Group Leader, Risk and Environmental Assessment
Group Leader, Risk and Environmental Assessment

Biography

Dr. Ann Miracle is the group leader for the Risk and Environmental Assessment group in PNNL’s Earth Sciences System Division. The group’s multidisciplinary researchers apply analytic methods to assess, quantify, and understand the risks necessary to support decision-making and policy development for complex projects, including environmental justice, infrastructure operation, and land development for energy, environment, intelligence, and defense sponsors.

She previously managed the Environmental Planning and Emergency Preparedness groups for PNNL. As the management and operations manager for Emergency Management, she oversaw the Emergency Preparedness, Business Continuity, and Travel Safety programs. She concurrently served as the program manager for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance, Cultural Resources, Biological Resources, Environmental Permitting, and Pollution Prevention for PNNL facilities and PNNL research.

Dr. Miracle has over 15 years of experience in preparing NEPA evaluations for the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Defense. She has prepared single project and programmatic environmental assessments and environmental impact statements as a subject matter expert in aquatic and terrestrial ecology, human health impacts, and cumulative impacts, and has had oversight of NEPA document preparation as the project manager for several Environmental Impact Statements. Dr. Miracle has had extensive experience in NEPA document editing, consistency review of complex NEPA documents, and preparation of NEPA procedural and supplemental documents. She was the project manager for the PNNL team supporting the Columbia River System Operations (CRSO) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) scoping phase for the Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Bureau of Reclamation, and is currently the project manager for supporting the CRSO EIS on behalf of those agencies.  

Disciplines and Skills

  • Biological Assessments
  • Ecological Assessments
  • Environmental Impact Statements 
  • Environmental Justice
  • Environmental Toxicology
  • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Evaluations
  • Environmental Reviews
  • Fisheries Biology
  • Managing Complex Projects
  • Molecular Biology

Education

  • PhD in Molecular Biology, University of South Florida
  • MS in Genetics, University of Florida
  • BA in Biological Sciences, University of Virginia

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • National Association of Environmental Professionals

Awards and Recognitions

  • Exceptional Contribution Award, PNNL (2012, 2013, 2016–2019)

Publications

2016

Geist D.R., A.H. Colotelo, T.J. Linley, K.A. Wagner, and A.L. Miracle. 2016. "Effects of a Novel Fish Transport System on the Health of Adult Fall Chinook Salmon." Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 7, no. 2:347-358. PNNL-SA-113224. doi:10.3996/102015-JFWM-108

2014

Miracle A.L. 2014. "Environmental Biomarkers." In Encyclopedia of Toxicology, 3rd Edition, edited by P Wexler. 476-478. San Diego, California:Academic Press. PNNL-SA-85741.

2013

Weiland M.A., C.M. Woodley, G.R. Ploskey, J.S. Hughes, J.A. Kim, Z. Deng, and T. Fu, et al. 2013. Acoustic Telemetry Evaluation of Juvenile Salmonid Passage and Survival at John Day Dam, 2010. PNNL-22177. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Acoustic Telemetry Evaluation of Juvenile Salmonid Passage and Survival at John Day Dam, 2010

Weiland M.A., C.M. Woodley, G.R. Ploskey, J.S. Hughes, M.J. Hennen, J.A. Kim, and Z. Deng, et al. 2013. Acoustic Telemetry Evaluation of Juvenile Salmonid Passage and Survival at John Day Dam, 2011. PNNL-22266. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Acoustic Telemetry Evaluation of Juvenile Salmonid Passage and Survival at John Day Dam, 2011

2012

Bailey K.L., F.A. Tilton, D.P. Jansik, S.J. Ergas, M.J. Marshall, A.L. Miracle, and D.M. Wellman. 2012. "Growth Inhibition and Stimulation of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 by Surfactants and Calcium Polysulfide." Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 80. PNNL-SA-84510.

Bunn A.L., D.M. Wellman, R.A. Deeb, E.L. Hawley, M.J. Truex, M. Peterson, and M.D. Freshley, et al. 2012. "Scientific Opportunities for Monitoring of Environmental Remediation Sites - (SOMERS)." In Annual Waste Management Symposium (WM2012): Improving the Future in Waste Management, February 26 - March 1, 2012, Phoenix, Arizona, Paper No. 12224. Phoenix, Arizona:WM Symposia. PNNL-SA-85078.

Bunn A.L., D.M. Wellman, R.A. Deeb, E.L. Hawley, M.J. Truex, M. Peterson, and M.D. Freshley, et al. 2012. Scientific Opportunities for Monitoring at Environmental Remediation Sites (SOMERS): Integrated Systems-Based Approaches to Monitoring. PNNL-21379. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Scientific Opportunities for Monitoring at Environmental Remediation Sites (SOMERS): Integrated Systems-Based Approaches to Monitoring

Wellman D.M., M.D. Freshley, T.C. Johnson, and A.L. Miracle. 2012. "Contaminants in Vadose Zone Environments." Vadose Zone Journal 11, no. 4:Article No. 0159. PNNL-SA-93024. doi:10.2136/vzj2012.0159

Wellman D.M., S.V. Mattigod, S.S. Hubbard, A.L. Miracle, L. Zhong, M.W. Foote, and Y. Wu, et al. 2012. "Advanced Remedial Methods for Metals and Radionuclides in Vadose Zone Environments." Radwaste Solutions 19, no. 1:82-90. PNNL-SA-85536.

