Exchange Network Partners Advance Network Reinvigoration, Identify CROMERR Challenges

For two decades, the National Environmental Information Exchange Network (EN) has been a crucial platform for standardized data sharing across environmental programs among EPA, States, Tribes, and Territories. As technology and best practices evolve, the EN community is adapting to modern needs and positioning the Network to support data-sharing partnerships well into the future. Over the past year, representatives from EPA, States, and Tribes have laid the groundwork to reinvigorate the EN, forming agile project teams to improve electronic reporting and sharing of environmental information.

One of these teams examined current usage patterns of EN data flows and how they have changed over time. This foundational work set the stage for working sessions at the recent Environmental Information and Innovation Meeting (E2i) (see related story above). E2i participants discussed key data-sharing business needs and ways to modernize EN technologies while meeting partners where they are. The findings of these working sessions will inform additional community conversations toward adopting collaborative data sharing solutions. The EN community can expect to hear more about these opportunities on upcoming monthly Exchange Network Forum calls.
 
A second project team explored ways to improve electronic reporting under the Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR). CROMERR provides the legal framework for electronic reporting under EPA and delegated regulatory programs. Over the past several years, agencies and the regulated community have pinpointed challenges in implementing CROMERR requirements. The team of EN representatives held a series of meetings to discuss and document these challenges and presented a summary at E2i. (The presentation recording and the slide deck are available online.) In the next phase, the team plans to investigate the root causes of these implementation challenges and develop solutions to alleviate pain points and improve user experience, while ensuring the enforceability of electronically collected regulatory information.
 
If you are interested in joining a team in their next phase of work, please contact Alex O’Neill of EPA or Kurt Rakouskas of ECOS regarding EN, or Tim Antisdel of EPA regarding CROMERR.