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The Environmental Research Institute of the States (“ERIS”) released a report titled:
Findings of the 2024 Biennial ERIS Survey on State Environmental Agency Research Needs (“Report”).
The Report is a result of a biennial survey of state and territorial (collectively, “State”) environmental research needs that ERIS conducts to:
- Identify key research priorities.
- Support U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development with research planning.
This Report constitutes its sixth biennial survey.
ERIS describes itself as a 501(c)(3) education research nonprofit that supports the Environmental Council of the States.
46 states, two territories and the District of Columbia were stated to have responded to the survey.
State environmental agency leaders were asked to identify their top research needs in each of five categories:
- PFAS.
- Air, adaptation, and energy.
- Water.
- Land and materials management.
- Chemicals and contaminants.
ERIS staff is stated to have conducted subsequent discussions with state agency staff and subject-matter experts to “gather more details on State needs”.
The Report includes pie charts reflecting the percentage of ECOS members that identified each issue as their top priority for additional research in each category. For example, in the case of State PFAS research needs, the percentages calculated were as follows:
- Destruction methods and effectiveness 37%.
- Biosolids and impacts to crops and/or food 34%.
- Detection and measurement methods/sensors 13%.
- Drinking water treatment options 10%.
- Air emissions and deposition 5%.
- Other 1%.
A copy of the Report can be downloaded here.
