EPA Geospatial Data
Data are key to making decisions, and the Geospatial Program supports open data initiatives to enable EPA partners and the public to use data for environmental decision making. The agency strives to ensure EPA’s data is findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable.
Data Lifecycle
Geospatial data life cycle is developed and maintained with the following key data life cycle phases: Information or data are created or collected, processed, shared, used, storage, and, eventually, deprecated. To learn more about each component of the data life cycle refer to EPA’s National Geospatial Data Procedure (NGDP).
Discovering EPA Data
- Enterprise Data Catalog (EDC)
- National GeoPlatform.gov - The Geospatial Platform is a cross-agency collaborative effort and Shared Service that embodies the principles and spirit of Open Government, emphasizing government-to-citizen communication, accountability, and transparency.
- Data.gov - Data.gov is the United States government's open data website. It provides access to datasets published by agencies across the federal government. Data.gov is intended to provide access to government open data to the public, achieve agency missions, drive innovation, fuel economic activity, and uphold the ideals of an open and transparent government.
- EPA Open Data - Explore EPA’s open data policies and guidance and learn more about our Open Data Governance Plan.
Data Policy
View the full list of Current Information Directives such as the Open Data Act, the Environmental Information Management Policy (EIMP), and the National Geospatial Data Procedure (NGDP) on the Current Information Directives.
- Open Data
- Enterprise Information Management Policy (EIMP)
- Plan to increase access to Results of EPA funded scientific research
Metadata
Metadata are structured information that describes, explains, locations, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource. Geospatial metadata are information about geospatial data, including the content, source, vintage, accuracy, condition, projection, method of collection, and other characteristics or descriptions, as required and outlined by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC).