Developing Proposals for a System of Indicators on the Nation’s Environment (the SINE) H. Theodore Heintz, Jr. Indicator Coordinator White House Council on Environmental Quality

The SINE National Environmental Indicators –For high level policy, planning and management –Regularly produced to high scientific and statistical standards –Based on data that is consistent across the nation and through time

The Indicator Pyramid Core National Indicators Policy, Planning and Management Indicators Monitoring Data and Other Statistics Public Discourse The SINE will focus on indicators relevant to high level decisions about goals, priorities and outcomes.

Possible Categories for National Environmental Indicators Quality of air, water and land Extent and conditions of natural resources and environmental services Conditions and health of other living things Human health conditions affected by the environment Spatial distributions of resources and conditions

Likely Federal Users Office of Management and Budget Council on Environmental Quality Department of the Interior Department of Agriculture Environmental Protection Agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration US Congress

Some Likely State Users Natural resource agencies Environmental protection agencies Fish and wildlife agencies Planning and budgeting agencies Legislatures

Some Likely Business Users Natural resource management businesses Natural resource using businesses Businesses with nationwide environmental management systems or sustainable development programs Consulting firms serving the above

Some Likely NGO Users Environmental advocacy groups Environmental think tanks Conservation organizations Sustainable development organizations Professional associations in the environmental and natural resource sectors

The SINE Needs Improved Institutional Arrangements for : Indicator selection & development Coordination of inventorying & monitoring to produce nationally consistent data Coordination of statistical production & reporting Coordination of information dissemination

Designing Improved Institutional Arrangements The Collaboration on Indicators on the Nation’s Environment (CINE) The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) White Paper on Institutional Arrangements for a System of Indicators on the Nation’s Environment

The White Paper Described Three Key Elements Leadership Council to make key decisions to guide development of the SINE Advisory Committee to express the views and proposals of indicator users and data sources Executive Management Team to manage coordination of development and implementation among Federal agencies

Key Leadership Decisions The scope of the SINE Policies and standards for the SINE The set of National Environmental Indicators The division of labor among federal agencies Timing of implementation and resource allocation

Advisory Committee Tasks Making recommendations regarding scope and indicator selection Making recommendations regarding overall policies and standards Identifying the roles of Federal, State and local agencies as well as private sector interests

Executive Management Team Primary focus of interagency coordination Will develop specific proposals for indicators Will bring about the coordination needed for Federal production of the indicators Will establish Technical Forums and use existing interagency groups

The NAPA Report The Administration should move ahead to develop a system of cross cutting environmental indicators States, localities and NGOs need to be engaged in the process New institutional arrangements are needed but permanent organizational changes should not be made now

NAPA Continued Move ahead quickly to build momentum that will carry through the transition Undertake an intensive pilot to select indicators for a nationally important issue like water quantity.