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Shaping of Public Environmental Policy: User Community Impact

Shaping of Public Environmental Policy: User Community Impact. Samuel P. Williamson Federal Coordinator for Meteorology Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM). Presentation for the Unidata 2003 Summer Users Workshop June 26, 2003.

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Shaping of Public Environmental Policy: User Community Impact

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  1. Shaping of Public Environmental Policy:User Community Impact Samuel P. Williamson Federal Coordinator for Meteorology Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM) Presentation for the Unidata 2003 Summer Users Workshop June 26, 2003

  2. Overview • OFCM Background • Federal Coordinating Infrastructure • Shaping Public Environmental Policy • A look at three possible methods • Summary

  3. Background Historical Perspective OFCM • Accountable to Congress and OMB • Coordinate agency budgets • Report budgets and activities in annual Federal Plan Public Law 87-843 (1963) 1963 DOC Administrative Order 1964 OFCM formed in 1964 1979 GAO Study Revitalizes OFCM

  4. Background Mission To ensure the effective use of federal meteorological resources by leading the systematic coordination of operational weather requirements, services, and supporting research; among the federal agencies

  5. Environmental Support for Homeland Security Aviation Weather Space Weather Weather Information for Surface Transportation Climate Analysis, Monitoring and Services Cooperative Research Observing Capabilities Modeling and Prediction Information Technology and Communications Environmental Services Background Key Focus Areas--Agency Priorities

  6. Independent agencies: Departments of: • Environmental Protection Agency • National Aeronautics and Space Administration • National Science Foundation • National Transportation Safety Board • Nuclear Regulatory Commission • Agriculture • Commerce • Defense • Energy • Homeland Security • FEMA • Coast Guard • Interior • State • Transportation Executive Office of the President: • Office of Management and Budget • Office of Science and Technology Policy Coordinating Infrastructure OFCM Partners

  7. Coordinating Infrastructure Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (FCMSSR) Federal Coordinator for Meteorology Program Councils Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (ICMSSR) National Space Weather Program Standing Committees National Aviation Weather Program Environmental Services, Operations, and Research Needs Operational Processing Centers Environmental Information Systems and Communications Climate Analysis, Monitoring and Services Working Group for Environmental Support to Homeland Security Integrated Observing Systems Cooperative Research

  8. Methods to Shape Public Policy • There are many ways for the user community to influence public environmental policy • Three possible methods: • User input to the OFCM interagency coordinating infrastructure • User input to such organizations as the National Academies • User input to scientific and professional organizations/associations such as industry consortiums, AMS, and NWA

  9. User Community Impact on Policy:A Public Program Example Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD): WSR-88D (Weather Surveillance Radar 88 Doppler) • 158 operational weather radars • located in 50 states plus selected overseas locations • estimated program cost of 3 billion dollars • tri-agency effort guided through an OFCM Program Council

  10. Public outcry for improved severe weather warnings: Negative lead-times High false alarm rates Affected multiple, large population centers No chance for private sector to add value Suggested solution viewed as too costly and long Doppler technology already available Joint Doppler Operational Project FCMSSR policy decision OMB directed cross-cut review OMB approved review study User Community Impact on Policy:A Public Program Example Reaction Policy Input • Program defined, funded, and completed with long term funding • System definition • Validation and prototyping • Limited and full production • Deployment and commissioning of the WSR-88D, Doppler Weather Radar • Public/Private support gained: • NEXRAD covered full needs • Kammer Commission • NIDS • Continued advanced development • Public outreach and education • Science Centers created

  11. User Community Impact on Policy:Other Public Program Examples • National Hurricane Operations Plan • Improved Weather Reconnaissance System • Automated Surface Observation System • National Aviation Weather Program • National Space Weather Program • Selection and Evaluation of Atmospheric Transport and • Diffusion Models • COOP Modernization Partners' Forum • Weather Information for Surface Transportation • U.S. Climate Change Science Program • Integrated Global Observing System

  12. User Community Impact on Policy: Through Government Sponsored Organizations • User input to such organizations as the: • National Academies • Chartered by Congress • U.S. Weather Research Program (USWRP) • Sponsored by various Federal agencies • U.S. Global Change Science Program (USCCSP) • Cooperative effort among 13 governmental agencies • National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) • Cabinet-level Council...means for the President to coordinate science, space, and technology • Office of Science and Technology Programs (OSTP) • Advise the President and others within the Executive Office of the President…supports NSTC

  13. User Community Impact on Policy: Through Scientific and Professional Organizations/Associations • User input to scientific and professional organizations/ associationssuch as industry consortiums or societies • Open GIS Consortium • The Intelligent Transportation Society of America • American Meteorological Society • National Weather Association • UCAR's Office of Government Affairs • Consortium of Social Science Associations • The American Association for the Advancement of Science • “Working with Congress” http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/wwc/

  14. User Community Impact on Policy: Through Scientific and Professional Organizations/Associations EXAMPLE • Find the right group: Open GIS Consortium (OGC) • Right members? International industry consortium of 257 companies, government agencies and universities • Right goals? Develop publicly available geoprocessing specifications • Right objectives? Open interfaces and protocols support interoperable solutions that "geo-enable" the Web, wireless and location-based services, and mainstream IT, and empower technology developers to make complex spatial information and services accessible and useful with all kinds of applications • How do they try to make input to policy? One example...OGC provided the Bush Transition Team with a white paper, "Advancing Government through Interoperable Technologies."

  15. User Community Impact on Policy: Summary • There are many ways for the user community to influence environmental public policy…three discussed • User input to the OFCM interagency coordinating infrastructure…workshops, forums, comment on publicly circulated documents • User input to such organizations as the National Academy of Sciences…input to studies, comment on publicly circulated documents • User input to scientific and professional organizations/associations such as industry consortiums and AMS …input to group sponsored policy papers, White Papers, etc. going to Congress or White House

  16. OFCM Web Site Panel/Conference/Forum/ Workshop summaries and presentations are available on OFCM Web Site Click on “Special Projects” and navigate to the desired location For Publications: Click on “Publications” http://www.ofcm.gov/

  17. Coordinating Infrastructure Roles / Responsibilities • Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (FCMSSR) • Sets policy and priorities • Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (ICMSSR) and Program Councils • Implement policy decisions • Make policy recommendations to FCMSSR • Assess adequacy of federal programs and guide implementation of new interagency programs • Standing Committees • Document requirements, programs and activities to provide framework for coordination and collaboration • Perform analysis of agency programs to provide basis for national leadership to allocate funds to meet requirements

  18. Coordinating Infrastructure OFCM Affiliations National Research Council (NRC) Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC) Climate Research Committee (CRC) University Corp. for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) US Weather Research Program (USWRP) US Climate Change Science Program (USCCSP) American Meteorological Society (AMS) National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) Subcommittee on Natural Disaster Reduction (SNDR)

  19. Coordinating Infrastructure Example - Key Products, Outcomes, Results • Annual Federal Plan for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research • Annual Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference • National Hurricane Operations Plan • National Winter Storms Operations Plan • National Strategic and Implementation Plans for Space Weather, Aviation Weather, and Weather Information for Surface Transportation • Federal Plan for Cooperative Support and Backup among Operational Processing Centers • National Post-Storm Data Acquisition Plan • Directory of Atmospheric Transport and Diffusion Models • Federal Meteorological Handbooks • Requirement studies, summaries, evaluations and analyses • Crosscut reviews of federal weather programs • Program management of multi-agency programs (e.g., NEXRAD, ASOS) • Organize and host forums, symposia, and workshops addressing national meteorological needs

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