In the past, EPA's research program has been criticized for not adequately supporting the agency's regulatory activities and, at the same time for not providing a longer range, 'over the horizon' viewpoint needed to guide EPA's future strategies. In response, we have made major changes within the past year and a half to improve the planning and management of research in support of the regulatory pro- grams. For instance, under the direction of a task force of top-level EPA managers, a new system for jointly planning research with the regulatory offices has been developed. This new system has been successfully implemented on a pilot scale. We are now extending it to the entire research program. Also, in response to these criticisms, we have recently established a multidisciplinary strategic analysis group to help identify future environmental trends and potential problems, and develop sound policies for averting the threats to human health and the environment. I believe that we have made significant progress in answering both criticisms of the research program. This Research Outlook series, plays an im- portant role in shaping the changes now taking place in EPA. It provides a mechanism for us to describe in a concise fashion our plans for future environmental research and develop- ment. It provides the vehicle for an important dialogue within the agency on how to achieve the best balance between research answering short-term regulatory needs and research an- ticipating future problems. Finally, it provides the basis for a creative exchange with our Science Advisory Board, the Congress, the scientific community, and the public. As in last year's Outlook, we have relied on our analysis of EPA's legislative mandates, our scientific intuition, and an examination of environmental trends. However, just as research is a dynamic process, the plans which describe what will be done must also be con- stantly adjusted. Accordingly, the research directions described here will change, some slightly and some more significantly, as our understanding improves. While there is still a long way to go, I sincerely believe that EPA's research program is steadily moving toward a full partnership with the agency's regulatory programs.

"February 1979"--Cover Includes bibliographical references (pages 136-140). "EPA 600/9 79-005"--Cover