Abt Associates Awarded $27M Contract to Provide Economic and Environmental Analytical Support to EPA's Office of Water

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Abt Associates will provide a wide range of economic and environmental assessment and regulatory support to the Effluent Limitations Guidelines and other surface water protection programs of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water under a five-year, $27.6 million contract. 

"This is an important contract that will enable Abt Associates to continue to support the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) commitment to protecting the quality of our water resources," said Michael Fisher, vice president in Abt Associates' Environment and Resources Division.

The award charges Abt Associates with multiple responsibilities, with a focus on supporting EPA's Office of Water (OW) in developing Clean Water Act regulations to reduce water pollution discharges. Abt will support EPA in cost, economic impact, environmental assessment, and benefits analyses (including human health and ecological benefits) for regulatory actions and other initiatives to reduce pollutant discharges into the nation's waterways.

Fisher, who noted that Abt has more than 25 years of experience working with EPA on these issues, said that, under the contract, Abt will develop new and innovative approaches to improve cost and benefits analyses as well as perform environmental justice analyses, which focus on the health and environmental effects of regulations on minority, low-income and other populations who rely on fish and wildlife consumption.  In addition, Abt will support development of improved controls on stormwater and nutrient discharges, evaluate market-based approaches (e.g., discharge trading and effluent discharge fees) to meet policy objectives, and inform OW in setting water quality and aquatic life standards.  Assessing the surface water-related consequences of climate change is also among Abt's many other tasks.

About Abt Associates
Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global leader in research and program implementation in the fields of health, social and environmental policy, and international development. Known for its rigorous approach to solving complex challenges, Abt Associates is regularly ranked as one of the top 20 global research firms and one of the top 40 international development innovators.  The company has multiple offices in the U.S. and program offices in more than 40 countries. www.abtassociates.com

SOURCE Abt Associates

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