonic, prenatal, perinatal, as byproducts of human activities and can be problematic, or juvenile life stages are the most sensitive to contaminant such as wastes from fossil fuel combustion, and numerous exposures, which can affect development of individuals later chemicals found in household products associated with treated in life as well as future generations. However, all life stages wastewaters (for example detergents, fire retardants, and can include critical biological processes that can be disrupted pharmaceuticals). Additional contaminants, such as metals, by contaminant exposure. Thus, exposure histories of aquatic minerals, petroleum products, solvents, and other commer- and terrestrial organisms as well as humans are an important cial or industrial substances, are not intended for release but part of identifying mechanisms of biological activity, suscep- nevertheless find their way into the environment because of tible life stages, and thresholds for adverse impacts. unintended, accidental, or malicious releases. Finally, naturally The manner in which organisms are exposed to natural or occurring earth processes such as volcanic eruptions, earth- anthropogenic contaminants depends on a spectrum of factors quakes, erosion by wind and water, and chemical weathering and processes. These factors include sources and loads of con- of rocks also deliver mineral, chemical, and radionuclide taminants to the environment; the physical and biogeochemi- contamination to the environment. cal mechanisms that transport the contaminants from the point

Cropland with applied pesticides, Stack Industrial manure, biosolids Waste water emissions discharges and and fertilizer treatment plant WIND D urban runoff WIN discharge

FF UNO R RU NOFF Mine and mineralized Residential rock drainage leach and Animal feeding septic RUNOFF operations

SEEPAGE SEEPAGE SEEPAGE

WATER TABLE WATER TABLE

Figure 4. Environmental contaminant source and transport pathways. Highlight the timingofexposure,especiallyintermssensitive,early experience withEDCsalsohasreinforcedtheimportanceof adverse ecologicalhealtheffects (Kiddandothers,2007).Our EDCs atconcentrationsthatare1,000timeslowercanhave largely atconcentrationsabove appb,exposuretopotent mon knowledgeindicatedthatadversehealtheffects occurred chemicals cancausesignificantadverseeffects. Whilecom very low(subpart-perbillion,ppb)concentrationsofsome erations forenvironmentalcontaminants;ithasshownthat (EDCs) hasdemonstratedseveralnewandimportantconsid- exposed. mixtures foundintheenvironmenttowhichorganisms are the contaminantandresultingbyproducts; of releasetothepointexposure;chemicalspeciation 20 pdf. Docs/bass_intersex-09-rev. UploadedFiles/External- cerc.usgs.gov/Assets/ able onlineathttp://www. More informationisavail- wildlife andhumanhealth. environment andtoprotect mize releaseofEDCstothe resource managerstomini- science isbeingusedby fish populations.This tions ofEDCsthataffect and thresholdconcentra- and endocrinedisruption, between exposuretoEDCs cause-and-effect linkages anomalies (intersex),the fish kills,reproductive investigations document tions intheU.S.Thesefield Grande, andotherloca- River, BoulderCreek,Rio continue inthePotomac endocrine disruptioninfish geted fieldinvestigationsof intersex insmallmouthbass(SMB),largemouth(LMB)andotherfishacrosstheNation(Hinckothers,2009). Tar- anomalies, suchasintersex,infishpopulationsbelievedtobeassociatedwithEDCs.Thegraphicshowstheoccurrence of rence ofsomeEDCsingroundandsurfacewatersacrosstheNation.USGShasalsobeeninvestigatingreproductive mimic orblockthefunctionofnaturalhormoneswithinanorganism.USGSscientistshaveidentifiedsourcesandoccur- synthetic hormonesandotherchemicalsusedincommercialproducts,householdagriculture,which can EDCs includenaturallyoccurringchemicalsproducedbyanimals(hormones)andplants(phytoestrogens),aswell fere withnormalfunctionoftheendocrinesystem,thusalteringreproduction,development,andimmunesystemintegrity. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals(EDCs)areimportantenvironmentalcontaminantsbecausetheyhavetheabilitytointer- Endocrine DisruptioninFishPopulations Our experiencewithendocrine-disruptingchemicals USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld - Protection Agency,2010). using thesamemethodsandapproaches(U.S.Environmental similar healthendpoints,andcanbemeasuredtreated new strategyfocusesoncontaminantsingroupsthathave than oneatatimetoenhancedrinking-waterprotection. The water strategythataddressescontaminantsasgroupsrather contaminant islow. The U.S.EPA hasadoptedanewdrinking- and others,2005),evenwhenthelevelofeachindividual than, theeffects ofexposuretoindividualcontaminants(Brian mixtures canbesignificantlydifferent, andsometimesgreater been demonstratedthattheeffects ofexposuretocontaminant (Diamanti-Kandarakis andothers,2009). Additionally, ithas to developmentcanhavesignificantimpactslaterinlife life stages,whendisruptionofchemicalsignalingrelated Priority ScienceQuestions stages. the susceptibilityandsensitivityoforganisms atdifferent life toxicologic characteristics,exposureroutestoorganisms, and and anthropogeniccontaminants,theirphysical,chemical, the needtounderstandlinkagesbetweensourcesofnatural to addressavarietyofprioritysciencequestionsthatfocuson mental contaminants. As aresult,theUSGSiswellpositioned and toxicologicimplicationsofhumanexposurestoenviron- is askedtohelppublichealthscientistsunderstandthenature through variousenvironmentalmedia. The USGSfrequently on aquaticandterrestrialorganisms, andhumanexposure contaminant transportandfate,theeffects ofcontaminants the causesandmechanismsofenvironmentalcontamination, Additional Informationisavailable onlineathttp://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/pacific_mercury.html. Thompson (OfficeofNavalResearch) loweringa“rosette”of12Niskinbottlestosample wateratvariousoceandepths. sions. Thephotograph,courtesy ofWilliamLanding,FloridaStateUniversity, showsscientistsonthevesselR/VThomasG. between sourcesandexposure helpsdecisionmakersevaluatethetrade-offsbetween human exposureandfutureemis- rates continueasprojected.Understanding thelinkage tional 50percentincreaseby2050ifmercuryemission 30 percentinthepast20years,andestimatedanaddi- concentrations inthePacificOceanhaveincreasedby previously thought.Theauthorsshowedthatmercury far moreresponsivetochangesinmercuryloadingthan able fish)anddocumenthowlargewaterbodiescanbe contemporaneous sourcestohumanexposure(consum- that accumulatesinfoodwebs.Thesefindingslink verted tomethylmercury, ahighlytoxicformofmercury deposited tooceanssettlesdepthswhereitiscon- is recentatmosphericmercuryemissions.Mercury by theUSGSanditspartnersrevealedcausalsource deep-sea vents.Aparadigm-changingstudyconducted the primarymercurysourcewasgeologic,suchasfrom the PacificOcean.Untilrecently, itwasbelievedthat by U.S.citizensresultsfromtheconsumptionoffish About 40percentofallmercuryexposureexperienced Anthropogenic SourcesofMercuryandMethylmercuryIdentifiedintheNorthPacificOcean Whatarethemostimportantsourcesofcontaminants • Whatclassesofnaturalandanthropogeniccontami- • The USGShasawell-establishedroleincharacterizing rate contaminantsources? settings, reflectinganintegrationofnumerousdispa nant mixturesareobservedincommonenvironmental mitigate environmentalcontamination? What contami- to theenvironment,andwhatactionscanbetaken organisms andhumans? mental qualityandthehealthofaquaticterrestrial nants havethegreatestlong-termimpactonenviron- USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceVision, Mission,andGoals - Whatbiologicaloutcomeshavepopulation-level • Whatbiologicaloutcomes(forexample,behavioral, • Whataretheacuteandchronicthresholdsforadverse • Whatarethemodesofactioncontaminantsonvul- • • Howdoesthechemicalspeciesorformofacon- • What environmentalprocessesandfactorsinfluence effects? contamination? of aquaticandterrestrialorganisms toenvironmental reproductive, anddevelopmental)resultfromexposure term low-levelexposures? stages? Howdoweassessthepotentialimpactoflong- and contaminantmixtures—includingatsensitivelife terrestrial organisms forbothindividualcontaminants health effects (bothlethalandsublethal)inaquatic biologically? modes ofaction,andhowwillcontaminantsinteract nerable organisms, whichcontaminantshavesimilar exposure? ment andthevulnerabilityoforganisms tocontaminant the transportandfateofcontaminantsinenviron- adverse healtheffects onexposedorganisms? distribution andpersistenceintheenvironment,its taminant andtheassociatedpropertiesinfluenceits

