Download - Shaping of Public Environmental Policy
Shaping of Public Environmental Policy:User Community Impact
Samuel P. WilliamsonFederal Coordinator for MeteorologyOffice of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and
Supporting Research (OFCM)
Presentation for the Unidata 2003 Summer Users Workshop June 26, 2003
OverviewOverview
• OFCM Background
• Federal Coordinating Infrastructure
• Shaping Public Environmental Policy– A look at three possible methods
• Summary
• OFCM Background
• Federal Coordinating Infrastructure
• Shaping Public Environmental Policy– A look at three possible methods
• Summary
BackgroundBackgroundHistorical Perspective
OFCMOFCM• 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
1964OFCM formed in 1964
1979GAO Study Revitalizes OFCM
BackgroundBackground
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
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
BackgroundBackground
Key Focus Areas--Agency Priorities
• 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
• Cooperative Research• Observing Capabilities• Modeling and Prediction • Information Technology
and Communications• Environmental Services
Coordinating InfrastructureCoordinating InfrastructureOFCM Partners
• Environmental Protection Agency• National Aeronautics and Space
Administration• National Science Foundation• National Transportation Safety Board• Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Independent agencies:Departments of:• 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 InfrastructureCoordinating 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
Integrated Observing Systems
Climate Analysis, Monitoring and
Services
Working Group for
Environmental Support to Homeland Security
Cooperative Research
Methods to Shape Public Policy 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
• 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
User Community Impact on Policy:A Public Program Example
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
User Community Impact on Policy:A Public Program Example
User Community Impact on Policy:A Public Program Example
Policy Input Reaction
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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:Other Public Program Examples
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
User Community Impact on Policy: Through Government Sponsored Organizations
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
• 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
User Community Impact on Policy: Through Scientific and Professional Organizations/Associations
User Community Impact on Policy: Through Scientific and Professional Organizations/Associations
• User input to scientific and professional organizations/ associations such 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/
• User input to scientific and professional organizations/ associations such 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/
User Community Impact on Policy: Through Scientific and Professional Organizations/Associations
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, "AdvancingGovernment through Interoperable Technologies."
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, "AdvancingGovernment through Interoperable Technologies."
User Community Impact on Policy: Summary
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
• 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
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/
Coordinating InfrastructureCoordinating 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
• 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
Coordinating InfrastructureCoordinating InfrastructureOFCM Affiliations
National Research Council (NRC)Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC)Climate Research Committee (CRC)
US Weather Research Program (USWRP)
US Climate Change Science
Program (USCCSP)
National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources (CENR)Subcommittee on Natural Disaster Reduction (SNDR)
University Corp. for Atmospheric Research
(UCAR)American
Meteorological Society (AMS)
National Center for Atmospheric Research
(NCAR)
Coordinating InfrastructureCoordinating Infrastructure
• 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
• 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
Example - Key Products, Outcomes, Results