4: Empower People
Use New Web Technologies to Empower People to Find, Understand and Use Environmental Information and Data Other Information:
Three kinds of new Web technology are revolutionizing the delivery of information, data and collaborative support: • Push
technologies provide rapid, electronic notification and delivery of up-to-date information to subscribers based upon their
personal preferences for timing, content and format. • Web publishing simplifies the uploading of raw data to the Internet
in a flexible format that allows anyone to download it to their own computers, analyze and redistribute it to others. • Collaborative
technologies, such as Web wikis and blogs, can connect people with shared interests in finding, understanding and using environmental
information. EPA is testing Wiki technology as an electronic platform for informal exchanges of information and expertise
between knowledgeable environmental professionals and members of the interested public. These technologies are already widely
used outside the Federal government and are beginning to be used within EPA ... Web Technology Examples: RSS (Really Simple
Syndication): EPA is using RSS in variety of ways to notify members of the interested public of news developments and new
information resources. RSS is now used to alert the news media to Agency press releases. ENVIROFLASH -- an EPA partnership
with local environmental and health agencies -- uses RSS to broadcast Air Quality alerts directly to government agencies and
the interested public. EPA's Action Initiation List (AIL) of new regulatory projects is available as an RSS feed from regulations.gov.
In the near future, innovations on EPA’s Web site should make it possible for all EPA staff to create customized RSS feeds
on topics of interest to information audiences. Publishing XML Data: EPA’s GeoData Gateway: The GeoData Gateway provides a
single, comprehensive point of access for EPA's diverse geographic data assets. It features a common data catalog and integration
tools for combining different EPA data sets. It further includes a complete directory of Web services available through other
data publishers, allowing easy access to geographic data maintained outside the Agency. EPA is exploring ways to make more
of its licensed geographic data available to Agency staff and government partners by establishing secured Web services for
their use. Web Collaboration Tools: Wikis and Blogs: EPA is a recognized leader in the Federal Government for its use of collaborative
Web technologies, commonly called wikis and blogs. Examples of EPA blogs include the popular Flow of the River, featuring
EPA’s Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock, Greenversations and Ask EPA. All of these blogs offer opportunities for members
of the public to engage in interactive online dialogues with EPA employees. EPA also made extensive use of wikis and blogs
to conduct the National Dialogue on Access to Environmental Information and develop this Information Access Strategy. Push
technologies - Interest in push technologies is increasing and they are easy to implement, so EPA can expect increased demand
for them. The Agency’s infrastructure to support push technologies needs further development. • How can EPA provide guidance
and support for push technologies while encouraging innovation? Web publishing - Most users of EPA-published data will access
the data from non-EPA applications. Indirect access will pose new security risks for EPA. • How can EPA ensure that metadata
remains easily available to users of EPA’s information, regardless of how audiences obtain it? • What are the additional security
risks that Web publishing poses and how should EPA address them? Collaborative technologies - There is a growing demand for
uses of collaboration technologies by EPA staff and external partners. • How can EPA take advantage of existing infrastructure
to enable uses of collaborative technologies? • How can EPA determine the best adoption path for these technologies?
Objective(s):
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