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 BPRG 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 BPRG calculator.

EPA has also had more focused external "non-independent" external peer reviews on early drafts of the BPRG 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

October 30, 2013 to January 14, 2014 (Independent Peer Review)

Matrix of Peer Review Comments with EPA Resolution
EPA CPM Calculator Review Complete Package, which includes:

• Peer Review Charge Questions
• Peer Review Matrices
• Matrix of Peer Review Comments: Charge Questions
• Matrix of Peer Review Comments: Welcome, Introduction, and FAQs
• Matrix of Peer Review Comments: Area CPM User's Guide
• Matrix of Peer Review Comments: Volume CPM User's Guide
• Matrix of Peer Review Comments
• Frazier Bronson (Canberra Industries)
  
  • Review
  • General Comments
  • Comments on Calculator Software
  • Comments on Area CPM User's Guide
  • Comments on Volume CPM User's Guide
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Conflict of Interest Form
• Mike M. Davies (Nuvia Limited)
  
  • Review
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Conflict of Interest Form
• David A. King (Oak Ridge Associated Universities)
  
  • Review
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Conflict of Interest Form
• Carl Spreng (Retired. Former USDOE, former Colorado DPHE)
  
  • Review
  • Responses to Charge Questions
  • General Comments
  • Comments on Welcome, Introduction, and FAQs
  • Comments on Area CPM User's Guide
  • Comments on Volume CPM User's Guide
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Conflict of Interest Form