2011

Miracle A.L., and T.J. Carlson. 2011. "A Safer Passage." International Water Power & Dam Construction. PNNL-SA-77155.

2010

Wellman D.M., S.V. Mattigod, S. Hubbard, A.L. Miracle, L. Zhong, M. Foote, and Y. Wu, et al. 2010. "Advanced Remedial Methods for Metals and Radionuclides in Vadose Zone Environments." In ASME 2010 13th International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management (ICEM2010), October 3-7, 2010, Tsukuba, Japan, 2, 585-592, Paper No. ICEM2010-40235. Tsukuba:American Society of Mechanical Engineers. PNNL-SA-73089. doi:10.1115/ICEM2010-40235

2009

Miracle A.L., N.D. Denslow, K.J. Kroll, M. Liu, and K.K. Wang. 2009. "Spillway-Induced Salmon Head Injury Triggers the Generation of Brain alpha II-Spectrin Breakdown Product Biomarkers Similar to Mammalian Traumatic Brain Injury." PLoS One 4, no. 2:Article Number: e4491. PNWD-SA-8215.

Miracle A.L., V.L. Bailey, S.E. Baker, A.L. Bunn, J.K. Magnuson, and B.M. Webb-Robertson. 2009. "Integration of 'omics technologies for characterization of complex microbial ecosystems - 8119." In Waste Management Symposium 2008, 832-841. Tucson, Arizona:WM Symposia. PNNL-SA-58003.

2008

Ankley G.T., A.L. Miracle, E. Perkins, and G. Daston. 2008. Genomics in Regulatory Ecotoxicology: Applications and Challenges. Boca Raton, Florida:CRC Press. PNNL-SA-55161.

Miracle A.L., A.L. Bunn, J.M. Brandenberger, D.J. Gaspar, and J.A. Ward. 2008. "Fate and transport of titania nanoparticles in freshwater mesocosms." In Proceedings of the International Environmental Nanotechnology Conference: Applications and Implications, October 7-9, 2008, Chicago, Illinois. Washington Dc:Environmental Protection Agency. PNNL-SA-62622.

Miracle A.L., C. Evans, E. Ferguson, B. Greenberg, P. Kille, A. Schaeffner, and M. Sprenger, et al. 2008. "Applications of Genomic Technologies to Ecological Risk Assessments at Remediation / Restoration Sites." In Genomics in Regulatory Ecotoxicology: Applications and Challenges, edited by EJ Perkins, GP Daston, GT Ankley, AL Miracle. 123-150. Boca Raton, Florida:CRC Press. PNNL-SA-54639.

Small J.A., A.L. Bunn, C.A. McKinstry, A.D. Peacock, and A.L. Miracle. 2008. "Investigating Freshwater Periphyton Community Response to Uranium with Phospholipid Fatty Acid and Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis Analyses." Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 99, no. 4:730-738. PNNL-SA-55162.

Villeneuve D.L., I. Knoebl, P. Larkin, P. Larkin, A.L. Miracle, B.J. Carter, and N.D. Denslow, et al. 2008. "Altered gene expression in the brain and liver of female fathead minnows Pimephales promelas Rafinesque exposed to fadrozole." Journal of Fish Biology 72, no. 9:2281-2340. PNNL-SA-56159. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2008.01897.x

2007

Larkin P., P. Larkin, D.L. Villeneuve, I. Knoebl, A.L. Miracle, B.J. Carter, and L. Liu, et al. 2007. "Development and validation of a 2,000-gene microarray for the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 26, no. 7:1497-1506. PNNL-SA-56882.

Villeneuve D.L., A.L. Miracle, K.M. Jensen, S.J. Degitz, M.D. Kahl, J.J. Korte, and K.J. Greene, et al. 2007. "Development of quantitative real-time PCR assays for fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) gonadotropin ß subunit mRNAs to support endocrine disruptor research." Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology and Pharmacology 145, no. 2:171-183. PNNL-SA-47802.

Villeneuve D.L., L.S. Blake, J. Brodin, K.J. Greene, I. Knoebl, A.L. Miracle, and D. Martinovic, et al. 2007. "Transcription of key genes regulating gonadal steroidogenesis in control and ketoconazole- or vinclozolin-exposed fathead minnows." Toxicological Sciences 98, no. 2:395-407. PNNL-SA-56977. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfm124

Villeneuve D.L., P. Larkin, P. Larkin, I. Knoebl, A.L. Miracle, M.D. Kahl, and K.M. Jensen, et al. 2007. "A graphical systems model to facilitate hypothesis-driven ecotoxicogenomics research on the teleost brain-pituitary-gonadal axis." Environmental Science & Technology 41, no. 1:321-330. PNNL-SA-52266. doi:10.1021/es061739x

2006

Ankley G., G. Daston, S.J. Degitz, N. Denslow, R. Hoke, S. Kennedy, and A.L. Miracle, et al. 2006. "Toxicogenomics in regulatory ecotoxicology." Environmental Science & Technology 40, no. 13:4055-4065. PNNL-SA-50288.

Miracle A.L., G. Ankley, and D. Lattier. 2006. "Expression of two vitellogenin genes (vg1 and vg3) in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) liver in response to exposure to steroidal estrogens and androgens." Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 63, no. 3:337-342. PNNL-SA-45596.