Highlight Highlight contamination. tal contaminantstoguideefforts tomanageandmitigate the sources,occurrence,transport,andfateofenvironmen Strategic Science Action 1. tial humanexposure. domesticated animals,andpeople,(3)characterizepoten tamination tothehealthofenvironment,fishandwildlife, contaminants, (2)evaluatethethreatofenvironmentalcon sources, occurrence,transport,andfateofenvironmental the Nation.USGSwill(1)systematicallycharacterize support andgeneralizeresultstoothersimilarsettingsacross tory andmodelingstudiesaredesignedimplementedto field-based studiesprovideafoundationuponwhichlabora pose themostsignificantenvironmentalhealththreat.USGS tal circumstancesarenotcommonortypical;however, they unusual circumstances.Oftenthemostimportantenvironmen field-based studiesareintendedtoidentifybothcommonand environmental conditionsacrossnumeroussettings.USGS a basisinfieldstudiesthatcharacterizetherangeofactual Strategic ScienceActions 22 modeled]. than 5.0 µg/Linorange;grayisnot blue; 0.5to5.0 µg/Linyellow;more 0.5 micrograms perliter(µg/L)in ductive effectsinfish[lessthan above thethresholdsforrepro of atrazineinsurfacewaterare country wheretheconcentrations map identifieslargeregionsofthe toxicity thresholds.Theresulting others, 2008)tocomparefish zine insurfacewater(Stoneand average concentrationsofatra modeled annualmaximum21-day minnows bydisruptingeggproduction(Tillitt andothers,2010).To estimatetheriskthatatrazineposestonativefish,USGS USGS scientistsfoundthatatrazine,oneofthemostwidely usedpesticidesintheNation,reducedreproductionfathead Pesticides andRisktoFishReproduction • A strengthofUSGSenvironmentalhealthactivities is USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld Characterize thenationaloccurrenceanddistribution species andat-riskhumanpopulations. surface water, sediment,andtissue)invulnerable in variousenvironmentalmedia(air, soil,dust,rock, including thequantificationofcontaminantmixtures taminant sourcesandarangeofexposurepathways, environmental settingsthatintegratenumerouscon of prioritynaturalandanthropogeniccontaminantsin —Systematically characterize ------associated managementandprotectionefforts. and wildlife,domesticatedanimals,people,informthe mental contaminationtothehealthofenvironment,fish Strategic Science Action 2. • • • • • Identify environmentalsettingsandgeographicareas Develop contaminantoccurrenceanddistributionmod Identify andquantifythephysicalbiogeochemi Provide anationalassessmentofpoint,nonpoint,and Conduct coordinatedfieldandlaboratorystudiesthat that areparticularlyvulnerabletoenvironmentalcon how tomanageexistingcontamination. taminant releasestotheenvironment,anddetermine exposure pathways,determinehowtomitigatecon tify importantenvironmentalcontaminants,quantify occurrence, properties,andtransportprocessestoiden els thatintegrateknowledgeofcontaminantsources, sphere. environments, terrestrialandtheatmo and fateofenvironmentalcontaminantswithinaquatic cal processesthataffect thetransport,transformation, environmental occurrencedata. from varioussources,andrelatesthatinformationto which documentsthecontaminantmixturesandloads natural contaminationsourcestotheenvironment, individual contaminantsandmixtures,(3)identify ronmental media,(2)definetoxicitythresholdsfor (1) defineexposureroutesthroughvariousenvi human populationsassociatedwiththesesettings. tamination andidentifyvulnerablespeciesat-risk —Evaluate thethreatofenviron Estimated maximum21-day micrograms perliter tration ofatrazine,in moving-average concen- EXPLANATION > 50.0 > 5.0-50.0 0.5 -5.0 < 0.5 Not modeled ------USGS Environmental Health Science Vision, Mission, and Goals 23

critical life stages of contaminant exposure in vulner- • Quantify the performance of selected treatment able aquatic and terrestrial species. technologies designed to reduce human exposure to contaminants, particularly drinking-water treatment • Characterize the potential additive, synergistic, technologies. antagonistic, and potentiating effects of contaminants commonly found to co-occur in the environment, and integrate this knowledge into assessments and models Outcomes and Relevance of susceptibility, vulnerability, and the range of antici- pated biological outcomes for aquatic and terrestrial These strategic science actions will provide new tools organisms. and fundamental knowledge for managing the release, mitigation, and remediation of the most significant environmental • Identify frequently detected contaminants for which contamination problems facing the Nation in the next decade. toxicity benchmarks are not available, and collaborate An integrated understanding of contaminant sources, mobil- with partner agencies to prioritize the development of ity, bioavailability, and physiological impacts will enable benchmarks for targeted contaminants. effective management actions that minimize contaminant releases and their adverse health effects. Specifically, these • Construct models designed to predict the effects of actions will (1) enable research to focus on the highest prior- contaminant exposure on populations of aquatic and ity environmental contaminants, (2) inform management terrestrial organisms. and regulatory actions that prevent or mitigate contaminant releases, (3) enable research and development to focus on Strategic Science Action 3.—Characterize potential human the most needed improvements in treatment technologies exposure to support establishment of health standards and and best management practices, (4) provide information that contamination-reduction efforts. enables effective definition of water-quality criteria and other environmental health criteria, (5) enable wildlife conservation • Define potential human exposures to contaminants and ecosystem restoration activities to target the most vulner- for a range of exposure pathways, including drink- able environmental settings and species, (6) enable wildlife ing water, recreational water, inhalation and dermal scientists to better characterize and mitigate adverse health contact with contaminated air, aerosols, dusts, soils and effects, and (7) provide public health managers with improved sediments, and selected foods. Support assessments of knowledge of human exposure to environmental contaminants. total exposure, and to prioritize efforts that will have Providing this scientific information to government agencies, the most significant impact on reducing total human industry, and the public will be essential to overall efforts to exposure. safeguard the health of the environment.

USGS scientists prepare to collect environmental samples at Orange Beach, Alabama following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Photograph by Lori Lewis, USGS. Highlight 24 organisms. Changesinthedistribution,patterns,orseverity mitigating population-levelimpactsonaquaticandterrestrial tion, transmission,andseverityofthesediseasesiscriticalfor organisms. Understandingthefactorsthataffect thedistribu are animportantcauseofmorbidityandmortalityforall Animals, andPeople Environment, FishandWildlife,Domesticated Goal 3:ReducetheImpactofPathogenson esajournals.org/doi/full/10.1890/06-1603 More informationisavailable onlineat Camp CreekFeedGroundinnorthwestern Wyoming. of PaulCross,USGS,showselk congregatingonthe of brucellosisinelkandbison. Photograph,courtesy egy andalternativemethodsto reducetheprevalence researchers areworkingwithmanagersonthisstrat reduce brucellosisbyaroundtwo-thirds.USGS conflict. Reducingartificialfeedingby30daysmay regions, increasingthepotentialforwildlife-livestock lence inelk( have foundthatbrucellosisisincreasinginpreva USGS researchersandpartnersinstateagencies reservoir of cattle, andtheGreaterYellowstone Regionisthelast control efforts,brucellosisisalmosteradicatedin bison populationselsewhere.Afterover70yearsof by brucellosis,theycannotbeusedtoestablishnew populations; however, sincetheyarealsoinfected bison areoneofthefewgeneticallyunaltered cattle tobison( Region, brucellosiswasprobablyintroducedfrom infections worldwide.IntheGreaterYellowstone and wildlifeisamongthemostcommonzoonotic Brucellosis isachronicbacterialdiseaseinlivestock Brucellosis inWildlifeandLivestock Environmentally drivendiseasescausedbypathogens USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld Brucella abortus Cervus elaphus Bison bison ) priorto1917.Yellowstone ) andexpandingintonew intheUnitedStates. http://www. . - - - tions; nativefishandwildlifecanactasreservoirsfor infectious diseasesfrequentlyoccurfirstinwildpopula wildlife, domesticatedanimals,andpeople(fig. 5).Novel influence theoccurrenceanddistributionofdiseasesamong animals andpeople. A varietyoftransmissionpathways in earthandenvironmentalprocessesaffect thehealthof a significantgapinourunderstandingofhowchanges tions inonecanadverselyaffect theothers,butthereis tion, 2008; World HealthOrganization, 2011). Perturba inextricably linked(American Veterinary Medical Associa the healthofhumans,animals,andenvironmentare States andworldhealthagencieshaveacknowledgedthat and transmission. groundwater, andsurfacewater)alsoaffect diseasespread changes incommonenvironmentalreservoirs(soil,dust, cies. Microbialandparasiticadaptationevolution in hostdensity, andtheintroductionofnon-nativespe aquacultural practices, habitat loss, climate change, changes such asincreasedglobaltradeandtravel,agricultural of establisheddiseasescanresultfromavarietyfactors Priority ScienceQuestions aquaculture. and infectiousdiseasesaffecting domesticagricultureor the healthofnativefishandwildlife,zoonoticdiseases, State, Tribal andnon-profitorganizations withinterests in lates. ResearchisbeingdonecollaborativelywithFederal, transport ofpathogensbywaterandatmosphericparticu fish andwildlife,aswellexpertiseintheoccurrence nationally recognizedexpertiseininfectiousdiseasesof nants. USGShasspecializedlaboratoryfacilitiesandinter airborne contaminants,andbioaccumulationofcontami including vector-borne andzoonoticdiseases,water on keyfish,wildlife,human,andecologicalhealthissues USGS hasongoingresearchandvaluablestoresofdata disease occurrenceinterrestrialandaquaticecosystems. geologic, hydrologic,andanthropogenicfactorsinfluencing in black-footedferrets). species (forexample,caninedistemperandsylvaticplague as thesurvivalorrecoveryofthreatenedandendangered mycosis inamphibians,andaspergillus incorals) aswell ecosystem function(forexample, WNS inbats,chytridio tant fromaconservationperspective. They canimpede example, tuberculosis).Infectiousdiseasesarealsoimpor wild populationsfromhumansordomesticatedanimals(for plague). Alternatively, otherdiseasescan“spillback” into hemorrhagic septicemia)orhumans(forexample,bubonic into domesticatedanimals(forexample,brucellosisorviral pathogens intheenvironmentthatcanthen“spillover” In thenewparadigmof“OneHealth,”United • This goalbuildsuponUSGSexpertiseinecologic, What environmentalfactorsinfluence theoccur dynamics ofwildlife diseasesaffecting free-ranging rence andcontrolthedistribution, severity, and ------Figure 5. pests (Boylesandothers,2011). WhydidWNSemergeinNewYork, andwhyisit solethaltobats?Answerstheseques North Americawereestimatedtobeworth$22.9billionper yeartotheagriculturalindustryduetheirdietofinsectcrop are likelytohavesignificanteconomicimpactsintermsof crop lossesandincreasedpesticideuse.Insectivorousbatsin culture andforestry. Asaresult,decliningbatpopulations humans andanimals.Insectpopulationsalsoaffectagri mosquitoes, transmitdiseases,suchasWest Nile virus,to up to1,200 mosquitoesin1hour. Manyinsects,suchas health, batsareprimaryinsectpredatorsandcaneat ity. AlthoughWNSdoesnotposeadirectthreattohuman provinces ofCanada,oftenresultingin100percentmortal and continuestomoveintotheMidwest,Southeast, new diseasespreadrapidlythroughouttheNortheast is causedbyanovelfungus( York. USGSandcollaboratorslaterdeterminedthatWNS devastating coloniesofhibernatingbatsnearAlbany, New quently named“white-nosesyndrome”(WNS)began During 2006–2007,adiseaseofunknownorigin,subse White-Nose SyndromeinBats available onlineat nating inacaveNewYork State.Mosthavethewhitefungalgrowthtypicalof WNSontheirmuzzles.Moreinformationis of NancyHeaslip,NewYork DepartmentofEnvironmentalConservation,shows little brownbats( tions willbecriticalincontrolling thisdiseaseaswellpreventingthenextemergingdisease. Thephotograph,courtesy • • Crows In whatwaysareinfectiousdiseasesimpactingthe What environmentalfactorsdrivetheevolutionof cies, aswellthenaturalfunctioningofecosystems? health orrecoveryofthreatenedandendangeredspe pathogens affecting aquaticandterrestrialspecies? cated animals? populations, andconsequently, peopleanddomesti

