Information Access Strategy
January 2009
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US EPA Information Access Strategy
Table of Contents
1. EPA's Information Access Strategy 1
Environmental Information Access 1
National Dialogue on Access to Environmental Information 1
2. Information Access Needs of EPA Audiences 5
Approach for Public Outreach 5
Information Access Needs 5
Finding Information 6
Understanding Information 7
Using and Analyzing Information 8
New Tools and Access to Experts 8
3. Recommendations for Improving Access to Environmental Information 10
Recommendation 1: Enable People to Find Environmental Data and Information at EPA and Other
Federal Agencies 11
Recommendation 2: Improve People's Understanding of EPA Data and Information to Promote
Appropriate Use 12
Recommendation 3: Organize EPA Information and Data into Formats that Promote Better
Understanding and Facilitate Desired Uses 13
Recommendation 4: Use New Web Technologies to Empower People to Find, Understand and Use
Environmental Information and Data 15
4. Next Steps 16
Develop an Access Implementation Plan 17
Establish an Ongoing Process for Soliciting EPA's Information Audience Needs and Monitoring the
Agency's Performance in Meeting Them 17
Appendix. Issues on Information Access Strategy Recommendations 19
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1. EPA's Information Access Strategy
Environmental Information Access
Protecting the environment is everyone's
business. Our nation's environmental success
over the past 40 years has been the sum of
achievements by many—EPA and other Federal
agencies; tribal, state, and local government
partners; environmental groups; communities
and concerned citizens; and responsible
industry.
Environmental regulation reined in the glaring
problems that served as our call to action on
Earth Day, 1970. Today's environmental
problems are more complex, often involving
diffuse pollutant sources. More than ever
before, environmental solutions depend on
effective action by countless individuals
working voluntarily to address problems that are
beyond the practical reach of command and
control regulation.
To help protect our environment, everyone—
from the Internet-savvy environmental
professional to the concerned citizen reliant on
printed materials—needs ready access to high
quality information to provide the foundation for
sound decisions. Through this Information
Access Strategy, EPA hopes to enhance access
to environmental information so that we may all
be better equipped to help address our nation's
environmental challenges.
National Dialogue on Access to
Environmental Information
In recent years, EPA has witnessed sweeping
changes in the growth and use of environmental
information. The thirst for environmental
information among environmental professionals
and the concerned public is stronger than ever
before. EPA and other information providers
are producing more environmental information
today than at any time in the past. EPA—
working with these other providers and using
newly available technology—has an
unprecedented ability to make information
available to people who need it.
In December of 2007, EPA's Assistant
Administrator for Environmental Information
and Chief Information Officer (CIO), Molly A.
O' Neill, launched a National Dialogue on
Access to Environmental Information. Between
January and mid-June of this year, EPA's Office
of Environmental Information (OEI) met with
people throughout the country who use
environmental information to learn about their
information needs and access preferences. EPA
assembled the thousands of comments received
into this Information Access Strategy, offering
direction for future efforts to enhance access to
EPA's environmental information.
As the National Dialogue took the public stage
last winter, EPA heard many comments about
the strategic importance of sound information;
the tremendous opportunities offered by new,
Internet based information sharing technologies;
and the growing field of information providers.
These issues raise three broad questions for this
Strategy:
First, stepping above specific issues of
technology, data and information, how should
EPA frame its overall goal for managing Agency
information resources?
Second, looking back on the progress EPA has
made over the past decade, how can the Agency
build most effectively on past accomplishments?
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Third, looking beyond EPA information
resources, what role should the Agency play
within the larger community of external
providers of environmental information?
The following discussions of these three
questions offer general context for the National
Dialogue findings about audience information
access needs and recommendations in this
Information Access Strategy for addressing
them.
Managing Information as a Common,
Strategic Resource
EPA's path through the thicket of technology,
data and information management issues begins
with a simple, transcendent goal: To manage
environmental information as a common,
strategic resource for accomplishing the
Agency's environmental mission. As the
graphic on this page shows, the strategic
management of information technology,
environmental data and information resources
implies a direct management alignment with the
Agency's mission to protect human health and
the environment. The graphic also presents an
example profile of major mission-critical
information uses. These information uses—for
program research, planning, implementation,
and public participation—already receive the
attention of information resource managers for
their individual areas of program responsibility.
Information resources at EPA are usually
developed under one of EPA's many specific
environmental laws. Agency information
owners invest in their information resources as
necessary to meet the requirements for programs
implemented under individual laws. A new,
Agency-level goal for information resource
management draws the attention of information
resource managers to mission-critical uses of
environmental information outside their
individual program offices and circles of
primary information users.
Information as a Common Strategic
Resource for Accomplishing EPA's
Mission
Side View
EPA Information Management
The Information Access Strategy will improve
alignment of EPA's Information Management
with Important Information Uses.
Strategic
Planning,
Policy, and
Program Program
Development Implementation
Top View
Major Uses of Environmental Information
Improved access—leading to wider, more
diverse secondary uses of EPA data flows, data
systems and information products—will present
new challenges for Agency information resource
managers. In the near term, secondary users
must be adequately informed of the quality and
suitability of today's resources for uses other
than the primary ones for which they were
originally designed. Ultimately, however, the
designs of EPA data and information resources
must evolve to accommodate the requirements
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of mission-critical secondary uses. EPA's new
Quality Policy (www.epa.gov/oei/quality.htm).
embodies the key principles of data and
information management needed to guide EPA
toward issuance of appropriate documentation
supporting secondary uses.
