CENDI/NFAIS Quality Workshop:The Importance of Quality and

Integrity

Kevin Kirby, Enterprise Data ArchitectUS Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Environmental Information,Quality Staff (202) 566-1656 1For Conference Purposes Only

Prepared Nov 18, 2014

Presentation Roadmap

Quality: A Federal Policy Perspective

The Lifecycles in Data Quality / Data Management

Quality at EPA: An Agency Context

Quality at EPA: Information Quality Guidelines

Implementing Quality at EPA:- Standards, Registries, Controlled Vocabularies

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Quality: A Federal Perspective

The Data Act, 2014

The Open Data Policy, 2013

The Information Quality Act, 2002

The Enterprise Architecture link

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Federal Perspectives:The Data Act

The DATA Act: Digital Accountability and Transparency Act, Public Law No. 113-101

- Signed into law May 9, 2014

The DATA Act is the nation's first legislative mandate for data transparency.

- Requires open, standardized data, and to publish that data online.

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Federal Perspectives:The Open Data Policy

The Open Data Policy: Managing Data as an Information Resource

Pursuant to Executive Order of May 9, 2013;Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for Government Information

- “…establishes a framework to help institutionalize the principles of effective information management at each stage of the information's life cycle to promote interoperability and openness.”

The Open Data Initiative5

Federal Perspectives:The Information Quality Act

Enacted as Section 515 of the Fiscal Year 2001 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 106-554)

Required OMB to issue guidelines that provide policy and procedural guidance to Federal agencies for ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information disseminated by Federal agencies

• Requires each Federal Agency to issue guidelines; establish administrative processes for correction of information; report annually to OMB

• Issued February 2002 (67FR 8452)

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Federal EA Framework

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Mapping EPA Data to the Enterprise Architecture Framework.

Data Lifecycles:The Models

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Lifecycle Models

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Data Lifecycle Models

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Geospatial Data Lifecycle

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Data Lifecycle Model

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PLAN

COLLECT

INTEGRATE & TRANSFORM

PUBLISH

DISCOVER &

INFORM

ARCHIVE

OR DISCAR

D

Simplified Data Lifecycle:Cradle to Grave

EPA Data Lifecycle Framework

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Quality at EPA:An Agency Context

EPA Headquarters OfficeHeadquarters

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Office of Air and Radiation

Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention

Office of the Chief Financial Officer

Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

Office of Environmental Information

Office of General Counsel

Office of International and Tribal Affairs

Office of Research and Development

Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response

Office of Water

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EPA Regional Offices

http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa#pane-4 16

Office of Environmental Information“Knowledge on Demand”

http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/organization-chart-office-environmental-information-oei

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Assistant Administrator (Chief Information Officer)

Quality Staff

Office of Information Collection

(OIC)

Office of Technology Operations and

Planning(OTOP)

Office of Information Analysis and Access

(OIAA)

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Quality at EPA:Information Quality

Guidelines

EPA Information Quality Guidelines

EPA Information Quality Guidelines (October, 2002)

“Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by the Environmental Protection Agency”

Provides policy and procedural guidance on how EPA ensures quality of disseminated information, including

* EPA Peer Review Process, * Action Development Process, * Quality Program Framework* Risk Characterization Handbook

Describes administrative mechanism used for public challenges to EPA disseminated information, including * Requests for Correction * Requests for Reconsideration

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EPA Information Quality Guidelines

Reference existing Agency policies Quality System Peer Review Policy Action Development Process Risk Characterization Policy and Handbook Program-Specific Policies

Agency Guidance Developed A Summary of General Assessment Factors for Evaluating

the Quality of Scientific and Technical Information (SPC, 2002)

EPA Pre-Dissemination Review Guidelines (OEI, 2006)

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Administrative Mechanism

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KEY: Quality Staff (QS), Information Owner (IO), Stakeholders (STK), Office of General Counsel Attorney-Advisor (OGC)

Requests cometo OEI QS

SCOPING MEETING(QS, IO, STK, OGC)

PrepareDRAFT RESPONSE

(IO)

FINAL DRAFT RESPONSE(QS, IO, STK, OGC input)

CLEARANCE PROCESS(OGC, CIO, OMB) Send

FINAL RESPONSE(IO)

(Goal to respond in 90 days)

Request for Correction Process

EPA IQG Requests for CorrectionAs of Nov 1, 2014

Re-ports25%

Risk As-

sessments30%

Rule-making

17%

Outreach & Com-munica-

tions7%

Guidance3%

Data & Info Sys-

tems/Tools11%

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Implementing Quality at EPA

Quality System Assessments

Quality Management Plan reviews

EPA / ECOS adopted Data Standards

EPA System of Registries

EPA Environmental Data Gateway

EPA Field Operations Guidelines

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FOG Quality Guidelines

• Personnel / Training

• Document Control

• Records Management

• Sample Handling

• Field Documentation

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• Field Equipment

• Field Inspections

• Reports

• Internal Audits

• Corrective Action

New Developments Modest increase in number of IQG requests (FY 2010)

D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision (March, 2010) may open door to judicial review of agencies IQA responses

Increase in IQG requests challenging information that supports on-going agency action, such as IRIS assessments and TMDL development.

EPA approved the Field Operations Guidance as a Procedure under the EPA Quality Policy

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QUESTIONS