I nfectious diseasetransmissionpathways MOSQUITO-BORNE h ttp://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/white-nose_syndrome/index.jsp Mosquitos Geomyces destructans Humans WILDLIFE WILDLIFE . Ticks TICK-BORNE ). This - USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceVision, Mission,andGoals - - - - Mice • • What arethepathways,riskfactors,andpotentialcon What aretheexposurepathways,riskfactors,and infectious agentsbetweenwildlifeandhumans? potential controlstrategiesthataffect transmissionof and aquaculture,viceversa? aquatic andterrestrialwildlifereservoirstoagriculture trol strategiesthataffect transmissionofdiseasesfrom Deer DIRECT Pigs AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE AQUACULTURE AQUACULTURE Chickens Myotis lucifugus . WATER-BORNE Fish farm ) hiber Native fish - - 25 -

Highlight Highlight and humans,(3)developsurveillancesystemstoidentify terrestrial speciesandpotentialtransmissiontootheranimals distribution andseverityofinfectiousdiseasesinaquatic natural andanthropogenicenvironmentalchangesaffect the transmission tootheranimalsandhumans,(2)establishhow populations ofaquaticandterrestrialspeciespotential tors thatcontroltheecologyofinfectiousdiseasesinnatural etiology. USGSwill(1)determine thebioticandabioticfac and ecologicalfactorsthataffect diseaseepidemiologyand teams capableofassessingthecomplexityenvironmental this goalwilldependupondevelopmentofinterdisciplinary Strategic ScienceActions 26 h watersheds. Moreinformation isavailableonlineat potential impactsofBKDonwild salmonidsinthesame smolts beforeandafterrelease, andareductioninthe elsewhere, resultinginincreased survivalofhatchery BKD inthewesternUnitedStates,GreatLakes,and approach hasproventobeapowerfultoolforreducing from femaleparentswithhighinfectionlevels.This USGS scientists,andtosegregateordestroyprogeny linked immunosorbentassay(ELISA)developedby female parentsforthebacteriausinganenzyme- hatchery practiceforChinooksalmonistoscreen grams formonitoringandcontrollingBKD.Astandard rearing Pacificsalmonhaveadoptedaggressivepro a salmonwithclinicalsignsofBKD.Mosthatcheries photograph, courtesyofDianeElliott,USGS,shows and antibiotictherapyisonlypartiallyeffective.The in hatcheriesbecauseeffectivevaccinesdonotexist ( cially detrimentaltopopulationsofChinooksalmon upon theirentryintoseawater. Thediseaseisespe that juvenileanadromoussalmonidsmaydieofBKD State andtribalhatcheries,evidenceindicates nearby fish.BKDcausesmajorlossesinFederal, mitted bothtoprogenyandthroughthewater chronic, systemicdiseaseofPacificsalmontrans BKD, causedby (BKD) inChinookSalmon Reduction ofBacterialKidneyDisease Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ttp://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1577/M09-044.1 A majorfocusoftheactivitiesconductedtoachieve USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld Renibacterium salmoninarum ). Itisdifficulttocontrol , isa - - - . - potential transmissiontootheranimalsandhumans. in naturalpopulationsofaquaticandterrestrialspecies otic factorsthatcontroltheecologyofinfectiousdiseases Strategic Science Action 1.— areas. changing patternsofdiseaseactivityinprioritygeographic transmission tootheranimalsandhumans. lations ofaquaticandterrestrialspeciespotential tion andseverityofinfectiousdiseasesinnaturalpopu anthropogenic environmentalchangesaffect thedistribu Strategic Science Action 2.— • • • • • • • • Determine theabioticfactorsthataffect thedistri Characterize theroleofvectors,predators,invasive Establish howgeologic,climatic,hydrologic,and Characterize multihostandmultipathogen systems, Establish hownaturalandanthropogenicenviron Characterize thepathways,riskfactors,andpoten Conduct coordinatedfieldandlaboratoryresearch Determine theinfluenceondiseaseofgeneticdrift aerosols. of infectiousagentsinsoil,water, dust,andother bution, viability, transmission,andpathogenicity logical implications. response toinfectionandtheassociatedepidemio Determine thebioticfactorsthatinfluencehost species, andbiodiversityindiseasetransmission. hosts, reservoirs,andvectors. atmospheric factorsinfluencethedistributionof among hostspecies. and developmodels forestimatingcontactpatterns drive theevolutionofpathogens andtheirvirulence, including researchtounderstand thefactorsthat the hostimmuneresponse. transmission, andreplicationrateofpathogens mental changesinfluencethedistribution,viability, different host species. ing methodsofestimatingtransmissionratesamong reservoirs ofinfection,vectorecology, anddevelop patterns withinandamongspecies,natureofthe lations anddomesticatedanimals,includingcontact diseases amongfree-rangingfishandwildlifepopu tial controlstrategiesthataffect thetransmissionof populations. and investigatetheimpactofdiseasesonwildlife life aslong-termcarriersandreservoirsfordisease, on microbialdiversityandtheroleoffishwild and barrierstohostshifts. virulence inmultihostandmultipathogensystems, due tohostorgeographicisolation,evolutionof Determine thebioticandabi Establish hownaturaland ------Dean Biggins,USGS. Black-tailed prairiedog.Photographby geographic areas. to identifychangingpatternsofdiseaseactivityinpriority Strategic Science Action 3.— tion/sylvatic_plague/index.jsp online at and WildlifeService.Additionalinformationisavailable is high.PhotographcourtesyofR.Haggerty, U.S.Fish urban areaswherethepotentialforhumanexposure by reducingtheprevalenceofdiseaseinparksand footed ferretandmayassistinprotectingpublichealth great potentialtoimproverecoveryeffortsfortheblack- impacts thaninsecticideapplication.Thevaccinehas labor, lowercosts,andlessriskofnontargetecological will providebetterprotectionagainstplaguewithless with baitandplacedinareaswheretheferretslive, prairie dogsagainstplague.Thevaccine,whichismixed and colleaguesaretestingthefeasibilityofvaccinating large-scale insecticideapplication.USGSscientists to theferrets.Currentlyplagueiscontrolledbyannual are highlysusceptibletothediseaseandtransmitit Prairie dogs,whichtheferretdependsonforfood, recovery oftheblack-footedferret( Sylvatic plague,aflea-bornebacterialdisease,posesriskstobothwildlifeandhumanhealth.Itismajorobstacle Effects ofPlagueonWildlifeMayHaveBeenUnderestimated • • • Utilize thesetoolstodesignandimprovedisease Develop methodstoidentifylikelypointsofcross Develop methodstoidentifygeographicareas,ecosys disease. ing risksassociatedwithcrosstransmissionof wildlife diseaseoutbreaksandarecapableofidentify surveillance systemsthatprovideearlywarningof domesticated animals,andhumans. transmission ofdiseasefromwildlifepopulationto wildlife disease. tems, andspeciesthatareincreasinglyvulnerableto http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_informa Develop surveillancesystems . Mustela nigripes ), oneofthemostcriticallyendangeredmammalsinNorthAmerica. - USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceVision, Mission,andGoals - - knowledge, andtools.Interagencycollaborationwillincrease humans willimproveourabilitytoprovideneededexpertise, for protectingthehealthofwildlife,domesticatedanimals,and with resourcemanagersandhealthprofessionalsresponsible and humans.Increasingdirectinteractioncollaboration tions ofaquaticandterrestrialanimals,domesticated affect transmissionofdiseasesamongfree-rangingpopula in wildlifedisease,emphasiswillbeplacedonthefactorsthat mentioned actionsarebasedonaprimaryfocusandexpertise growing threattoallspecies. Although theefforts oftheafore Outcomes andRelevance Wildlife andzoonoticdiseasesconstituteacritical efficiency andpromoteintegrationofefforts tobetter understand andpreventtherisksofinfectious