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 DCC 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 DCC calculator.

August 11, 2022 to November 7, 2022 (Independent Peer Review)

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

• Peer Review Charge Questions
• Matrix of Peer Review Comments
• Jim Hondros (JRHC-Australia)
  
  • Review
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Conflict of Interest Form
• Daria Koliabina (AFRY-Ukraine)
  
  • Review
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Conflict of Interest Form
• Dr. Elizabeth LaBone (Savannah River National Laboratory)
  
  • Review
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Conflict of Interest Form
• Thomas Siard (Strata-G)
  
  • Review
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Conflict of Interest Form
• Theodore Wentworth (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, NRC-SLO)
  
  • Review
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Conflict of Interest Form