Building on EPA's Past Success
Over the past decade, EPA has used advances in
communications technology to build toward a
single, virtual work place, connecting Agency's
headquarters staff in Washington B.C. with staff
located in Regional Offices and research
laboratories throughout the country. Local area
networks have been consolidated into a centrally
governed intranet. EPA's telecommunications
services make teleconferencing easy for every
EPA employee. Video conference equipment is
commonplace throughout the Agency. Portable
e-mail devices allow managers and staff alike to
monitor work flow in real-time from anywhere.
Today, EPA's people are digitally connected to
a degree scarcely imagined a decade ago.
EPA has also used advances in information
technology to make headway connecting staff
with the Agency's vast information resources.
EPA's information systems—originally
designed to serve individual program needs for
twelve major environmental statutes
administered by EPA—are gradually becoming
interoperable. Each year, more EPA information
resources are digitized by the Agency's library
network for easy, electronic access by staff
across the country. An expanding extranet,
known as the National Environmental
Information Exchange Network, is starting to
deliver seamless data reporting and provide a
single, convenient point of data access services
between EPA and its tribal and state
environmental program partners.
To complete the virtual work place, EPA
recognizes the importance of providing its staff
everywhere with fuller, digital access to the
Agency's information resources. Thanks to
technological advances of the past decade, the
success of EPA's work processes no longer
depends on the co-location of people. Likewise,
EPA's people should be freed from concern
about the accessibility of Agency information
resources they need to do their work.
EPA's Information Roles
Collectors
Disseminators
Users
EPA is one of many Federal
agencies, tribal, state and local
environ mental an d h ealth
programs, an dn on-govern mental
organizationsthat collect
environ mental data
Most of the data maintained
by EPA is collected by state
and local environ mental programs
EPA develops information
products and services
using data from other
collectors...
...and disseminates them to a
variety of Information
audiences.
EPAisoneof many intermediaries
wh o di ssem i n ate i n format! on to
public audiences...
EPA staff are the
primary users of
information
maintained by the
Agency.
...ineluding other Federal.tribal, state,
andlocal agencies,industry.
com m u n iti es, research ers
and the news media
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EPA's Role among Environmental
Information Providers and Users
EPA belongs to a large, growing field of
collectors, disseminators, and users of
environmental information. Like many of these
organizations, EPA has an established niche
consisting of multiple roles and dependencies on
other information providers. The Agency
collects some data, such as the Toxics Release
Inventory, under Federal environmental laws,
and relies on other tribal, state, and local
collectors for much of its basic regulatory
compliance monitoring information. EPA
disseminates information to a wide variety of
user audiences, who are often also looking for
complementary information collected or
disseminated by other Federal agencies, such as
the Fish and Wildlife Service, and private
organizations, such as the Nature Conservancy.
Other information disseminators, such as some
environmental groups, serve audiences using
information maintained by EPA.
A new information landscape composed of
interdependent collectors, disseminators, and
users is now forming in response to the rapid,
enabling changes in information technology.
Through timely engagement, the Agency has the
opportunity to strengthen key relationships
necessary to promote a landscape more
responsive to EPA's own information needs and
to those of its information audiences. EPA's
audiences include not only people who access
information digitally via the Internet but also
others, like members of low-income
communities, who rely on face-to-face meetings
and access to printed materials.
EPA must seek the advice of key players in the
field of environmental information collection
and dissemination on how to help shape the new
information landscape for the common good. .
Only by using such a broadly collaborative
approach involving other government and
private providers can EPA expect to address the
growing needs of its information audiences.
Limited discussions on these three questions—
concerning strategic approach, completing the
virtual work place, and external Agency roles—
have already stimulated valuable ideas about the
future of information resources management.
EPA discussions should intensify in the coming
months, drawing energy from findings from the
National Dialogue and direction from the
recommendations in this Information Access
Strategy.
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2. Information Access Needs of EPA Audiences
Approach for Public Outreach
During the course of the National Dialogue,
EPA studied audience information needs and
preferences through research, dialogue, and
observation (see text box to the right). Various
groups participated in the process, both internal
and external to the community of EPA, Federal,
tribal, state, and local agency employees that are
engaged in environmental information
collection, management, and dissemination.
Participants were provided with opportunities to
comment on the findings from the National
Dialogue, which were updated regularly on
EPA's Web site.
Among the many comments received from
National Dialogue participants were a wide
variety of specific information needs. For a
more in-depth look at individual comments and
summaries developed by EPA for major
audience groups the reader is encouraged to visit
EPA's National Dialogue Web site at
www.epa.gov/nationaldialogue.
Information Access Needs
During the National Dialogue, EPA collected
information from hundreds of people regarding
their environmental information access needs.
EPA heard from a wide variety of individuals
who were eager to share the challenges they
have faced when accessing environmental
information. Many participants expressed why
they were interested in finding environmental
information and shared their ideas for improving
access to environmental information.
