External peer review provides the main mechanism for independent evaluation and review of environmental models used by the Agency. For more general information on how EPA develops and evaluates models, see the EPA document Guidance on the Development, Evaluation, and Application of Environmental Models. The copy linked to includes some yellow highlighting of text used in this website for describing peer and verification reviews.

The purpose of peer review is two-fold:

1. To evaluate whether the assumptions, methods, and conclusions derived from environmental models are based on sound scientific principles.
2. To check the scientific appropriateness of a model for informing a specific regulatory decision. (The latter objective is particularly important for secondary applications of existing models.)

Peer review charge questions and corresponding records for peer reviewers those questions should be incorporated into the quality assurance project plan.

Mechanisms of external peer review include (but are not limited to):

• Using an ad hoc panel of scientists.
• Using an established external peer review mechanism such as the SAB.
• Holding a technical workshop.

When conducting an "independent external" scientific peer review of the PRG calculator model, EPA has used a peer review contractor to conduct the peer review process (e.g., select the peer reviewers, provide charge questions, summarize the peer review comments in a chart). EPA staff may provide comments on potential peer reviewers and charge questions. Later, EPA, with ORNL support, has developed responses to the peer review comments. See below material for the independent external scientific peer review of the PRG calculator.

EPA has also had more focused external "non-independent" external peer reviews on early drafts of the PRG calculator. EPA requested and received review by the Army Corps of Engineers Center for Excellence under an interagency agreement. See below material from these non-independent peer reviews

January 16 to February 27, 2008 (Independent Peer Review)

Peer Review Charge and Statement of Work
SPRG User's Guide (pdf)
Summary Matrix of Peer Review Comments
Summary Matrix of Peer Review Comments with EPA Responses

Peer Reviewers

• Thomas Charnock
  
  • Comments
  • Resume
  • Conflict of Interest Certification
• Eric Darois
  
  • Comments
  • Resume
  • Conflict of Interest Certification
• Michael Genvan
  
  • Comments
  • Resume
  • Conflict of Interest Certification
• Carl V. Gogolak
  
  • Comments
  • Resume
  • Conflict of Interest Certification
• Maureen Mullen
  
  • Comments
  • Resume
  • Conflict of Interest Certification

September 20, 2007

Non-Independent Peer review of EPA SPRG Calculator, which includes:

• Email transmitting comments from:
  
  • Brian Hearty (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

July 25, 2007

Non-Independent Peer review of EPA SPRG Calculator, which includes:

• Email transmitting comments from:
  
  • Brian Hearty (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)