diseases tonaturalpopulationsofaquatic and terrestrialwildlife,domesticated animals, andhumans. - 27 - Highlight Highlight lenge forthenaturalscienceandpublichealthcommunities. biological outcome. This complexityposesauniquechal nificant interactions,therebycontributingtoanoveralladverse exposure todifferent classesofdiseaseagentscanhavesig a contaminant. We havebeguntounderstandthatconcurrent example, theeffects ofapathogenortheeffects ofexposureto of individualdiseaseagentsorclassesagents—for of pathways.Scientiststraditionallyhavestudiedtheeffects of diseaseagents(contaminantsandpathogens)fromavariety Contaminants andPathogens Between, andCombinedEffectsof,Exposureto Goal 4:DiscovertheComplexInteractions 28 the fishimmunesystem. used byUSGSscientiststostudy theeffectsofEDCson George Sanders,USGS,shows zebrafish( EDC-induced immunedysfunction. Photograph,courtesy physiological, biochemical,and molecularindicatorsof In addition,USGSscientistsare developingdiagnostic mechanisms leadingtocompromisedimmunefunction. use bothnativeandmodelspeciesoffishtounderstand and diseaseoutbreaks.USGSlaboratoryinvestigations EDCs thatmayberesponsibleforanumberoffishkills research intotheimmunedysfunctioninfishcausedby of nativespecies.USGSscientistsareconducting other maladiesthatsubsequentlycanaffectthehealth immunosuppression, altereddevelopment,orahostof reduced reproduction,modifiedsexualcharacteristics, that canresultfromexposuretoEDCsmaymanifestas may affectfish,wildlife,andhumans.Thedysfunction cals (EDCs)intheenvironmentisaglobalissueand The growingprevalenceofendocrine-disruptingchemi in Fish Endocrine DisruptionofImmuneFunction Animals andpeoplecanbeexposedtomultipleclasses USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld Danio rerio ) - - - 2010) stated, ease SteeringCommittee(U.S.Departmentof Agriculture, Department of Agriculture (USDA)ColonyCollapseDis infectious diseaseorotherstressors. A reportbytheU.S. of contaminantscouldmakeorganisms moresusceptibleto are solelyresponsible,itispossiblethattheadverseeffects mations. Although itisunlikelythatchemicalcontaminants bee colonycollapsedisorder(CCD)andamphibianmalfor contributing roleinsignificantwildlifedeclines,suchas butions ofeachagent. outcomes mechanisticallytodeterminetherelativecontri infectious diseaseagentswillrequireassessingbiological Understanding theimpactsofcombinedtoxicologicand 2011) stated, Accountability Office(Government AccountabilityOffice, to, antimicrobialresistantpathogens. The Government ronment canincreasethedevelopmentof,andexposure antibiotic-resistant microorganisms tothenaturalenvi of antimicrobialresistance. The releaseofantibioticsor microbes andultimatelycancontributetothedevelopment ment, antimicrobialscanadverselyaffect indigenous to killbacteria;whentheyarereleasedintotheenviron contaminants andpathogens. Antimicrobials aredesigned ronment raisessignificantimplicationsfortheinteraction of drainage (Blazerandothers,2010). The authorsstated, uting causeofmassivefishdie-offs inthePotomacRiver the environmenthasbeensuggestedasapotentialcontrib suppression causedatleastinpartbychemicalexposures organisms, makingthemvulnerabletopathogens. Immuno nators andpotentialinteractiveeffects indicatesthe emerging evidenceofpesticideexposuretopolli sub-lethal effects ofpesticideswithCCD.… The Findings currentlysuggestanassociationof gen levelsandevidenceofpesticideresidues… with CCDsymptoms,exhibitedincreasedpatho “Colonies withpoorhealth,includingcolonies Exposure toenvironmentalcontaminantsmayplaya bacteria, duetoselectivepressure.” and soil—canincreasethepopulation ofresistant antibiotics presentintheenvironment—in water review showsthat,atcertain concentration levels, “Scientific evidencegathered inourliterature The releaseofantimicrobialcompoundstotheenvi increased meantemperature.” other waterqualityfactors,suchashighpHand genic compoundsandcomplexmixtures; contaminant exposure,particularlytoestro high nutrientloadsand/orimmunosuppression; parasite loads,possiblyasaconsequenceof “stressors includehighhelminthandmyxozoan Contaminants canimpacttheimmunesystemsof interactions withCCD.” need tofurtherstudypesticidesfortheirpotential ------Resources Conservation Service. Waste lagoon inGeorgia.Photographcourtesy ofNatural Priority ScienceQuestions isms, butcanserveascatalystsforotherprocessesthatdo. 2007), whichmaynotdirectlyaffect thehealthoforgan to waterqualityandeutrophication(Johnsonothers, where nutrientrunoff intowaterwayscanresultinchanges For example,asinthecaseofamphibiandeformities, what Paineandothers(1998)called“ecologicalsurprises.” These indirecteffects maybehardtopredict—resulting in tions, arecapableofcausingsubstantialindirecteffects. little directeffect onthehealthoffishandwildlifepopula awareness thatenvironmentalstressors,whichmayhave well asonlocalhumanpopulations. There isincreasing the effects ofstressorsonfishandwildlifepopulations,as invasive species)mustalsobeconsideredwhenmanaging resource extraction,flooding,andpresenceofnon-native in waterquality, temperatureandclimate,run-off from environmental stressors(forexample,habitatloss,changes tal contaminantsandpathogens.However, manyother dynamics betweentheeffects ofexposuretoenvironmen and theuseofveterinaryantibiotics in livestockproduction. released viahousehold,commercial,andindustrialwastes, cant implicationsforthemanagementofhumanantibiotics resistance throughthenaturalenvironmentraisessignifi • • • • • • This goalfocusesprimarilyonunderstandingthe The developmentand(or)spreadofantimicrobial What metricsshouldbeusedtodocumentand How doexposurestocombinationsofcontaminants How doweidentifytherelativecontributionsof What arethehighestprioritycombinationsofcon What arethemechanismsofinteractionamong What arethebiologicaloutcomesinaquaticand contaminants andpathogens? assess theimpactsofcombinations of stressors? and terrestrialorganisms tootherenvironmental and pathogensaffect thesusceptibilityofaquatic adverse healthoutcomes? combinations ofcontaminantsandpathogensto settings wheretheyaremostlikelytooccur? people, andthegeographicareasenvironmental to impactaquaticandterrestrialorganisms and taminants andpathogenswiththegreatestpotential combinations ofcontaminantsandpathogens? combination ofcontaminantsandpathogens? terrestrial organisms resultingfromexposuretoa

- - - - - USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceVision, Mission,andGoals Antimicrobials, suchasantibioticsusedforhumanand Environment Antimicrobial ResistanceintheNatural water samples. USGS scientistanalyzingbacterialDNAextractedfrom Photograph courtesyofLisaFogarty, USGS,shows effectiveness ofanimalandhumandrugtherapies. and forevaluatingpotentialthreatstothecontinued biotic resistanceemanatingfromagriculturalactivities, potential optionsformanagingantimicrobialsandanti biotic concentrations.Thisstudyprovidesinsightinto which generallycorrespondedtothehighesttotalanti Sulfonamide ARGswerehighestinswinelagoons, amide ARGsandlowtotalantibioticconcentrations. lowest concentrationsofbothtetracyclineandsulfon ARGs. Itwasfoundthatlayerchickenfarmshadthe to begenerallymorerecalcitrantthantetracycline 2010). Inalllagoons,sulfonamideARGswereobserved in variedlivestockoperations(McKinneyandothers, antibiotic resistancegenes(ARGs)inwastelagoons biotics, USGSsurveyedtetracyclineandsulfonamide antimicrobial resistancefromveterinaryuseofanti and aquaculture.To explorethepotentialspreadof wastewater discharges,anduseinanimalagriculture restrial environments,largelyasaresultofreleasevia animal health,havebeendetectedinaquaticandter - - - - - 29

