1. EPA’s Environmental Indicators Gateway www.epa.gov/indicators www.epa.gov/indicators Guy Tomassoni, Chief Analytical Products Branch Ecoinformatics Technical Collaboration 24 March 2009 202-566-1937 / tomassoni.guy@epa.govtomassoni.guy@epa.gov

2. Outline Purpose and development process Online tour Criteria for project inclusion Next steps and potential ecoinformatics implications 2

3. Gateway Origins Issue EPA produces or contributes to numerous indicator reports. These reports often differ in: Issue EPA produces or contributes to numerous indicator reports. These reports often differ in: Gateway Purpose Improve access to existing indicator projects Promote cross-project information sharing Develop an improved sense of EPA indicator activities Improve cross-Agency indicator coordination Gateway Purpose Improve access to existing indicator projects Promote cross-project information sharing Develop an improved sense of EPA indicator activities Improve cross-Agency indicator coordination 3 -Purpose -Audience -Topic area -Geographic scale -Quality protocols -Online presence

4. Continuum of Indicator Projects 4

5. Gateway Development Process 1) Clarify the universe of EPA’s indicator projects What is an “indicator project”? How many EPA indicator projects exist? 2) Identify the key elements of an indicator project What key details are relevant to EPA? the public? How can we ensure indicators are presented in proper context for their intended use (e.g., data quality)? How do we balance comprehensiveness and brevity? 3)Design and develop a registration process and website How do we create an efficient and acceptable internal process for adding, editing, and approving projects? What search features and navigation are most effective for presenting EPA’s indicator projects? 5

6. Registration Snapshot 6

7. Main Page 7

8. Regional Mapping Capability 8

9. Public Project Catalog 9

10. Gateway Project Details About Products Characteristics Quality Assurance Contact Info 10

11. 11 Gateway Project Details About Products Characteristics Quality Assurance Contact Info

12. 12 Gateway Project Details About Products Characteristics Quality Assurance Contact Info

13. Additional Data Elements Definition of “indicator” Origin and purpose of indicator project Stakeholder involvement and user feedback Methodological development –Report organization –Indicator selection About Products Characteristics Quality Assurance Contact Info Additional Information 13

14. Criteria for Gateway Inclusion Emphasize indicators, not just performance measures Provide analysis and synthesis Publish a public report in the last 10 years Certify Gateway “biosketch,” including quality elements Include EPA as a major author 14

15. Potential Next Steps Disaggregate reports down to the indicator level Provide collaborative tools for facilitating indicator development and communication Develop a “state of EPA indicator efforts” report to take stock and suggest next steps Expand focus beyond EPA reports (local, state, international) 15

16. Ecoinformatics Application Potential Synergies Adapt existing Gateway definitions and “biosketch” for international use Utilize existing Gateway process for external log-in, registration, and project approval Leverage standardized data on international indicator reports to draft joint working paper Potential Synergies Adapt existing Gateway definitions and “biosketch” for international use Utilize existing Gateway process for external log-in, registration, and project approval Leverage standardized data on international indicator reports to draft joint working paper Pre-Meeting Overview of Indicator Activities: Analyse and shed light on good and innovative practices Synthesize and develop a common understanding, framework or model of the different questions and challenges we face Pre-Meeting Overview of Indicator Activities: Analyse and shed light on good and innovative practices Synthesize and develop a common understanding, framework or model of the different questions and challenges we face 16

17. Upcoming Webinar on EPA’s Report on the Environment Provides an introduction to the ROE / eROE as a resource in understanding what we know – and what we don’t know – about trends in air, water, land, human health, and ecological condition in the United States. April 16, 11 am – 1 pm EDT Registration: http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/eroehttp://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/eroe April 16, 11 am – 1 pm EDT Registration: http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/eroehttp://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/eroe 17