# Presentation: 825885

## National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

**Policy on Partnerships in the Provision of Environmental Information**

**Edward Johnson**
**Director of Strategic Planning and Policy**
**National Weather Service**

## NOAA Policy on Partnerships in the Provision of Environmental Information

- URL – www.weather.gov/partnershippolicy
- Signed – December 1, 2004, by VADM Lautenbacher
- Clarification proposed August 4, 2005

## Outline

- Introduction
- Policy History
- “Environmental Information Enterprise”
- Scope Limitations
- Policy Clauses
- NOAA Implementation

## Introduction

- Policy concerns provision of environmental information by all of NOAA’s programs
- Weather, water, climate
- Chemical, biological, ecological parameters
- Environmental information enterprise
- Composed of government, private sector, academic/research
- A growing enterprise

## Introduction

- NOAA Responsibilities (General)
- Specific mission responsibilities as part of the enterprise
- To foster growth in the diverse enterprise as a whole to serve the public interest and the nation’s economy

## Policy History

- 1991 NWS Partnership Policy
- Contains statement: “*The NWS will not compete with the private sector when a service is currently provided or can be provided by commercial enterprises, unless otherwise directed by applicable law*.”

- NRC study (_Fair Weather:  Effective Partnerships in Weather and Climate Services_, National Research Council, 2003)
- Examined roles of the three sectors
- Provided recommendations regarding the partnership

## Policy History

- NRC “Fair Weather” conclusions
- Current system has led to extensive and flourishing set of services of great benefit to the public and economy
- Some tension is inevitable but acceptable price to pay for excellent array of products and services
- “...*it is counterproductive and diversionary to establish detailed and rigid boundaries for each sector outlining who can do what and with which tools” *(Fair Weather report, page 3)
- Describes 1991 NWS policy as “untenable”
- First of 11 recommendations:  Replace 1991 policy, consider applying NOAA-wide

## Policy History

- NOAA issued proposed policy January, 2004
- Comments on Proposed Policy
- 1473 comments –1/12/2004  thru 6/60/2004
- 1190 supported policy; 176 opposed
- 68 comments recommended policy be applied NOAA-wide
- Current Policy
- Responds to NRC study
- Incorporates applicable law and government-wide information policies
- Responds to criticisms of proposed policy

## Environmental Information Enterprise

**NOAA** – basic mission responsibilities, research, assessment, provides infrastructure of observation, communications and prediction systems that support the enterprise
**Other government** – activities that support the enterprise
**Private sector** – uses NOAA information; provides infrastructure for providing services tailored to needs of their company or clients; work with NOAA to communicate forecasts and warnings

## Environmental Information Enterprise

**Academia** – educates future participants in the enterprise, advances the science; develops new technologies and services; contribute to advances in public and private sectors
**Private citizens** – users of end products and services

## Scope Limitations

- Policy applies to *provision* of environmental information services by NOAA, not *acquisition* or *use* of information by NOAA
- Other NOAA policies apply to acquisition and use of information in carrying out its mission responsibilities and to publication of reports, journal articles, etc.
- Explicit regulatory cutout:
- Does not apply to acquisition, use, or provision of information in connection with performing NOAA’s _regulatory_ responsibilities

## Clause 1 – Explicit Compliance with Government-wide Policy/Law

## Clause 2 – NOAA’s Roles

## Clause 3 – Commitment to Open Standards

## Clause 4 – Roles of Others in Enterprise

## Clause 4 – Due Consideration/Act in Public Interest

## Clause 4 CLARIFICATION – Due Consideration/ Act in Public Interest

## Clause 5a – Open Comment Processes

## Clause 5b – Cooperate with External Groups

## Clause 5c - FACA

## Clause 6 – Advance Open and Unrestricted Access Globally

## Clause 7a – Mission Connection

## Clause 7b - Consultation

## Clause 7c – Open and Unrestricted

## Clause 7d - Equity

## Clause 7e – Recognize Others’ Roles

## Clause 8 – NOAA Implementation

## Clause 9 - Complaints

## Clause 10 – Administrative Review

## Clause 11 – Review Every 5 Years

## NOAA Implementation

- NWS implementation consists of the following policy directives (thus far):
- NWSPD 1-10 – Managing the Provision of Environmental Information
- NWSI 1-1001 – Tracking and Public Notification of Changes to NWS Information Services
- NWSI 1-1002 – Termination of NWS Information Services
- NWSI 10-102 – New and Enhanced Products and Services
- NWSI 10-1805 – Technical and Service Change Notices
- Other LOs do not need to duplicate this detail
- Do what makes sense for your LO
- Might a short memo suffice?
- NWS directives available as models

- NOAA line offices will establish and publish procedures to implement this policy

## Questions?