Highlight 30 USGS Environmental Health Science Strategy—Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World

Strategic Science Actions Strategic Science Action 2.—Implement interdisciplinary studies that characterize the effects of combined exposure to Strategic science actions to address Goal 4 will require pathogens and contaminants. integration of expertise that is not traditionally brought • Establish interdisciplinary teams of scientists with together in environmental studies. In order to achieve the crosscutting expertise that can integrate analytical, objectives, the USGS will (1) identify how exposure to one experimental, and modeling approaches from different class of disease agents (contaminants or pathogens) can make disciplines to provide scientific tools and fundamen- an organism more susceptible to adverse effects from expo- tal information essential for use in a comprehensive sure to the other class of disease agents, and (2) implement approach to protecting wildlife health from the com- interdisciplinary studies that characterize the effects of the bined effects of multiple classes of disease agents. combined exposure to pathogens and contaminants. • Integrate the occurrence of environmentally driven Strategic Science Action 1.—Identify how exposure to one diseases into an assessment of vulnerability to other class of disease agents (contaminants or pathogens) can make classes of disease to which they could contribute. an organism more susceptible to exposure to the other class of disease agents. • Develop models that identify environmental settings and species that are vulnerable to combinations of • Identify environmentally driven diseases and disease contaminants and pathogens. Anticipate and forecast agents that have biological outcomes that result in risk from novel combinations of contaminants and increased susceptibility to the other class of disease pathogens. agents. • Utilize knowledge gained about the impacts of mul- • Focus toxicological studies on determining the thresh- tiple classes of disease agents on wildlife to iden- olds of effects of one disease that may affect suscep- tify potential human-health issues associated with tibility to another disease and define the exposure and interaction of multiple classes of disease agents. For life history scenarios needed to predict and mitigate example, because of the similarity of the endocrine impacts. system across vertebrate animals, aquatic and terres- • Identify the disease agents with the greatest potential trial wildlife can provide a means to identify potential to increase susceptibility of disease in aquatic and ter- contaminant-induced vulnerabilities to pathogenic restrial organisms. disease agents in humans, such as suppressed immune function. • Identify and characterize the biological mechanisms by which organisms that are affected by one class of disease agents become more susceptible to the other class Outcomes and Relevance of disease agents. Determine how interactions among diseases can be modulated by immune or other biologi- The aforementioned strategic science actions will cal system functions, and whether such interactions enhance the understanding of the effects of exposure to com- rise to a level of having population-level consequences. plex combinations of disease agents, help explain heretofore incompletely explained disease, and help to more accurately quantify the individual impacts of different disease agents on the health of aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Resource man- Demonstration wetland at Henderson, Nevada, where vegetated agers will use this knowledge to identify vulnerable popula- hummocks were built into the wastewater treatment wetland to tions and diagnose and respond to disease outbreaks that may improve its effectiveness and sustainability, as well as provide not be fully explained by our understanding of the effects of quality wildlife habitat. Photograph by Joan S. Daniels, USGS. single classes of disease agents. USGS Environmental Health Science Vision, Mission, and Goals 31

Goal 5: Prepare for and Respond to the species. Engagement and collaboration with other DOI Environmental Impacts and Related Health agencies, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Threats of Natural and Anthropogenic Disasters Services, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and others is critical to effectively prepare for and respond to these types of The environmental and related health impacts of disasters threats. have long been recognized, but are understandably overshad- The USGS role in environmental health disaster response owed by the more visible physical impacts of the disasters and and preparedness is to provide impartial interdisciplinary the resulting casualties. However, natural and anthropogenic research, data, and interpretations on disaster-related health disasters (for example, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, issues including the sources, distribution, fate, and impacts of droughts, fires, industrial accidents, oil spills, acts of terror- contaminants and pathogens. The USGS contributes special- ism, and pandemics) pose significant immediate and long-term ized expertise in wildlife pathology, toxicology, epidemiology, threats to the environment, and as a result, to the health of environmental monitoring, and wildlife disease surveillance. humans and other organisms. Increasingly, the public and the In addition, USGS has specialized diagnostic and experimen- media are recognizing the environmental health implications tal research laboratories, including those that are certified for of disasters, particularly their potential to affect public health, working with selected disease agents. USGS has an extensive animal health, quality of life, the economy, and national mix of expertise, data, and technologies across its mission security. Helping communities and natural resource managers areas that can be brought together to improve understanding prepare for, respond to, and recover from environmental health of the implications of disasters on ecological, human, and impacts of disasters is, therefore, an increasingly important animal health. To fully leverage its environmental health sci- component of disaster resilience. Achieving this goal requires ence capability, USGS must collaborate with external experts preparedness by using lessons learned from previous disasters in emergency response, public health and safety, homeland and the capability for rapid and immediate response to disaster security, law enforcement, and ecosystem and animal health in order to prevent catastrophic losses, including economic (both agriculture and aquaculture). losses. A disaster event can be a catalyst that leads to release of potentially hazardous materials containing contaminants Priority Science Questions or pathogens into the environment. Some examples include mobilization and dispersal of contaminants as a result of • What types of hazardous materials can be released to, hurricane wave action, leaking of radiation after earthquake or mobilized in, the environment from various types damage to a nuclear reactor, or release of contaminants or of disasters? What are the associated ecological and pathogens from a wastewater treatment plant due to flooding. human health threats? Environmental health threats also can occur when the disaster • How does the environmental disruption associated event results in environmental conditions that can promote with disasters influence the emergence, incidence, infectious disease outbreaks such as cholera or dengue fever. and distribution of infectious diseases? USGS has made significant contributions toward understanding the immediate and long-term environmental and human- • How can we prepare and monitor for, and rapidly health effects of disasters, including the World Trade Center respond to, pandemic outbreaks or acts of catastrophe, Hurricane Katrina, and wildfires (Plumlee, bioterrorism? 2009). Similarly, USGS has made significant contributions to understanding the impacts of disasters on the environment • How can the environmental and health impacts of past and fish and wildlife health, including the Deepwater Horizon disasters be measured and interpreted to help antici- Oil Spill, and the impacts of strategies for managing the spill pate plausible environmental health impacts of future (U.S. Geological Survey, 2012a). USGS also provides critical disasters? information needed for developing restoration strategies after • What are the economic costs associated with the a disaster. environmental health impacts of disasters? What are There is a clear and expanding role for the USGS in the costs as compared to benefits of alternative responding to emerging disease threats related to bioterrorism, management strategies? as well as naturally occurring pandemic disease outbreaks. Wildlife morbidity and mortality events can serve as early warning systems for detecting human-health threats associ- Strategic Science Actions ated with bioterrorism and natural pandemics. Most of the disease agents that could be used for bioterrorism listed in Natural and anthropogenic disasters are dynamic events the National Select Agent Registry (Animal and Plant Health that can cause significant environmental disruption and Inspection Service and Centers for Disease Control and Pre- health risk. They require prompt investigation in order to vention, 2011) can affect and (or) be transmitted by wildlife define their immediate and enduring environmental health Highlight health risksassociatedwithdisasters. ary sciencecapabilitytorapidlyassesstheenvironmental Strategic Science Action 1.— impacts offuturedisasters. anticipate, preparefor, andidentifyenvironmentalhealth risks associatedwithdisasters,and(2)enhancemethodsto science capabilitytorapidlyassesstheenvironmentalhealth risks. The USGSwill(1)establishaformalinterdisciplinary 32 h for publichealth.Moreinformationisavailableonlineat toxicants inbuildingmaterials,withresultingimplications USGS studiesareidentifyingtheproductsofcombusted tures, andtheirdispersalpatternsinair, runoff,andrivers. of contaminantsreleasedfromburnedhomesandstruc wild land/urbaninterface,itisessentialtoknowthetypes Canyon Fire.Forfiressuchasthese,whichoccuratthe samples ofashandburnedsoilafterthe2010Fourmile tesy ofGreggSwayze,USGS,showsscientistscollecting extend resultstounsampledareas.Thephotograph,cour nants andremotesensingmeasurementswereusedto samples ofash,soils,anddebrisweretestedforcontami Canyon FireinthefoothillsaboveBoulder, Colorado— Fire nearLosAngeles,California,andthe2010Fourmile burned areas.Fortworecentwildfires—the2009Station ash, residualburnedsoils,anddustsgeneratedfrom and human-healthrisksassociatedwithexposuretoairfall environmental to evaluatethe includes helping fire response concerns. USGS ronmental health long-term envi fire aswell the advancing the dangersof consider both wildfires must Response to Potential EnvironmentalHealthRisks Responding toRecentWildfiresandTheir ttp://health.usgs.gov/geohealth/v08_n02.html#c05 • USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld Establish acapabilityforrapidassessmentofshort- and long-termimpactsofdisasters ontheenvironment, - Establish aformalinterdisciplin . - - - - health impactsoffuturedisasters. pate, preparefor, andidentifyenvironmentalrelated Strategic Science Action 2.— • • • • • • Promptly gatherandreleasepreliminarydata Work withotherFederalagenciestoconduct Enhance methods,includingpredictivemodelsand Gather newbaselinedatainareasidentifiedashigh Enhance real-timecapabilitiestowarnofassociated Improve andexpandcapabilitiestomeasure useful contexttoaidindisasterrecovery. planners, andotherdecisionmakersinatimely interpretations toemergency responders, disaster develop managementstrategies. resource managersinutilizingthisinformationto adverse impactsofhazardousmaterials. Assist ing changesinwildlifezoonoticdiseasesandthe driven diseasesthatresultfromdisasters,includ interdisciplinary investigationsofenvironmentally away fromdisasterareas. map thecharacteristicsofdiseaseagentswithinand exposure, andexploretheuseofremotesensingto by disasters,assessthepotentialforincreased tion ofhazardousmaterialsandpathogensproduced characterize changesintheenvironmentaldistribu wildlife, andhumanhealth. These assessmentswill Survey, 2012b). ShakeOut earthquakescenarios (U.S.Geological Madrid earthquake,andGreatSouthernCalifornia disaster scenarios,suchasthe ARkStorm, New and ecologicalhazardscomponentstomultihazards natural hazardsexpertstocontributeenvironmental health impactsoffuturedisasters. Work withUSGS prepare forenvironmental,ecological,andrelated scenario developmentexercises,toanticipateand ous disasters. mental conditionsandlessonslearnedfromprevi conditions, byusingknowledgeofcurrentenviron to reconstructpre-disasterenvironmentalbaseline ronmental healthconcerns,anddevelopmethods risk fortypesofdisastersandtheassociatedenvi ing. environmental healthrisksasdisastersarehappen environmental disasters. anticipate theeconomicandsocialimplicationsof Enhance methodstoantici ------USGS Environmental Health Science Vision, Mission, and Goals 33

