In March 2003, Assistant Administrator G. Tracy Mehan III announced that the Office of Water is now implementing specific requirements for both data and information technology products (.pdf) that result from any Office of Water contract, information collection request, or direct field activity
(OW Contracts Data Reporting Requirements (.pps)) .
The actions are designed to implement EPA's Policy Statement on Promoting Multiple Use of Environmental Data (.pdf) and the Office of Water's Information Resources Guiding Principles (.pdf) and are an important step in ensuring we have high quality data for results-based management. The requirements include:
- Using data standards established by the Agency and the Environmental Council of the States as well as the Federal Advisory Council for Water Information (ACWI)
(Appendix 2 (.pdf))
- Applying specified best practices for developing information technology products such as internet applications, databases and water quality models
(Appendix 1 (.pdf))
- Entering water monitoring data into the STORage and RETrieval (STORET) System or providing such data in the ACWI Core Monitoring Data Element Standard
(Appendix 4 (.pdf))
- Indexing monitoring, financial, program and facility data to the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) to enable a watershed management framework. (Appendix 3 (.pdf))
The Office of Water intends to engage our State, Tribal and local partners in developing and implementing evaluation criteria and guidance for data and information technology products resulting from both competitive and noncompetitive grants.
For any questions regarding these new policies, please contact Leo Gueriguian, Acting Senior Information Resources Management Officer, at 202-564-0388 or gueriguian.leo@epa.gov.
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