Based on the information collected from the
various National Dialogue activities, four broad
National Dialogue Activities
At a Glance
Background Research
» The National Dialogue began with a review of more than
100 existing resources on information audience needs.
» Research included the examination of reports and activities
conducted by EPA and others concerning needs and
preferences for access to environmental information
Outreach Activities
• Small, 2-hour information gathering sessions were held with
each of five targeted audience groups including industry
representatives; education professionals; Federal, tribal,
state, and local environmental and public health
professionals; news media representatives; and
environmental and community groups.
• Ten listening sessions were held at various conferences
with current and potential EPA audiences.
• A publicly available Internet Comment Board was created
where participants were directed to provide feedback on
their information needs and preferences.
• Three internal EPA Web-based comment sessions were
hosted by EPA for EPA staff to communicate important
access needs and issues.
• A Web-based external EPA Partner comment session was
hosted for EPA's information partners to comment on
access needs.
Observations on Search and Web Use
Two investigations studied use of the EPA Web site:
• An analysis of the top search terms and topics entered into
EPA's search engine
• An analysis of which pages were visited most frequently and
how visitors navigate to and around the EPA Web site.
themes relating to EPA audiences'
environmental information needs emerged:
• Finding environmental information from
EPA is difficult.
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• Understanding EPA's information is
sometimes challenging.
• Using and analyzing EPA's information
often requires assistance.
• Obtaining environmental information using
Web-based technologies is a growing trend
but can often be enhanced with access to
expert people.
Finding Information
One of the most prominent themes heard
throughout the National Dialogue is that people
cannot find the environmental information they
need. People expressed this as one of their
primary challenges at nearly every information
gathering session. The problem of finding
relevant environmental information involves
several aspects, which are summarized below.
Some people are not aware of many of EPA's
vast information resources
Even when environmental information
audiences are aware that they need
environmental information, they often do not
know where to go for it. In some cases, people
are not aware that many EPA information
resources are already available on the EPA Web
site.
People cannot easily search or navigate
through EPA's Web site
EPA's primary method for providing
information to its external audiences is through
the EPA Web site. People expressed frustration
with their experience in using EPA's Web site
search function. Specifically, participants stated
that search terms often do not provide valuable
results, the organization of the search results is
difficult to navigate, and they cannot sort their
search results to find what they need. Other
people expressed the need for EPA's Web site
information to be better organized and easier to
navigate. People of all technical backgrounds
complained that navigational links are not
obvious, information is not categorized in ways
that are logical to them, layouts are inconsistent,
and good information is obscured by old content
and broken links. EPA was also informed that
some visitors would benefit from additional help
(on-line or through personal contact) in finding
information due to differences in technical
capabilities or language abilities.
Understand
Find, Understand, and Use
Audience needs can be grouped into three main sections: find,
understand, and use.
• EPA information must be easy to find on the EPA Web site
or via other channels.
• The information should be easily understandable by a
variety of target audiences.
• EPA should continue to produce a variety of information
products to facilitate different uses, from data for future
expert analysis to guidance documents for general
consumption.
Some people are not fully aware of
environmental problems that affect them
Some people rely on help from information
intermediaries—e.g., teachers, librarians and the
news media—to find information about an
environmental concern. Environmental
information intermediaries informed EPA that
their constituents are often not aware of
environmental problems that may affect them.
For example, parents and teachers are frequently
unaware of indoor air quality problems in their
schools. This lack of awareness can make it
difficult for people to conduct an informed
search of environmental information of interest
to them.
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Some people need information alerts on hot
environmental issues and the newest EPA
actions
Some of EPA's audiences do not have the time
or ability to continuously visit the EPA Web site
to find new or updated environmental
information. This may occur because they need
the information immediately (e.g., to respond to
constituent questions or regulatory obligations)
and do not have time to look for it, or because
they are unaware that new or updated
information exists. Based on findings from both
the National Dialogue Comment Sessions and
the Web Use and Search Term Analyses
described in the last section, EPA's audiences
expressed interest in being alerted to information
about hot topics, the latest EPA actions, or
current environmental events. They suggested
J OO
mechanisms such as a What's New button on the
EPA home page, email alerts, and Internet
subscription services.
Some people experience confusion regarding
the type of environmental information
provided by EPA versus information
developed by other Federal, tribal, state, and
local sources
Many environmental information seekers
believe that EPA is the source of most, if not all,
of the environmental information held by the
Federal government. As one respondent said,
"the 'E' in EPA is for environment," and so
EPA is where people look for all things
environmental. Many respondents are confused
when an environmental topic is not covered on
the EPA Web site (e.g., information on
endangered species or local environmental
policies and requirements). They often do not
know where to look for environmental
information not held by EPA.
Understanding Information
Throughout the National Dialogue, EPA's
audiences made the point that EPA serves two
broadly different constituencies—everyday
people and technical people—and that a one-
size-fits-all approach does not offer the different
levels of detail required by both audiences.
Nevertheless, both lay and technical people
reported that they often need help understanding
the information on the EPA Web site.