Outcomes and Relevance An important outcome of this goal will be the development of a coordinated Bureau-wide, rapid-response capability to characterize the full range of short- and long-term environmental health impacts of disasters, and to support the reduction of risk of adverse ecological and human health effects. These efforts are intended to integrate USGS expertise in environment and wildlife health with USGS capabilities in preparation for and response to disasters, and provide that expertise to agencies with the primary responsibility for disaster response. By collaborating with other experts in environmental health and the agencies with primary responsibility for The USGS plays an integral role in preparing for and responding responding to disasters, USGS provides science that improves to wildfires by providing tools and information before, during, our ability to anticipate and respond to environmental health and after the disasters to identify wildfire risks and reduce threats associated with disasters and to minimize the adverse subsequent hazards, while providing real-time firefighting effects on the environment, fish and wildlife, domesticated support during the events. Photograph of Squirrel Creek fire, animals, and people. Wyoming, July 2012, by Laura L. Hallberg, USGS. Highlight communication amongscientistsinvolvedinearthsciences, try, andthepublic. This isparticularlyimportantinimproving scientists andpartners),managers,policymakers,indus develop thescientificinformation,(includingbothUSGS ers willrequireformalandcommittedcommunication. iterative exchangeofprioritiesandknowledgewithstakehold implications oftheavailablescience.Maintainingalasting, holders throughthedecisionmakingprocesstoexplain and useableformats;(5)continuingtoworkwithstake mation andtoolsfromacrosstheUSGSineffective, useful, delivering asynthesisofenvironmentalhealthscienceinfor synergies andmakethebestuseofavailableresources; (4) priorities andgoals;(3)coordinatingwithpartnerstoincrease ence; (2)engagingstakeholdersfromtheonsetinidentifying awareness ofUSGSasasourceenvironmentalhealthsci disseminated andusedtoinformthehighestprioritydecisions. ever, thebestsciencehaslimitedutilityunlessitiseffectively quality, objective,andunbiased scientificinformation;how strategy. USGSiswidelyacknowledgedasasourceofhigh- ence needsisessentialforsuccessfulimplementationofthis Communication withpartnersandstakeholdersregardingsci in environmentalhealthmanagementandprotection(fig.3). used directlytoguiderecurringandincrementalimprovements tinual improvementsinscientificknowledgeandtoolsthatare the roleofUSGSwithinthisframeworkistoprovidecon ties areintegratedwithinanadaptivemanagementframework; A StrategyforCommunicatingSciencetoSociety 34 borderhealth.cr.usgs.gov/projectindex.html shows apublicwarningofwater pollution.MoreinformationontheUnitedStates-Mexico BEHIisavailableonlineat mental Protection,wastaken Nov. 1,2010,atthepointofdischargeNogalesWash totheSantaCruzRiver, Arizona,and scenarios. Thephotograph,courtesy ofHansHuth,ArizonaDepartmentEnvironmental Quality, OfficeofBorderEnviron The modelcanbeusedtoanalyze variouslanduseandwastewatermanagement shed andinvestigatingpotentialbioaccumulationofcontaminants inthefoodweb. BEHI aredevelopingawaterquantityandqualitymodelfor theSantaCruzwater groundwater, aprimaryregionalwatersource.ResearchersinvolvedintheUSGS of plantsandanimals,butitalsosustainshumancommunities byreplenishing for itscultural,historical,andecologicalvalue.Theriversupports ahighdiversity The UpperSantaCruzRiver, located ontheArizona–Sonoraborder, isimportant human populationgrowthinthedryregionsofUnitedStates–Mexico border. study ofinadequatewaterquantityandqualitycausedinlarge partbyextreme health officials,resourcemanagers,andconcernedcitizens. Onefocusisthe is toprovidedatainsupportofenvironmentalhealthdecisionmaking bypublic The primaryobjectiveoftheUSGSBorderEnvironmentalHealth Initiative(BEHI) Along theUpperSantaCruzRiver United States-MexicoBorderHealthInitiativeandEnvironmentalHealth-RiskAssessment USGS mustpromotecommunicationamongthosewho Keys tosuccessfulcommunicationinclude:(1)increasing This strategyisbuiltuponthepremisethatUSGSactivi USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld . ------activities, broadlyadvancethestateofenvironmentalhealth requires thatscientistsfromacrosstheUSGScoordinatetheir range ofscientificexpertise. Thiscommunicationstrategy international environmentalhealthchallengesrequireawider munication withinUSGSwillonlyincreaseasnationaland Public Healthstated, Research CouncilonPrioritiesforEarthScienceand wildlife andanimalhealth,publichealth. The National page willprovideaportaltoallUSGSenvironmentalhealth a timelymanner. A USGSenvironmentalhealthscienceweb date anddeliverhealth-relatedinformationtostakeholdersin science contributionswillbeincreasedbyactionsthatconsoli Strategic Actions science ofvarieddisciplinestoassistmanagementactions. science, anddeveloptechnologiestoolsthatintegrate The needforeffective andbroad-ranginginternalcom realized” (NationalResearchCouncil,2007). science andpublichealthhasbeenonlypartially the considerableknowledgeatinterfaceofearth environmental healthproblems,withtheresultthat public healthworkerstosolvearangeofcomplex eration hasrestrictedtheabilityofscientistsand nities, thelimitedextentofinterdisciplinarycoop between theearthscienceandpublichealthcommu “Although valuablelinkagesdocurrentlyexist Access to,andawarenessof,USGSenvironmentalhealth - http:// - - - - - A Strategy for Communicating Science to Society 35 science information. Developing clear and objective mes- strengths, and perspectives. This dialogue will help to identify sages about environmental and health threats will be aided by priorities, relate scientific information to manage decisions, consultation with risk communication specialists, especially and map next steps. Similarly, periodic environmental health regarding communicating peer-reviewed findings in the face of conferences, such as recent USGS conferences targeting link- scientific uncertainty. The USGS GeoHealth Newsletter (U.S. ages with the public health community (Buxton and others, Geological Survey, 2012c) will widely disseminate USGS 2008), will foster collaboration with our partners and com- environmental health science findings. USGS podcasts—avail- munication with stakeholders. Steps will be taken to increase able on the USGS CoreCast web site (U.S. Geological Survey, USGS participation in conferences of the environmental and 2011)—will help communicate new findings and activities to public health communities to increase awareness of USGS as stakeholders. In addition to traditional communication tools, a resource. new social media tools will be particularly useful for deliver- Coordination of science activities within USGS will be ing time-sensitive and high-visibility findings, and communi- aided by a framework for synthesizing USGS environmental cating with a generation that relies heavily on social media for health science information from across the Bureau. The frame- information. Social media and other emerging technologies work will link databases that have relevance to environmen- can promote environmental awareness among the general tal health decisionmaking and facilitate consideration of all public and enable the infusion of new ideas into our cultural relevant data regardless of source. The framework will include fabric. Together, these measures will be especially useful for networking among scientists from diverse programs and raising public awareness regarding actions that the public can organizational entities across the Bureau. The framework will take to safeguard the environment. Increasing our youths’ be enhanced by use of modern informatics, geographic, and awareness of the importance of environmental health science mapping technologies to improve USGS data and information to societal goals will enhance enthusiasm in the next genera- integration, accessibility, and dissemination. tion for protecting the environment and improving our future. USGS will use social media and other emerging technologies to engage students in these issues and recruit the next genera- Outcomes tion of passionate young scientists. The causes of newly discovered environmental health Effective coordination with managers and policy mak- threats are often uncertain. The environmental data required ers to identify science priorities will be aided by a USGS to address the problem are frequently incomplete or unavail- Environmental Health Liaison Committee. This committee able. There is also a lack of available information necessary will enhance the flow of information from stakeholders to to anticipate and respond to emerging environmental health USGS science planning. It also will improve collaboration threats. As a result, decisionmakers often are left to inte- with partners to achieve synergies and make the most of grate disparate threads of scientific evidence into a coherent existing resources. It will supplement active participation in understanding upon which scientifically and socially defen- Federal interagency committees on the environment, such sible decisions can be based. Through implementation of this as the National Science and Technology Council’s Commit- strategy, the USGS will create, analyze, interpret, and manage tees on Environment, Natural Resources and Sustainability, environmental health data. The USGS will provide knowledge and Homeland and National Security (Office of Science and and information to decisionmakers in a manner that is easy Technology Policy, 2011), and the Institute of Medicine’s to access, easy to use, and where appropriate, in real time. Roundtable on Environment, Health Sciences, Research, and The USGS will aid in the application of science to manage- Medicine (Institute of Medicine, 2011). The Environmental ment decisionmaking. Delivery of such information enhances Health Liaison Committee will facilitate dialogue between the Nation’s ability to prevent and mitigate future threats and scientists and managers that brings together their expertise, take effective management actions to manage and minimize documented threats.

