ment tactics. For example, we will now be conducting our toxic pollutants re search within our in-house program since we believe it more effective to develop toxic pollutant fate and transport models in-house and use extramural research for validation activities later. DiGiano also comments on EPA's funding for drinking water research at universities. Although detailed plans for fiscal year 1983 are still being de veloped, I do not anticipate any dis proportionate reductions in drinking water research carried out by univer sities as opposed to that done by con tractors. There is certainly no change in policy in this area. DiGiano's final point relates to an alleged "phase-out mode" of EPA's university grant program. This is not true. EPA maintains its commitment to enhancing its research capability by building up, outside the federal gov ernment, expertise and dedicated professionals through a variety of mechanisms. ORD's [Office of Re search and Development] successful Exploratory Grants and Centers pro grams are representative of our ongo ing effort to carry out fundamental research in universities in support of the activities of the agency's base programs.
The Exploratory Research Centers, established at eight leading universities across the U.S. and funded through cooperative agreements, conduct basic research in areas ranging from groundwater to control technology. The Competitive Grants Program, which continues to award new grants and continuation grants to academic institutions, is the agency focal point for identifying and supporting mis sion-related basic research designed to strengthen our capability to respond to environmental problems. Even though the total resources for these programs have decreased somewhat in the past year, the percentage of ORD's re sources devoted to these activities re mains constant. In short, nationwide fiscal con straints compel us to take a hard look at EPA's entire R & D program. We focused our laboratory resources to more effectively support regulation while keeping our long-term research at a constant percentage of our overall budget. As a result, we are doing our job better—doing what needs to be done with fewer resources! Courtney Riordan Acting Assistant Administrator for Re search and Development U.S. EPA Washington, D.C. 20460
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Environ. Sci. Technol., Vol. 16, No. 12, 1982
Response to Dr. Riordan's rebuttal I am pleased that Dr. Riordan has taken the time to read and respond to my editorial. His rebuttal is a healthy sign that E P A cares about how the academic community perceives its re search program. I hope my remarks did not imply that university re searchers interpret the mandate of Congress as being to spend money without solving the problem. My point is simply that in the course of 10 years of research we learned more about the questions being asked and have come to realize that the answers are not easy. Some of the original questions have been answered but it seems that more complicated ones have taken their place, and this suggests that more re search is needed in the next 10 years. The University Centers of Excellence are very important in this effort as are the hundreds of individual researchers in other small and large institutions. Despite Dr. Riordan's comforting words, the EPA Exploratory Program is perceived as a tempting target for budget cuts because it drains funds from other EPA research programs that are closer to the regulatory pro cess. While national attention is now riveted on solving the budget deficit problem, there is no doubt that envi ronmental problems lie in wait. The academic community must continue to challenge government budget cuts in such research if the goal of improved environmental quality is to remain part of the equation used to judge the ef fectiveness of "doing more with less." Francis A. DiGiano, Professor Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, N.C. Bird cover Dear Sir: I have just received a copy of the August issue of ES&T and as usual it is impressive. Much as I en joyed the article on wildlife toxicology, the bird on the front cover is described as an adult peregrine, Falco peregrinus, when it is in fact a fledgling ~ 1 0 - 1 2 weeks old. Note particularly the down on the breast, crown, and nape as well as the buffish-brown cheeks, breast, and throat, "smear" spots on the upper breast (distinct spotting and barring in adults), and general earthy brown head and upper parts with rufous-buff tips to the forehead. Ν. Μ. Shennan 62 Manor Way Uxbridge Middlesex, UB8 2 BQ, U.K.
