Building a Culture ofData Sharing at EPA

2021 FCSM Research and Policy Conference

November 3, 2021 

Capture Hearts and Minds

We must capture the imaginations of people who manage and use data, at all levels, if we are going to achieve transformative, meaningful change in our collective use of data to address our biggest challenges.

Main Obstacles are not Technological

Core issues include lack of common agreement around

Statutory/regulatory hurdles (i.e., legal or policy)

Standards and requirements for data-sharing agreements 

Transparency and standards for data quality and measurement

Ensuring proper data security and privacy

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

3

To Share or Not to Share: Why is the Question

Make our argument – Obvious reasons to share 

Benefit for themselves, their group, the public, the environment...

Build better counter arguments – Reasons not to share

Data are classified or otherwise controlled

Data quality are not where we want them to be

Data quality are without reproach for one use, but not for all

Data are complex and would require significant explanation (context)

Politics can make sharing complex

Working Across EPA to Address Data Culture

Talk to Everyone to Build Trust

Hold data focused discussions with every Agency component

Share results

Invite Everyone to Participate

Create broad cross agency communities

Work with peers and senior executive class

Listen to What the People Say

Vet priorities

Bring people on to help

Microcosom

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Focus on the People Need

Data Standards: Comprehensive approach for data standards

Data Quality: Comprehensive approach for better data quality

Data Governance: Policies, guidance, training

Data Management Resources: People and money

Awareness of Data: Better communication of data resources

Accessing Data: Permissions, technology, formats and standardization​

Integration of Data: Gaps in connecting data (programmatic & technical)

Coordination/Collaboration: Challenges across regions and program offices, with states, municipalities, and academics

Data Stewardship: Improved stewardship community

Data Skills: Training in collection, storage, interpretation, analysis

Data Security: Need for data management guidance on handling, protecting and transporting data

Foster Common Understanding through Standards

Standards – are highly domain and technology specific

Format

Definition

Structure

Metadata

Tagging

Transmission

Use

Management

Respect the Data but Drive at Purpose

Too often we become slaves to the data we manage

Too often we spend our max efforts on controlling the data

Look above the data to the people and their needs

These needs will inform us about data and its fitness for purpose

Quality

Standards

Utility

Other features specific to the intersection

How’s My Waterway: Built on Data Sharing 

All information is based on a service (API first)

Data standards matter

Integration of data across multiple systems

Shared ownership between states / tribes / EPA

User centered design

Code is reusable and publically available on GitHub

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

10

ECHO - EPA GeoPlatform - Envirofacts

Provides public w/ points of access to combined information about environmental activities that may affect air, water, and land anywhere in the United States. 

Suites of Web Tools

Emphasis on service enabled data flows 

Data Warehouses, Portals and Platforms

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

11

Vision of Future of Data Sharing at EPA

Data Management and Analytics Platform

supporting data and scientific projects across the agency  

Shared and searchable Data Commons  

data storage and discovery;  well-governed format that is ready to use 

Data hosting via Amazon Web Services 

containerization (software/application bundling), serverless compute, and Internet of Things capabilities (sensors, networks)  

Multiple analytics offerings 

 shared analytics notebooks, data visualization software (Qlik), GeoPlatform Online

+  Commercial Cloud Service Hosting

proposed sharing of large model data sets

Points of Focus

Communicate, communicate, communicate

Invite participation

Build a common understanding

Promote data sharing

Focus on larger needs not specifically data needs

Manage for data services and integration

Focus on people and build community

Thank you

Building a Culture of Data Sharing

Richard Allen

Chief Data Officer

US Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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