The United States-Mexico border fence cuts through a forest of saguaro cactus on the Sonora Mexico and Arizona border, 2012. Photograph courtesy of Jack William Dykinga, ©Dykinga Photography. Highlight within theBureau.Overlapandcoordinationamongthis provide apointofaccesstoallenvironmentalhealthscience health issues.Onepriorityinimplementingthisstrategyisto the Bureauandfocusitonabroadspectrumofenvironmental pret awiderangeofenvironmentalinformationfromacross responses tothoseissues. The USGSwillsynthesizeandinter and provideinformationtoolstoimprovemanagement tify emerging andotherpriorityenvironmentalhealthissues plans forresearchanddevelopmentactivitiesintendedtoiden 36 Integrating ScienceAcrossUSGS shows theKanabNorthMines, northernArizona. nium extraction.Photograph, courtesy ofDonBills,USGS, will minimizetheenvironmental impactsofincreasedura provide informationtoresource managersandindustrythat for uraniumanditsradionuclides, areworkingtogetherto transport, andthepathwaysofexposureecotoxicity uranium deposits,theprocessesthataffectenvironmental with knowledgeofextractionpractices,thegeochemistry of mental impactsofdomesticproduction.USGSscientists will beaidedbyanunderstandingofthepotentialenviron U.S., aswellaneffectivemeansofresourceextraction sions regardingfuturesourcesofnuclearresourcesinthe utility inventoriessuppliedthedifference.Informeddeci 51 million poundswereconsumed.ForeignsourcesandU.S. of uraniumwereminedintheU.S.2008;however, about electricity intheworld.Approximately3.9millionpounds plants; theU.S.islargestproducerofnuclear-sourced about 20percentofU.S.electricityfrom104nuclearpower production intheUnitedStates.Nuclearenergyprovides energy sourcemayhaveasignificantimpactonuranium Re-evaluation ofnuclearenergyasaviablealternative Health Uranium ProductionandEnvironmental The EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategypresents USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld - - - - - support theactivitiesofothersixsciencestrate other environmentalstressors. Strategies willprovideinformationonthenatureof ral Hazards,andEnergy andMineralResourcesScience ment studies. The ClimateandLandUseChange,Natu from significantenvironmentalmonitoringandassess Systems ScienceStrategieswillprovideinformation tems, Energy andMineralResources,CoreScience companion USGSsciencestrategies. The Water, Ecosys conditions andenvironmentalstressorsprovidedby of backgroundorbaseline(pre-impact)environmental in thisstrategyrelyonbroadnationalcharacterizations applicable tothegoalsofothersciencestrategies. collected tomeetthegoalsofonestrategyisinherently gies isinevitableandessential.Scientificinformation science strategyandtheothersixUSGSstrate will beessential forcomprehensiveenvironmental implementation oftheGlobalChangeScience Strategy mental effects ofclimate andlandusechangegainedby health oftheenvironment.Knowledge oftheenviron ation inthemultiplestressors thatcouldbeaffecting the stresses, makingthoseimpacts anessentialconsider aquatic andterrestrialorganisms tootherenvironmental global changewillalsoinfluencethesusceptibilityof pathogen exposurepathways. The variedimpactsof events; andincreasesinwindbornecontaminant changes inthenumberandseverityofextremeweather increases incontaminantloadsandpathogenabundance; on diseaseresistanceinfish,reptiles,andamphibians; the effects ofchangesintemperatureandseasonality their hosts,andvectorscausedbychangesinhabitat; effects include changesinthedistributionofpathogens, disease, andtheirultimatefate. These environmental exposures, theseveritywithwhichtheymightcause of contaminantsandpathogens,ecologicalhuman environmental conditionsthatdeterminethedistribution Climate andLandUseChange other USGSmissionareas. describe examplesofcomplementaryactivitieswith the handsofdecisionmakers. The followingsections tion ofefforts toputscientificinformationandtoolsinto sharing ofexpertiseandinformation,thecoordina will allowthecoordinationofresearchactivities, implementation ofthesevenUSGSsciencestrategies mitigating exposurepathwaysanddisease.Collectively, tious diseases,andpotentialmeasuresforpreventingor contaminants, ecologyofpathogensthatcauseinfec environmental lifecycleofanthropogenicandnatural broad fundamentalunderstandingofdiseaseoutbreaks, gies byprovidingnewandinnovativetools,aswell The EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategywill The researchanddevelopmentactivitiesoutlined — Global changeaffects ------strategies. of naturalscience informationfromallother USGSscience innovative approachestoincrease accessibilitytoawiderange tools forgeospatialanalysisof large datasets andproviding ronmental Healthandotherscience strategiesbyproviding Strategy willfulfillvaluable supporting activitiesfortheEnvi occurrence. Furthermore,the CoreScienceSystems of environmentalcontaminationanddistributiondisease health outcomes,suchasdataonsourcesanddistribution of innovativetoolsforrelatingspatialdatatoenvironmental be avaluablesourceofthisinformation,aswell ties undertheCoreScienceSystemsStrategywill future changesinhumanactivitiesonthelandscape. Activi information onpasttrends,andwillrequireprojectionsof tial futureenvironmentalimpactswillrequirecorescience cause ofcurrentenvironmentalimpactsandforecastspoten impacts onthehealthofenvironment.Determination of the ation ofthefactorsthataffect the environmentandassociated infrastructure acrossthelandscapeareessentialforanyevalu logic, andgeologiccharacteristicsoftheearthhuman Core ScienceSystems in regardtothehuman-healthimplicationsofglobalchange. community willassistglobalchangeassessments,particularly ties andefforts toestablishlinkageswiththepublichealth health assessments. The EnvironmentalHealthresearchactivi More informationisavailableonlineat Missouri, includingblacksandshell,whiteheelsplitter, fatmucket,pinkheelsplitter, three-ridge,deertoe,andpocketbook. Photograph, courtesyofChrisBarnhart,showsanassemblagemusselsfromthePommedeTerre River, HickoryCounty, by aboutthree-foldandchroniccriterionfive-fold. Quality Criteriaforammonia,loweringtheacutecriterion using musseltoxicitydatatoupdatetheNationalWater- in ourNation’s surfacewaters.Consequently, U.S.EPA is because ammoniaisthemostubiquitoustoxicchemical ammonia thanstandardtestorganisms.Thisisnoteworthy and foundthatmusselsarefrequentlymoresensitiveto for conductingtoxicitytestingonfreshwatermussels USGS toxicologistshelpeddevelopanewstandardmethod over-utilization, disease,predation,andcontaminants. these declinesincludehabitatalteration,invasivespecies, as threatenedorendangered.Factorsthatcontributedto lusk speciesarelistedbytheU.S.FishandWildlifeService of conservationconcern.Onehundredfreshwatermol times, andaboutone-halfoftheremaining900speciesare water musselsandsnailshavebecomeextinctinhistorical Approximately 10percentofnativeNorthAmericanfresh Sensitivity ofFreshwaterMusselstoAmmoniaResultsinLowerWater-Quality Criteria — Data onthegeographic,geomorpho http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/Projects.aspx?ProjectId=5 ------fracturing, and developmentofalternativeenergy sourcessuch leaks ofenergy andmineralindustry chemicals,hydraulic disposal ofproducedwaters, burning offossilfuels,spillsand the environment.Mineraland coalmining,generationand use energy andmineral resourceshavesomeimplicationfor Energy andMineralResources management strategies. and predictemerging healthrisks,andtodevelopadaptive ecosystem functionandhealthrisksisnecessarytoidentify disease. An understandingofthelinkagesbetweenchangesin venting andmitigatingtheeffects ofenvironmentallydriven native resourcemanagementactionswillbeessentialinpre Knowledge oftheeffects ofecologicalfactorsaswellalter stressors willcontributetocumulativeecologicalimpacts. as asourceofexoticpathogens. A broadrangeofecological to adverseeffects onhumanhealth.Invasivespeciescanserve The degradationofecosystemprocessesultimatelymaylead resilience ofecosystemstoenvironmentallydrivendisease. pathogens. Changinghabitatsandbiodiversitywillaffect the organisms’ exposuretochemical contaminants,vectors,and and pathogens. The effects ofecosystemchangeswillalter and respondingtotheimpactsofenvironmentalcontaminants the EcosystemsScienceStrategyisessentialtocharacterizing ecosystem processesandfunctionsthatwillbedevelopedby Ecosystems — The improvedunderstandingoffundamental Integrating ScienceAcrossUSGS . — All actionstoextractand - 37 - Highlight Highlight defining rapid-responseactionsthatcanbetakentoquickly or mitigatepotentialenvironmentalhealthproblems,and(3) paredness byhelpingtoidentifymeasuresthatwillprevent in thehabitatofpathogensandvectors,(2)improvingpre in contaminantsourcesandexposurepathwayschanges term environmentalhealthimplications,includingchanges response tosuchdisasterswithassessmentsofpotentiallong- of hazardsby:(1)buildingupontheiractionsinimmediate Strategy tohelpcharacterizetheenvironmentalhealtheffects Strategy willbecoordinatedwiththeNaturalHazardsScience Strategic activitiesundertheEnvironmentalHealthScience are oftenlessunderstood,canwarrantsignificantconcern. environmental healthconsequencesofnaturaldisasters,which exposures tocontaminantsandpathogens. The long-term tal disturbancesthathaveanimpactonthesourcesof,and health concerns.Naturalhazardsoftencauseenvironmen quakes, thesedisasterscanleavelingeringenvironmental floods, hurricanes,wildfires,volcaniceruptions,andearth Natural Hazards—Beyond theimmediatethreatsposedby trial organisms, andecologicaleffects. taminant transport,exposurepathwaystoaquaticandterres activities willprovideexpertiseinthefactorsthataffect con resource extractionactivities.EnvironmentalHealthresearch and themobilizationofnaturallyoccurringcontaminantsby its, baselinegeochemicalconditionsinsoilandsediment, geochemical propertiesofenergy andmineralresourcedepos research activitieswillhelpcharacterizethemineralogicand resource productionanduse.Energy andMineralResources resulting publichealthimplicationsofenergy andmineral be coordinatedtoevaluatetheenvironmentalimpactsand and theEnergy andMineralResourcesScienceStrategywill energy allcanimpacttheenvironment. Actions ofthisstrategy as biofuels,newbatterytechnology, andgeothermalwind 38