People need context for the information they
find
A key to understanding complex environmental
issues is the ability to place data and information
in the proper regulatory, ecological, economic,
or other context. National Dialogue respondents
indicated that they need contextual information
to improve their understanding of how
environmental information addresses their
specific needs. Some specific contextual
connections that are of high importance to users
include the relationships between environmental
effects and human health, risk assessment
information, and better explanations of the
environmental significance regulatory
compliance status. People also specified their
need for trend data, geospatial data, pollutant
information, and information on organizations
that affect the environment (e.g., regulated
facilities, owner companies, industry sectors,
etc.). Overall, EPA's audiences are looking for
more information on what environmental data
mean and how to apply and use these data.
People want more and improved descriptions
of EPA's information and data
In addition to specific contextual information,
National Dialogue participants broadly
expressed the need for better descriptions about
the data and information found on EPA's Web
site. Improved descriptions are critical to
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understanding and analyzing the environmental
data's full meaning, pedigree, reliability, and
quality. Some specific examples from
participants include better explanations and
documentation of data quality, information on
how the data was collected, reasons for
collecting the data, intended use of the data,
level of certainty about the data, year the data
was collected, names of principal investigators,
and data sources. Some of EPA's external
audience groups were particularly concerned
that people may use data or information
inappropriately if descriptions are not clear and
sufficient.
People need summaries that translate
complex topics into clear, easy-to-understand
concepts
EPA external audiences frequently stated that
they need help understanding the complex
environmental resources that they find on the
EPA Web site. They expressed a need for fact
sheets, executive summaries, and other
documents that focus on key environmental
issues or topics (e.g., regulatory compliance
assistance, environmental laws, key
environmental programs). These documents
should summarize complex issues, be easy to
read, and contain links to more detailed
resources. They also want these documents in a
format that is easy to print (e.g., PDF) and in a
variety of languages. Environmental
information intermediaries noted that this
requirement is particularly important to their
constituents who may need access to the
information but are not Web-sawy or proficient
in English.
Using and Analyzing Information
In addition to enhancements that help people
understand the information they find on the EPA
Web site, many National Dialogue respondents
expressed the desire for assistance in using and
analyzing environmental information. Many of
the specific issues in this category relate to a
need for improved information about data
quality, collection, tracking and EPA use.
People expressed a need for faster access to
data but also want data quality documented
While people want EPA data to be of high
quality, most feel that data should be made
publicly available as quickly as possible, as long
as data quality issues and concerns are clearly
documented. Many audience groups expressed a
desire for timely access to basic data so that they
can conduct their own analyses. Others (e.g.,
industry representatives) were concerned about
possible misinterpretation of the data and prefer
that EPA conduct and provide the results of its
own data analyses.
People need improved tools, models, and
databases
Some National Dialogue respondents have used
tools, models, and databases that are available
on the EPA Web site. While they appreciate
access to these resources (e.g., EnviroFacts, TRI
Explorer, Risk-Screening Environmental
Indicators), they expressed the need for
enhancements, including clearer instructions for
how to use these resources, easier user interfaces
and ways to extract data from databases, and
additional tools to facilitate data analysis.
New Tools and Access to Experts
Many people are interested in using new
Web-based technologies to help them find,
understand and use information
Most of the National Dialogue respondents are
not active users of cutting-edge Web
technologies. They tend to access
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environmental information in more conventional
formats, including electronic (e.g. Web pages,
spreadsheets, databases) and print formats.
They are not frequent users of newer Web-based
technologies (e.g. blogs, RSS feeds, Wikis).
Nevertheless, there is evidence of a growing
interest in these technologies. As described
above, some EPA Web site visitors use or have
expressed interest in using Internet subscription
feeds to obtain up-to-date information on
environmental topics of interest. In addition,
some respondents indicated an interest in using
other Internet tools, but their specific needs for
these technologies were highly variable. While
there was concern about the quality of
information on shared and open information
sites, participants felt these tools might be
appropriate for collaborative work.
In addition to technology and tools, people
need improved access to real people
EPA information experts. All types of EPA
information users indicated the need to contact
EPA experts, other environmental experts, and
peers with whom they can collaborate or ask
questions about environmental topics. For
example, educators, members of the media,
industry representatives and other audience
groups lamented that they cannot find names,
offices, and contact information for EPA staff
who can provide expertise on specific
environmental topics or refer them to experts
outside the Agency. They expressed a need for
an EPA directory that lists EPA staff by office
and expertise, and they suggested that staff
contact information be provided on EPA Web
pages.
Many audience groups, representing the full
scope of National Dialogue stakeholder sessions,
also stressed their desire for continued and
enhanced access to librarians and library
resources. They view contact with librarians as
a critical way to find information, understand the
information they find, and conduct technical
research.
Collaboration Opportunities. Many EPA
audience groups are interested in opportunities
to collaborate with others who are interested in
the same topics or are using the same
information. This includes an interest in
establishing user groups around particular
information resources where users can learn
from the experiences of others. Several specific
ideas were mentioned as ways to connect
information users and experts, such as online
discussion boards and expert locators. Many
people suggested using newer Web technologies
for future collaborative efforts.
