1. 1 The Exchange Network: A Tool for Better Environmental Management Doreen Sterling, Director Information Exchange & Services Division Office of Environmental Information US Environmental Protection Agency Michael N. Beaulac State Assistant Administrator Department of Environmental Quality State of Michigan

2. 2 Exchange Network Vision “The Exchange Network is a partnership to support better environmental decisions through improved access to, and exchange of, improved environmental information.”

3. 3 What is the Exchange Network? An Internet and Standards-based method for securely exchanging environmental information between partners

4. 4 Why the Exchange Network?  A better method for data exchange among states, tribes, & US EPA  Efficient business processes to reduce operational costs  Better environmental decisions through improved data quality and access

5. 5 How Can the Exchange Network Help Tribes? טּ Access to environmental and health concern information - Example: Methamphetamines טּ Provide evidence to Congress to obtain funds to address environmental issues - Example: Solid, hazardous wastes, clean water טּ Share information with other agencies - Example: Open dump information to EPA and the Indian Health Service טּ Comply with federal regulations - Example: Air Quality System (AQS) data

6. 6 Tribal Exchange Network Partners Samish Indian Tribe8/17/2007WQX Yurok Tribe7/17/2007WQX Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes (Wind River) 5/24/2007WQX Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community Tribe 4/20/2007FRS Navajo Nation3/16/2007FRS/NEI Cherokee Nation10/31/2006FRS St. Regis Mohawk Tribe10/27/2005AQS

7. 7 EN Grants: Current Status טּ Seventh year of Grant Program טּ FY 2007 awards completed September 2007 טּ $3.0M awarded - 16 tribes received grants - 3 new tribes טּ FY 2008 awards currently being processed - $13.7 million selected for award (all applicants) - $2.2 million selected for award (tribal applicants) טּ FY 2009 Solicitation Notice should be posted in 9/2008 with applications due by 11/2008 - Stakeholder conference call to solicit comments will be held in July or early August

8. 8 Tribal Exchange Network Participation טּ To date: 92 Tribal Grants (through 2007) have been awarded ($13.3M Total) טּ ~ 53 tribes involved טּ ~ 28 tribes intend to use the Network to exchange information טּ Seven tribes have established nodes (data exchange hardware/software) טּ Several tribes are close to having working nodes

9. 9 Tribal Participation in Governance טּ Exchange Network Leadership Council (ENLC) - Robert Holden, Director, Emergency Management and Radioactive Waste Programs, NCAI טּ Network Operations Board (NOB) - Laura Mayo, Yurok Tribe טּ Network Partnership & Resources Group (NPRG) - TBD טּ Network Technical Group (NTG) - Tony Hartrich, Quinault Tribe

10. 10 Air Quality System - AQS טּ Handles a wider set of air quality data טּ Will accommodate near real- time exchange of minute-by- minute particulate and ozone (AirNow) data טּ Flexible: allows exchanges with partners other than EPA (i.e. Tribe-to-Tribe) טּ Data “Publishing” to allow for public access

11. 11 Water Quality Exchange טּ New, easier framework for states, tribes, and others to exchange water quality monitoring data - Submit Physical, Chemical & Fish Tissue data - Capable of submitting Biological Data טּ WQX feeds directly to the publicly-accessible National STORET Data Warehouse ─ Yurok, Wind River, St. Regis Mohawk Tribes tested WQX Live in Production ─ 2/26/07

12. 12 Open Dump Inventory טּ Started by Cherokee Nation with other Tribes, EPA Regional, and HQ assistance טּ Expected to be the primary mechanism for the reporting of open dump information to EPA and the Indian Public Health Service טּ The Open Dump schema is soon to be ready for testing by Tribes before it is finalized טּ The Open Dump Data Flow is an eligible Grant Proposal activity

13. 13 Montana’s MethNet טּ Data Elements: - Location - Property Owner - Meth Cooking Method - Chemicals on Site - Impacts to Structures & Property טּ Benefits: - Improved communication & data access - Timely and accurate reporting - More informed public - Improved environmental protection טּ MethNet will connect: - Department of Justice - Department of Environmental Quality - Department of Public Health & Human Services

14. 14 Homeland Security & Emergency Management טּ Key data sets like water supplies, hazardous materials, facilities, schools, storage tanks, hospitals, critical contacts, etc. טּ Linkages between/among tribes, states and federal government טּ First Responder and Emergency Operation Center for crisis management טּ 24/7 operations

15. 15 Resources and Contacts טּ EPA Exchange Network http://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork http://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork טּ Exchange Network http://www.exchangenetwork.net http://www.exchangenetwork.net טּ Robert Holden: rholden@ncai.orgrholden@ncai.org טּ Laura Mayo: mayo@yuroktribe.nsn.usmayo@yuroktribe.nsn.us טּ Tony Hartrich: thartrich@quinault.org טּ Doreen Sterling: sterling.doreen@epa.govsterling.doreen@epa.gov טּ Michael Beaulac: beaulacm@michigan.govbeaulacm@michigan.gov