the E-Enterprise Digital Strategy: Building an information-centric Environmental Protection Enterprise

Thursday, September 17, 2020
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Eastern

This webinar began with a brief introduction to the key principles of the E-Enterprise Digital Strategy and a conversation about how the drinking water program is applying it to the modernization of the Safe Drinking Water Information System. The bulk of the webinar focused on the Information-Centric principle of the E-Enterprise Digital Strategy. We explored examples that show how agencies are making their data available as a service and the benefits of doing so.   

Speaker Slides

• The Digital Strategy and SDWIS Modernization

• The Internet of Water

• How’s My Waterway

Additional Resources

• E-Enterprise Digital Strategy Web Page

• The Internet of Water Website

• U.S. EPA’s How’s My Waterway

Webinar Agenda

3:00 - 3:05

Welcome & Logistics

3:05 - 3:15

Digital Strategy Overview
Andy Putnam, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Vince Allen, U.S EPA Office of Mission Support
This segment will introduce the E-Enterprise Digital Strategy and discuss how states, tribes, and EPA can put it into practice.

3:15 - 3:25

Quick Case Study: Applying the Digital Strategy to Modernization of the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
Michael Plastino, U.S. EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
This segment will explore the ways in which the Digital Strategy’s principles have helped shape SDWIS program and system modernization.

3:25 - 3:30

Focusing on Principle 2: Building an Information-Centric Enterprise
Stephen Forrest, Montana Department of Environmental Quality
What does it mean to be information-centric? And what can it do for your agency?

3:30 - 3:40

Case Study: The Internet of Water
Peter Colohan, Duke University/The Internet of Water

3:40 - 3:50

Case Study: U.S. EPA’s How’s My Waterway?
Dwane Young, U.S. EPA Office of Water

3:50 - 4:10

Panel Discussion on Building Information-Centric Projects
Moderator: Stephen Forrest, Montana Department of Environmental Quality
Panelists: Peter Colohan, Duke University/The Internet of Water and Dwane Young, U.S. EPA Office of Water

4:10 - 4:30

Open Discussion/Q&A

Featured Speakers

• Peter Colohan is the Executive Director of the Internet of Water, a project based at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions. Peter comes to the IoW after nearly a decade of Federal service with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). At NOAA, Peter was a key advocate for the development of the National Water Model and the creation of the NOAA Water Initiative. He also served as a Federal Coordinating Lead Author for the Water Chapter of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, published in November 2018.  Peter was an enthusiastic participant in the 2017 Aspen Dialogue Series on Water Data, co-led by the Nicholas Institute, which led to the creation of the Internet of Water. From 2012-2014, Peter served as the Assistant Director for Environmental Information within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under President Barack Obama, on assignment from NOAA, where he worked closely with all Federal agencies responsible for climate, water and environmental science and technology. Prior to his federal service, Peter advised NOAA as a consultant on the development of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), an intergovernmental body dedicated to the global exchange of environmental data and information. He served as that body’s Executive Officer from 2003 to 2005. 

• Dr. Stephen Forrest is a researcher, educator, and professional coach who works with executives and entrepreneurs to change their organizations. He currently serves as the Chief innovation and Information Officer for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality where he is leading the digital transformation of the agency. He has spoken and published internationally in the areas of information management, adult learning, organizational change, and history. He holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford and an EdD from Oklahoma State University. When not working or spending time with his wife and son, he trains rugby referees across the United States.

• Michael Plastino is the Infrastructure Branch Chief in U.S. EPA’s Drinking Water Protection Division. Michael enjoys engaging with environmental program partners in creating information management solutions that improve program management – solutions include the Safe Drinking Water Information Management System (SDWIS), the Compliance Monitoring Data Portal (CMDP), the State Revolving Fund (SRF) systems, and the Drinking Water Mapping Application for Protecting Source Waters (DWMAPS). In Michael’s prior positions at EPA, he provided system and geospatial integration services for the National Water Program, led the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey, and led EPA enterprise IM support programs. Michael completed environmental engineering degrees - a bachelor’s from Humboldt State with a water quality emphasis, and a master’s from SUNY-Syracuse Environmental Science & Forestry with a GIS emphasis.

• Dwane Young is the Chief of the Water Data Integration Branch in EPA’s Office of Water. Dwane has worked with EPA since 2005 on environmental data management systems in both the Office of Water and the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.  Dwane has also served as the Federal Liaison to the Western States Water Council. Dwane led the initial development of the Water Quality Exchange (WQX) for EPA, played a key role in the development of EPA’s Clean Water Act Integrated Reporting systems, oversaw the implementation of updates to the RCRAInfo system, and has extensive experience with assisting partners in sharing water quality data.  Dwane has a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Utah State University.  He has spent the last twenty years working on environmental data management systems.