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3. Recommendations for Improving Access to
Environmental Information
The foregoing analysis of EPA audience needs
points to a simple, but powerful, set of
conclusions about environmental information
access as follows:
EPA's information audiences want to be able to
find the information they are looking for more
easily than is possible today. People want to be
able to locate known information sources more
easily. They also want to be made aware of
sources of information unfamiliar to them.
Documents and databases should be easy to
search for relevant information. Audiences for
environmental information believe that EPA
should help them look for environmental
information maintained by other Federal
agencies.
Implement As We Go
Implement As We Go is EPA's way of moving
ahead immediately with a handful of projects
to address some of the audience needs for
improved access to environmental information
identified through comments from National
Dialogue participants. Implement As We Go
Projects introduced throughout this section will
be undertaken as this Information Access
Strategy \s being finalized in 2008 and 2009.
Next, people want to be able to understand
environmental information more easily. They
want information about the information to help
them determine whether an information source
they find is relevant and appropriate for a use
they have in mind. They want information on
topics of interest to them presented so they can
see the forest before looking more closely at
individual trees to acquire an in-depth
understanding.
Finally, EPA's information audiences want
environmental information and data organized
into convenient formats for easy use. These
formats range between two extremes. One is a
summary format, or big picture, describing a
topic broadly, often for a general audience. The
other is a disaggregated data format, for people
who want to do their own analysis, organized in
ways useful for doing environmental analysis,
such as pollutant, pollutant source, and place.
EPA's information audiences believe that a
variety of access tools already in use by other
organizations can be employed by EPA to
improve access to environmental information.
Some of these tools offer powerful new ways of
delivering information products and services on
the Internet. However, better tools alone, they
cautioned, will not always be enough. Both
EPA and the Agency's information audiences
will need the help of knowledgeable people with
whom to discuss, collaborate, and partner with
to improve access to environmental information.
The conclusions set forth above outline what
National Dialogue participants mean by
improved information access. They are specific
improvements, or outcomes, sought by people in
their ability to find, understand, and use
environmental information. The conclusions go
on to explain how National Dialogue
participants believe these outcomes can be
achieved by identifying two broad,
complementary approaches for improving
information access: better tools and
knowledgeable people. Better tools, as
described further below, refers to a variety of
emergent information products and services,
including an exciting new generation of Web-
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based technologies offering finger-tip access to
information resources on the Internet.
Knowledgeable people refers to the need for
stronger human networks and partnerships to
guide and animate enhancements in electronic
infrastructure.
EPA used these two themes—i.e., what
outcomes people want and how better tools and
knowledgeable people can achieve them—to
develop the following recommendations for
improving access to environmental information.
'ec
Recommendation 1: Enable People to Find
Environmental Data and Information at EPA and Other
Federal Agencies
Recommendation 2: Improve People's Understanding
of EPA Data and Information to Promote Appropriate
Use
Recommendation 3: Organize EPA Information and
Data into Formats that Promote Better Understanding
and Facilitate Desired Uses
Recommendation 4: Use New Web Technologies to
Empower People to Find, Understand, and Use
Environmental Information and Data
Recommendation 1: Enable
People to Find Environmental Data
and Information at EPA and Other
Federal Agencies
People need better tools for searching through
EPA's digital information resources. They also
need guidance from information professionals to
help them identify and locate print information
resources. They believe that EPA, usually their
first stop when looking for environmental
information, should lead efforts to simplify their
search for environmental information
maintained by other Federal agencies. EPA will
advance this recommendation in the following
three ways.
Improve the tools available to search for
EPA's digital information resources
Computer-assisted search for subject matter over
the Internet is now the preferred method of
finding information. Powerful search engines,
such as Google and Yahoo, can help people find
environmental information posted anywhere on
the Internet. Software designed to catalog
information for easy identification and retrieval
can facilitate the task of preparing EPA's vast
stores of information for easy Web access.
While effective management of EPA's Web
information content is within reach, the Agency
must move aggressively to implement an
enterprise-wide approach, for all of its offices
manage valuable information resources.
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Strengthen EPA's network of information
specialists
EPA employs a variety of information
specialists placed throughout the Agency and on
telephone hotlines to help public callers and
visitors find Agency information. Examples of
these information specialists include public
affairs staff in Headquarters and all ten Regional
Offices, Toxics Release Inventory coordinators
in its Regional Offices, and EPA librarians.
Most of these information specialists operate as
loose networks across their geographic areas of
responsibility and subject matter expertise.
While they focus mainly on local information
requests, information specialists sometimes
direct people to information resources elsewhere
and provide referrals to Agency subject matter
experts.
EPA's Library Network is composed of 26
facilities located in Regional offices and
laboratories throughout the country. Many of
these libraries specialize, either geographically
(e.g., the Chesapeake Bay) or by subject
(research and development). In the past, the
libraries operated independently to provide local
support for EPA staff and the public. By
becoming a stronger national network, EPA's
librarians are extending library visitors' access
to specialized collections and knowledgeable
librarians at all library locations.
Strengthening other networks of Agency
information specialists similarly may be
expected to improve the help they are able to
provide people to find EPA information.
