Science, Research and Technology

DIVISION: Policy, Planning & Science
GENERAL PHONE NUMBER: (609) 984-6071
FAX NUMBER: (609) 777-2852
WEB SITE

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The Division of Science, Research and Technology (DSRT) is the department's primary scientific research and technical support unit. The role of this division, through its studies, evaluations and assessment efforts, is to provide the department with a sound technical foundation upon which to base the department's policy and regulatory decisions. The division consists of the Bureau of Environmental and Health Assessment, the Bureau of Natural Resources Science, the Climate Change Team, and the Environmental Trends Team.

The Bureau of Environmental and Health Assessment has the primary responsibility for cross-media functions of environmental assessment and risk analysis. The function of this group is to provide the scientific basis for developing and implementation of numerous departmental policy initiatives, many of which have an agency-wide and sometimes an inter-agency-wide scope. Scientists in this group provide the department and the state with needed technical information concerning current and emerging issues in environmental science, including a strong role in standards development and research focused emerging environmental issues in the state. Particular emphasis is on exposures to toxic substances, fate and transport of toxic substances, and assessments of the potential risks to human health and posed by these exposures. The bureau has expertise in chemistry, modeling of contaminant transport in air and water, statistics, GIS, toxicology and epidemiology.

The bureau is charged with working closely with and aiding the Natural Resource and Land Use programs of the department to apply the most up-to-date science in meeting the natural resource protection goals of the department. This bureau helps integrate natural resource considerations more fully into departmental decision-making. The bureau consists of scientists with experience and a diverse background in the ecological and environmental sciences. Examples of bureau expertise includes: aquatic biology, estuarine/marine ecology, ecotoxicology, wildlife biology, risk assessment, fish and wildlife contaminant studies, and environmental education and outreach.

MONETARY ASSISTANCE PROVIDED:

None

PERMITTING RESPONSIBILITIES:

None

PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE:

A list of publications is available on the web site.