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Abt Associates Scientists Honored With EPA Award for Ozone Research

Posted on: Tuesday, 13 June 2006, 12:00 CDT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Abt Associates scientists share the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2006 Science and Technological Achievement Award for a study that estimates the benefits from enforcing existing regulations governing ozone levels. Donald McCubbin, Ph.D., and Ellen Post, Ph.D., associates in the Abt Associates' Environment and Resources Division, were honored with Bryan Hubbell, Ph.D., of the EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, and former Abt Associates researcher Aaron Hallberg with the prestigious award, which recognizes groundbreaking science of national significance.

The study, "Health-Related Benefits of Attaining the 8-Hr Ozone Standard," which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives, concluded that had the regulated limits for ozone been met from 2000 to 2002, there would have been 800 fewer premature deaths and 4,500 fewer hospital and emergency admissions in the United States. School absences would have been reduced by 900,000 and 1 million restricted activity days would have been avoided. The researchers estimated the total economic benefit of having met the ozone standards at $5.7 billion.

"It is gratifying to see the excellent work of our researchers recognized by EPA's elite Scientific Advisory Board," said Michael Conti, vice president of the Environment and Resources Division. "Even more rewarding is the knowledge that Abt Associates has contributed to important research that could have a positive impact on public health and environmental policy."

Using the EPA's Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP), a computer program for estimating the impacts and benefits of changes in air pollution, the scientists quantified the health impact that would have resulted if ozone standards been met from 2000 to 2002. During those years, 36 percent to 56 percent of U.S. ozone monitors failed to meet the EPA standard of 80 parts per billion over an eight-hour period.

"The analysis showed us that routinely exceeding ozone limits is contributing to a multitude of health problems that have a very real impact, not only on public health but on the nation's economic health," Dr. McCubbin noted. "It's an honor to be recognized by the EPA for contributing to the body of research in this critical area."

Ozone is a pervasive pollutant harmful to human health that results from the reaction of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight. The primary sources of ozone are traffic and electric utilities. In the Clean Air Act of 1970, EPA identified ozone one of six "criteria pollutants" of serious concern. Numerous scientific studies since 1996 have provided strong evidence of an association between ozone and health problems, including premature death. The Abt Associates analysis using BenMAP was able to quickly quantify those effects and their economic costs, making a significant contribution to the policy debate on ozone standards.

"The work of Abt Associates has been instrumental in the success of BenMAP," noted Ron Evans, leader of the EPA's Air Benefit and Cost Group. Moreover, he added, the "Level I" award is deserved recognition of the "groundbreaking science" that was used in the application of BenMAP to the problem of quantifying the health benefits of reducing ozone.

McCubbin and Hallberg also were honored by Abt Associates with the Company's Daniel Bell Social Science Research Award in 2005 for their work on BenMAP. BenMAP can be downloaded at no charge at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/ecas/benmapdownload.html and (customizable) at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/ecas/benmap2download.html.

Contact Peter Broderick Vice President, Director Corporate Communications 617-349-2882 peter_broderick@abtassociates.com

Abt Associates

CONTACT: Peter Broderick, Vice President, Director CorporateCommunications, +1-617-349-2882, peter_broderick@abtassociates.com

Web site: http://www.abtassociates.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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