Explore possible search partnerships with
other Federal agencies
Search partnerships would help people to find
information maintained by EPA and partner
agencies. One basic type of partnership could
include navigation tools guiding people easily
from EPA's Web site to pages on other Federal
agency Web sites where they can begin to search
for information of interest. Another more
sophisticated partnership could be used to
develop a federated search capability with
controlled vocabulary of environmental terms
used by all partners to catalog the content of
their respective information resources to allow
for easy identification and retrieval. Both the
challenges and benefit of improving search of
environmental information are multiplied when
expanding the scope beyond EPA to include
information available through other Federal
agencies. EPA will proceed by exploring
incremental improvements with the potential of
someday expanding into fully federated search.
Recommendation 2: Improve
People's Understanding of EPA
Data and Information to Promote
Appropriate Use
For National Dialogue participants, an improved
ability to understand data and information
begins with better transparency, or an
illuminating view of data and information
quality, reliability, and circumstances
surrounding its acquisition. They also
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emphasized the importance of trusted,
knowledgeable people as sources of information
on subjects of concern to them. The following
actions would help push this recommendation
forward.
Improve the transparency of EPA data and
information by providing better
documentation tools
People need information about information,
known as metadata, to understand information
sufficiently and use it properly. Ideally,
metadata describes when, how, why, and by
whom a data or information resource was
developed. It should be readable by lay
audiences interested in learning what questions
EPA data and information is well-suited to
answer for them. Metadata should be embedded
in the data and information it describes to ensure
its inclusion with information transfers and
downloads.
Developing metadata is typically the
responsibility of the individual data collector or
author. To improve metadata availability and
consistency, EPA needs more structured
requirements and a supportive framework to
assist the developers of data and information
resources.
Support front-line providers of information
People often acquire environmental information
through intermediaries—trusted sources of
information who are closer than EPA to both
their audiences and the environmental issues of
concern to them. Examples of information
intermediaries include news media
meteorologists (for air quality information) and
medical professionals (for chemical exposure
information). They also include tribal, state, and
local government agencies and non-
governmental organizations. Every day,
information intermediaries use their superior
vantage point to deliver environmental
information to public audiences. EPA can thus
help its own information audiences by better
understanding and meeting the information
needs of intermediaries who serve them.
Recommendation 3: Organize EPA
Information and Data into Formats
that Promote Better
Understanding and Facilitate
Desired Uses
While National Dialogue participants offered
many examples of data and information uses,
two major ones emerged in discussions with
EPA: general and analytical uses. The following
recommendations focus on these two major uses.
Develop introductory materials on topics and
issues for general use
General audiences for environmental
information typically want to begin with a
general understanding of environmental topics
and issues of interest to them. Summaries of
topics and issues can serve two valuable
purposes. They can provide public information
audiences, and the intermediaries who serve
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them, with print-ready documents for use as
handouts and mailings. In addition, when used
as a user interface on EPA's Web site, they can
introduce visitors to a topic or issue, and then
guide them to more in-depth information
resources.
A wealth of introductory material of interest to
EPA audiences exists already, but is often
located within larger Agency documents posted
on EPA's Web site. Agency program priorities,
for example, are simply and clearly presented in
EPA 's Strategic Plan
(www.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/plan.htm') for readers
who know where to look for them. The
Agency's recently released Report on the
Environment (www.epa.gov/roe) models a
promising approach by introducing readers to
environmental topics using general, one-page
discussions that feature digital links to
successively more in-depth materials. EPA can
begin to address this recommendation by
identifying topics of greatest interest to general
information audiences and raising the profile of
existing introductory materials for easier access
and use.
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Deliver information in multiple formats to
meet different audience needs
People access information in a variety of
formats, with technology and language playing
key roles. Information is increasingly accessed
through electronic means. Some people,
however, do not have easy Internet access and
obtain information in other ways, such as
through printed posters and pamphlets,
telephone hotlines, face-to-face meetings, and
information kiosks. For these people, and the
increasing proportion of the U.S. population that
speaks a language other than English, EPA must
strengthen its coordination with front-line
information providers to ensure that information
is delivered in formats and languages that meet
audiences' needs.
Organize EPA data for analytical uses
Researchers, analysts, and other more
knowledgeable information audiences often
want access to simple data formats that facilitate
download to their computers, manipulation, and
use with a variety of analytical software tools.
These data formats are most useful when
organized according to themes routinely used to
do environmental analysis, such as regulated
(polluter) facility and geography on scales
ranging from local neighborhoods to regions of
the country. Organizing data in this manner
requires that EPA assign complete and reliable
facility and geographic identifiers to its
databases
Strengthen partnerships with Federal data
collectors
EPA and other Federal agencies collect
environmental and related information to meet
their individual mission needs. To meet the
needs of other audiences, however, these
individual collections of data must often be fit
together to achieve a mosaic effect—or holistic
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picture of the environmental conditions, causes,
and consequences of concern—unattainable
using data from any single source. Better
information partnerships among Federal, tribal,
state, and local information sources are needed
to combine data easily. These partnerships will
rest on two pillars. The first is a commonly-held
understanding of audience information needs,
for which EPA should assume lead
responsibility. The second is a build to share
approach, composed of common principles of
data management, especially those governing
data integration, documentation and delivery, for
ensuring basic compatibility of data collected by
independent sources.
