Environmental Data Environmental Data StandardsStandards

Policies and PracticesPolicies and Practices

Standards? Who needs Standards? Who needs standards?standards?

Pay now or pay later…Pay now or pay later…

Not having standards Not having standards isn’t all bad…isn’t all bad…

……as this leads to as this leads to economic opportunity.economic opportunity.

Why should we care about Why should we care about environmental data standards?environmental data standards?

Quality data is expensive & needs to be properly conserved, Quality data is expensive & needs to be properly conserved, cultivated & leveragedcultivated & leveraged

Build once, use many timesBuild once, use many times There are many sources of environmental dataThere are many sources of environmental data

Public, private & academicPublic, private & academic Federal, state, tribal, regional, localFederal, state, tribal, regional, local

We need to pool data for regional and state analysis & We need to pool data for regional and state analysis & perspectivesperspectives

Centralized database systems are problematicCentralized database systems are problematic Expensive to build & operateExpensive to build & operate Not responsive to individual needsNot responsive to individual needs Not agileNot agile More about control than serviceMore about control than service

Organization specific needs drive divergent designsOrganization specific needs drive divergent designs Need to leverage data ownership to encourage proper stewardshipNeed to leverage data ownership to encourage proper stewardship

Preserve the link with the data providerPreserve the link with the data provider

Marshaling Local DataMarshaling Local Data

Services& FundsServices& Funds

StateState

RegionalRegional

LocalLocal1 2 n…,

1 2 n…,

1 2 n…,

1 2 n…,

FederalFederal

Extract, Transform, Load

Extract, Transform, Load

Extract, Transform, Load

Parcels, Roads, Critical Infrastructure, etc.

1 n…, 2

The National Map

Emergency Response, Resource Conservation, Health Services, Transportation, etc.

What do you need for a data What do you need for a data “standard?”“standard?”One needs…• data elements, • definitions, • permitted values,• controlled vocabularies,• collection methods,• analytical protocols and• documentation requirementsthat have been…• developed, • documented, • vetted, • approved and • are being followed by a community of practice.

Standard

Buy in Compliance

A group of organizations with a common purpose

Incentives for participation?Incentives for participation?

Enlightened self interest is great but will only take Enlightened self interest is great but will only take you so faryou so far

Mandates mean little without an ability to audit and Mandates mean little without an ability to audit and enforceenforce Where are the data police when you really need them?Where are the data police when you really need them?

Hammer = Serious consequences for Hammer = Serious consequences for noncompliancenoncompliance Final payment depends on complianceFinal payment depends on compliance

Carrot = Money or some other tangible benefitCarrot = Money or some other tangible benefit Pay to playPay to play

To be successful, adopting standards shouldn’t To be successful, adopting standards shouldn’t require making big changes in existing systems…require making big changes in existing systems…

Agency “A” Agency “B” Agency “N”

Collective View

Extract, Transform, Load

Our distributed world requires Our distributed world requires federated solutions…federated solutions…

AdvocacyGroups

AdvocacyGroups

FederalAgenciesFederal

Agencies

NongovernmentalOrganizations

NongovernmentalOrganizations

Regional & LocalGovernments

Regional & LocalGovernments

TribalGovernments

TribalGovernments

AcademicInstitutionsAcademicInstitutions

StateAgencies

StateAgencies

WarehouseWarehouse Data pooled & shared via web based publish & harvest process

---Pooled metadata allows searching across all nodes

The Joy of Metadata…its like The Joy of Metadata…its like flossing your teethflossing your teeth

You know you should do itYou know you should do it You know its importantYou know its important But you just can’t work up much But you just can’t work up much

enthusiasmenthusiasm

California Environmental California Environmental Information CatalogInformation Catalog

228 catalogs From 201 organizations Containing 11,116 records

5,298 from NRPI Resources Agency policy requirement

Environmental metadata catalog…

http://gis.ca.gov/catalog/

Metadata is information describing Metadata is information describing a “resource”…a “resource”…

What type of resource is it (e.g., What type of resource is it (e.g., digital image, hardcopy report, etc.)?digital image, hardcopy report, etc.)?

Who created it and for what purpose?Who created it and for what purpose? When was it created?When was it created? To what place does it apply?To what place does it apply? How can it be obtained?How can it be obtained? And much moreAnd much more

When organized in a searchable When organized in a searchable catalog, metadata helps us…catalog, metadata helps us…

Discover resourcesDiscover resources Manage documentsManage documents Protect intellectual property rightsProtect intellectual property rights Control versionsControl versions Certify authenticityCertify authenticity Indicate statusIndicate status Document/describe content structureDocument/describe content structure Document geographic extent or relevancyDocument geographic extent or relevancy Describe data processDescribe data process

The California Environmental Information The California Environmental Information Catalog (CEIC) is standards based…Catalog (CEIC) is standards based…

The Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM), Version 2 (FGDC-STD-001-1998) is the US Federal Metadata standard adopted by the Federal Geographic Data Committee in 1994 and revised in 1998. Executive Order 12096 requires all Federal agencies to use this standard to document geospatial data created as of January 1995. The standard is often referred to as the FGDC Metadata Standard and has been implemented beyond the federal level with State and local governments adopting the metadata standard as well.

The International Organization of Standards (ISO) has developed and approved an international metadata standard, ISO 19115. As a member of ISO, the US required to revise the CSDGM in accord with ISO 19115. Each nation can craft their own profile of ISO 19115 with the requirement that it include the 13 core element. The FGDC is currently leading the development of a US Profile of the (ISO) international metadata standard, ISO 19115.

Simple Dublin Core – 15 elements for general annotation of a resource.

Controlled vocabularies are important…Controlled vocabularies are important…

Controlled Vocabularies:• Keyword Thesaurus• Geographic Place Names

Who are you?Who are you?

California Department of Fish and GameCalifornia Department of Fish and Game Calif. Dept. of Fish & GameCalif. Dept. of Fish & Game CA Fish and GameCA Fish and Game Fish and GameFish and Game CDFGCDFG DFGDFG

Can be problematic when data are combined from

multiple sources or for web based

applications with widespread data entry

When metadata are pooled, searching When metadata are pooled, searching is made easier and more powerful…is made easier and more powerful…

Data from many places can be Data from many places can be integrated…integrated…

Public data should not be locked Public data should not be locked away in proprietary systems…away in proprietary systems…

Are all your interfaces controlled by a vendor?Are all your interfaces controlled by a vendor? Do you have a way to access any or all of Do you have a way to access any or all of

your data without direct vendor involvement?your data without direct vendor involvement? Do you own your code?Do you own your code? Is your application fully documented and do Is your application fully documented and do

you have the documentation?you have the documentation? Can you realistically turn over support of your Can you realistically turn over support of your

application to another vendor or your own IT application to another vendor or your own IT staff?staff?

Questions?Questions?

John EllisonAgency Technology Officer & CERES Director

john.ellison@resources.ca.gov(916) 653-2238