Environmental HealthandHazards zine Earth(Plumlee,2009). the articletitled“Geoscientists AidintheAftermathofDisasters”,maga and ARkStormextremewinter stormscenarios.Moreinformationisavailablein impacts offuturedisasters,such astheSouthernCaliforniaShakeOutearthquake siderations intoitsdisasterscenarios thatmodelandhelpprepareforplausible affect theUnitedStates.TheUSGSalsoisintegratingenvironmental healthcon- of hurricanes,duststorms,flooding,wildfires,andotherextreme eventsasthey upon tohelpassesstheenvironmental,ecological,andhuman-health impacts nic ash.Morerecently, USGSexpertisefromacrosstheBureauisbeingcalled Northridge Californiaearthquakeandhealthimplicationsof exposuretovolca- environmental health,suchastheValley Feveroutbreakassociatedwiththe1994 less publicizedbutpotentiallysignificantthreatsthesedisasters canposeto known forthethreatstheyposetohumansafety. USGShashelpeddescribethe Earthquakes, hurricanes,volcaniceruptions,andothernatural disastersarewell USGS EnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategy—ProvidingforaChangingWorld ------systematic nationalmonitoringandassessmentactivities. able to Water programsfordesignandimplementationoftheir methods andtheinformationtheyprovidewillbemadeavail make initialassessmentsoftherelativepriorities. These new ing concernintheenvironment,andusingthosemethodsto methods tomeasurecontaminantsandpathogensofemerg - ing environmentalhealthconcerns. This includesdeveloping new toolsandmethodologiestoidentifyaddressemerg - of theEnvironmentalHealthScienceStrategyistodevelop tions ofenvironmentalhealthissues.Furthermore,apriority for surveillance,andtheassociateddatasetsininterpreta added useoftheirnationalmonitoringnetworks,infrastructure water quantityandqualityassessmentprogramstomake Science Strategywillcoordinatecloselywithlarge USGS fying bestmanagementpractices. The EnvironmentalHealth causes ofadverseenvironmentalhealthoutcomesandidenti ment andmustbeconsideredwhendeterminingthespecific Many hydrologicfactorsinfluencethehealthofenviron more vulnerabletovariousenvironmentalhealthconcerns. tance, andtocharacterizeenvironmentalsettingsthatmaybe contaminants andpathogens,todeterminetheirrelativeimpor movement, andqualityisrequiredtodefinevarioussourcesof of thenaturalandhumanfactorsthataffect waterquantity, implementation ofthisstrategy. A fundamentalunderstanding USGS Water ScienceStrategywillbeessentialforeffective contaminants. Knowledgegainedfromimplementationofthe and indeterminingecologicalhumanexposuretothese tors, andpathogensinaquaticterrestrialenvironments, distribution ofnaturalandanthropogeniccontaminants,vec Water—The hydrologiccycleplaysanessentialroleinthe of disasters. define environmentalhealthrisksintheimmediateaftermath ------Summary of Intended Outcomes 39

Summary of Intended Outcomes

This strategy describes how USGS will address the high- the next decade. These strategic science actions also will char- est priority environmental health issues facing the Nation. The acterize the factors that affect transmission of diseases with the ultimate intended outcome of this science strategy is preven- goal of informing decisions to reduce the spread and adverse tion and reduction of adverse impacts to the quality of the health outcomes of disease among free-ranging populations environment, the health of our living resources, and human of aquatic and terrestrial animals, domesticated animals, and health by providing high-quality objective environmental humans. Strategic science actions to enhance the understand- health science information and tools that are used by managing of the effects of exposure to combinations of contaminants ers, regulators, other scientists, industry, and the public to and pathogens will help explain heretofore poorly understood make improved decisions that directly affect health outcomes. diseases, and help to more accurately quantify the individual It is the responsibility of USGS to reach broadly across its impacts of different disease agents on the health of aquatic scientific expertise and bring the fullest extent of its capabili- and terrestrial organisms. Finally, strategic science actions to ties and scientific contributions to fulfill this role. It is incum- implement a coordinated Bureau-wide capability for rapid- bent on USGS to reach out to scientific partners to ensure that response to characterize the environmental impacts of disas- our efforts are integrated with and take full advantage of the ters are intended to integrate USGS expertise in environment activities of others across the broader environmental health and wildlife health with USGS capabilities in preparation for science community. Finally it is incumbent on USGS to reach and response to disasters, and provide that expertise to agen- out to all stakeholders to ensure that USGS efforts are focused cies with the primary responsibility for disaster response. on the highest priority environmental health issues and that The actions proposed in this strategy will draw on sci- products are provided in the most timely and usable form to all ence activities from across the Bureau including activities those who can use them. conducted as part of other science strategies. Similarly, the Although prevention is not always feasible, science to activities conducted as part of this strategy will support the support prevention is a high priority of this strategy. The stra- activities of the other six science strategies. Collectively, these tegic science actions proposed herein will provide new tools seven USGS science strategies will allow the coordination of and fundamental knowledge for managing the release, mitiga- research activities and the sharing of expertise and information, management, and remediation of the most significant tion, while providing a point of direct access to USGS prod- environmental contamination problems facing the Nation in ucts and expertise in environmental health science.

USGS scientist is interviewed by KOMO-TV (ABC, Seattle) at the Swinomish Tribal Community Center on July 21, 2008, near La Conner, Washington. The Coast Salish Nation and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey. has examined the coastal waters of the Salish Sea providing a new strategy that blends western science and Coast Salish culture to study water-quality and its effects on environmental health. Photograph by John Clemens, USGS. 40 USGS Survey Environmental Health Science Strategy—Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to recognize John Lamoreux for his work as executive secretary of the Science Strategy Plan- ning Team responsible for preparing this strategy, and Eric A. Morrissey for the preparation of illustrations in this report. The report was improved by reviews from the following USGS scientists, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, James F. Fairchild, Milton Friend, Denis R. LeBlanc, William H. Orem, Frank Panek, John M. Pearce, Barnett A. Rattner, Roger Sayre, and William G. Wilber. We also would like to thank the scientists from many USGS scientist installing ocean chemistry monitoring Federal agencies who provided input to this strategy for their equipment on Sombrero Reef, Florida Keys, July 9, 2009. agencies. Photograph by Ilsa B. Kuffner, USGS. References Cited 41

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USGS scientist downloads data from phenocam located in Idaho. The phenocam takes a picture daily and that data is used to help track phenological changes (the timing and vigor of seasonal biological events). The data from the phenocam is used (with other data) to gain a better understanding of vegetation changes over the entire ecoregion. Photograph by USGS. Publishing support provided by the Rolla Publishing Service Center.

Bright and others—U.S. Geological Survey Environmental Health Science Strategy—Providing Environmental Health Science for a Changing World—Circular 1383–E