Recommendation 4: Use New Web
Technologies to Empower People
to Find, Understand and Use
Environmental Information and
Data
Three kinds of new Web technology are
revolutionizing the delivery of information, data,
and collaborative support:
• Push technologies provide rapid, electronic
notification and delivery of up-to-date
information to subscribers based upon their
personal preferences for timing, content, and
format.
• Web publishing simplifies the uploading of
raw data to the Internet in a flexible format
that allows anyone to download it to their
own computers, analyze, and redistribute it
to others.
Collaborative technologies, such as Web
wikis and blogs, can connect people with
shared interests in finding, understanding,
and using environmental information. EPA
is testing Wiki technology as an electronic
platform for informal exchanges of
information and expertise between
knowledgeable environmental professionals
and members of the interested public.
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These technologies are already widely used
outside the Federal government and are
beginning to be used within EPA, as described
in the text box on the next page. EPA must
establish a policy framework encouraging uses
of these and other emerging technologies to
advance the recommendations of this
Information Access Strategy.
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RSS (Really Simple Syndication): EPA is using RSS in variety of ways to notify members of the
interested public of news developments and new information resources. RSS is now used to alert the
news media to Agency press releases. ENVIROFLASH -- an EPA partnership with local environmental
and health agencies -- uses RSS to broadcast Air Quality alerts directly to government agencies and
the interested public. EPA's Action Initiation List (AIL) of new regulatory projects is available as an RSS
feed from regulations.gov. In the near future, innovations on EPA's Web site should make it possible for
all EPA staff to create customized RSS feeds on topics of interest to information audiences.
Publishing XML Data: EPA's GeoData Gateway: The GeoData Gateway provides a single,
comprehensive point of access for EPA's diverse geographic data assets. It features a common data
catalog and integration tools for combining different EPA data sets. It further includes a complete
directory of Web services available through other data publishers, allowing easy access to geographic
data maintained outside the Agency. EPA is exploring ways to make more of its licensed geographic
data available to Agency staff and government partners by establishing secured Web services for their
use.
Web Collaboration Tools: Wikis and Blogs: EPA is a recognized leader in the Federal Government
for its use of collaborative Web technologies, commonly called wikis and blogs. Examples of EPA blogs
include the popular Flow of the River, featuring EPA's Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock,
Greenversations and Ask EPA. All of these blogs offer opportunities for members of the public to
engage in interactive online dialogues with EPA employees. EPA also made extensive use of wikis and
blogs to conduct the National Dialogue on Access to Environmental Information and develop this
Information Access Strategy.
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US EPA Information Access Strategy | Page 17
4. Next Steps
One year after EPA's launch of the National
Dialogue, its many participants can claim two
major accomplishments. The process has
already cast new light across the broad
landscape of environmental information
audiences, needs and relationships. This
Information Access Strategy makes
recommendations that address fundamental
needs identified by National Dialogue
participants and carry the weight of broad public
support. Foremost is the recommendation for
improving the ability of audiences to find EPA
information. EPA intends to give near-term
priority to strengthening the search capabilities
on the Agency's Web site.
Part formal study, part informal colloquy, the
National Dialogue also opened new channels of
communication and started fresh discussion
threads with traditional EPA stakeholders. EPA
intends to build upon these newly created
opportunities through a continuing process of
engagement with information audiences in the
future. The Agency applauds the individuals
and organizations that participated in the
National Dialogue and invites their future
involvement.
Many insights from the National Dialogue
confirmed current directions at EPA and should
provide renewed impetus for some ongoing
efforts. The Implement As We Go projects
listed throughout the Recommendations section
of this document are examples of ongoing work
that responds to needs identified by National
Dialogue participants. Much of what the
Agency learned, however, reflects the change
underway in information technology. EPA's
response to technology change, and to the rising
tide of public expectations for improved
information access, will require careful
reevaluation of some current Agency practices.
Agency efforts to improve access to information
will reflect our unwavering commitment to
business confidentiality and personal privacy
requirements.
In the coming months, EPA will take the
following steps to advance the recommendations
in this Information Access Strategy and
consolidate the major lessons from the National
Dialogue.
Develop an Access
Implementation Plan
By March 2009, EPA will develop a multi-year
Access Implementation Plan, calling for phased
improvements under each of the
recommendations for enhancing access to
information by EPA staff and our external
information audiences.
The Access Implementation Plan will:
• Define measurable, long-term goals for
improvement.
• Propose priorities for phased
implementation.
• Propose a governance structure to ensure
coordination as the recommendations are
implemented.
Establish an Ongoing Process for
Soliciting EPA's Information
Audience Needs and Monitoring
the Agency's Performance in
Meeting Them
The National Dialogue demonstrated the
importance of active institutional learning.
EPA information executives who participated in
public discussions were rewarded with the
clarity of insight afforded by direct discussion
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US EPA Information Access Strategy | Page 18
with their information customers. Yet new
insights inevitably raise new questions. For
example:
• What information do audiences for
environmental information need most?
• How do audiences use environmental
information?
• How do these different audience uses
support EPA's mission to protect human
health and the environment?
• How can EPA better support the mission-
critical uses of EPA information by
information audiences?
EPA's Office of Environmental Information will
work in partnership with Agency leadership to
explore questions such as these in the future.
