Our record with the environmental crystal ball

The EPA has long been criticized for its slowness in responding to problems such as ozone depletion, toxic contamination and acid rain. This failure to act promptly can be traced, in many ways, to the general reluctance of researchers to meak sweeping conclusions without sufficient data. Fortunately, the dangers of such as approach are now being recognized and steps are being taken to ensure that the EPA is not caught flat-footed again, particularly when new environmental management issues crop up as the danger signs of worsening ecological damage are detected.
As the articles in this issue of EPA Journal clearly demonstrate, data have become a major commodity in our society. Quantitative information is needed to understand any environmental problem, evaluate [...]