The short-term aim will be to refine the
priorities for action taken to implement the
recommendations of this Information Access
Strategy. In the longer-term, EPA will seek a
deeper understanding of information audiences
and their needs that may lead to new
opportunities for using information access as a
strategy for accomplishing our environmental
mission.
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US EPA Information Access Strategy | Page 19
Appendix. Issues on Information Access
Strategy Recommendations
This appendix lists key issues that need to be addressed in order to implement each recommendation. EPA has
activities underway to address many of the issues identified in this appendix. For a summary of these activities, see
the list of Current EPA Activities, which is available at the National Dialogue Internet site at
www.epa.gov/nationaldialogue/learn/currentactivities.pdf.
Recommendation 1: Enable people
to find environmental data and
information at EPA and other
Federal agencies
Improve the search tools for EPA's digital
information
EPA has purchased a search technology, but
visitors to EPA's Web site continue to have
problems finding information. At the same time,
search engines from third parties have become
very effective at helping people find what they
are looking for.
• What is the right technology balance
between licensing a search engine and
outsourcing it to a search provider?
• What approach should the Agency follow to
accelerate the tagging of EPA Web pages
and digital documents?
• What steps should the Agency take to
improve Web content management to ensure
that EPA's digital information is up-to-date
and relevant?
Strengthen EPA's network of information
specialists
EPA employs many staff who help people find
information, including a network of professional
librarians. In many cases their efforts are not
fully coordinated.
• How can EPA better coordinate the informal
network of information specialists
throughout the Agency?
• What can EPA do to better connect the
Agency's professional librarians with
technology and tools that provide "anywhere
access" to library services?
Explore search partnerships with other
Federal agencies
Most agencies provide search mechanisms for
information that is on their Web sites. To
establish partnerships, EPA needs to engage
other agencies and resolve technical issues.
• How can EPA engage partners to coordinate
search across agencies?
• What issues, e.g., technologies, taxonomies,
and tagging standards, must Federal
agencies agree on to coordinate search
across their organizations?
Recommendation 2: Improve
peoples' understanding of EPA
data and information to promote
appropriate use
Improve the transparency of EPA data and
information by providing better
documentation
Determining metadata needs is complicated by
the many types of EPA data and diverse
audience uses.
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US EPA Information Access Strategy | Page 20
• How can EPA determine what metadata will
be most useful to its audiences?
• What metadata guidance and support do
EPA's data developers need?
Support front-line providers of information
EPA needs to better understand these
information providers, their information needs,
and the audiences they serve.
• What is the best way to identify the key
information providers and the audiences
they serve?
• How can EPA determine the information
needs of these information providers?
Recommendation 3: Organize
EPA information and data into
formats that promote better
understanding and use
Develop introductory materials on topics and
issues for general use
EPA provides a vast amount of information at
many technical levels. Developing introductory
materials is resource-intensive and challenging,
since many of EPA's programs work with
complex scientific or regulatory information.
• How can EPA set priorities among various
topics and issues?
• What level of detail should the Agency aim
for in its introductory materials?
• How can the Agency develop these
introductory materials?
Deliver information in multiple formats to
meet different audience needs
Although an increasing number of people use
EPA's information in digital formats, it is
important to continue to support a variety of
formats to match audience needs. Providing
materials in multiple formats will require that
EPA knows which materials and formats are
most in demand and the most effective means
for distributing them.
• What digital and print formats are most
commonly accessed by front-line providers
and EPA audiences?
• How can the Agency partner with front-line
providers to develop and provide access to
these materials?
Organize EPA data for analytical uses
Additional effort is required to prepare EPA data
for analytical uses, make it accessible, and notify
audiences of its availability.
• How can EPA determine what data and
formats are most important to its audiences?
• How can EPA encourage the addition of key
identifiers to its data in order to support
integration?
• How can the Agency ensure that data for
analysis stay current and audiences are
informed of updates?
Strengthen partnerships with Federal, tribal,
state, and local data collectors
Environmental information that is of interest to
EPA's audiences is collected by many agencies
throughout the Federal government and is
maintained in different locations and formats.
• What technical issues must EPA and other
Federal agencies address in order to allow
EPA's audiences to integrate and analyze
their data?
• How can EPA ensure that these data are
easily accessed and analyzed by its
audiences?
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US EPA Information Access Strategy | Page 21
Recommendation 4: Use new Web
technologies to empower people
to find, understand, and use
environmental information
Push technologies
Interest in push technologies is increasing and
they are easy to implement, so EPA can expect
increased demand for them. The Agency's
infrastructure to support push technologies needs
further development.
« How can EPA provide guidance and support
for push technologies while encouraging
innovation?
Web publishing
Most users of EPA-published data will access
the data from non-EPA applications. Indirect
access will pose new security risks for EPA.
• How can EPA ensure that metadata remains
easily available to users of EPA's
information, regardless of how audiences
obtain it?
« What are the additional security risks that
Web publishing poses and how should EPA
address them?
Collaborative technologies
There is a growing demand for uses of
collaboration technologies by EPA staff and
external partners.
« How can EPA take advantage of existing
infrastructure to enable uses of collaborative
technologies?
« How can EPA determine the best adoption
path for these technologies?
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