EPA has launched an effort to modernize the Air Facility System (AFS) by incorporating it into the Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS). The new ICIS-Air will be completed by September 2014. Work has started on designing the systems for users who will enter data directly into the ICIS-Air website and for users who will transfer data from their own system to ICIS-Air. Planning to move existing data from legacy AFS into ICIS-Air is also underway. To support these efforts, EPA has established three workgroups that will focus on specific areas of modernization. If you are a member of the AFS User Community, your participation in one or more of the following workgroups is essential to the successful modernization of AFS:

• ICIS-Air Design Workgroup – Partners planning to enter data directly into the ICIS-Air web application are invited to nominate a representative to join the ICIS-Air Design Workgroup.
• Electronic Data Transfer Integrated Project Team (EDT IPT) – Partners planning to transfer data electronically to ICIS-Air from their own air compliance and enforcement system are strongly encouraged to nominate one AFS user and one Information Technology staff member to participate in the EDT IPT.
• AFS Data Migration Workgroup – All States, Tribes, Territories, local Partners, and EPA Regions that use AFS are required to identify at least one person responsible for AFS data to join the AFS Data Migration Workgroup.

Please respond to this Call for Participation before June 28,2013, by sending an email to Michelle Torreano at torreano.michelle [at] epa.gov. Please make to sure to include the name(s), phone number(s), email address(es), and which specific Workgroup(s) they will be participating on.

Thank you in advance for your participation as we build the new ICIS-Air!

Alison Kittle
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
P: 202.564.6233
E: kittle.alison [at] epa.gov

John Dombrowski
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
P: 202.566.0742
E: dombrowski.john [at] epa.gov

EPA has re-released the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Tribal support cooperative agreement for the Exchange Network. Under this agreement, the grantee will provide Exchange Network-related outreach to Federally recognized Tribes through hosting the National Tribal Users Meeting, design and maintenance of a website, and publication of a regular newsletter. The grantee will also support Tribal participation in Exchange Network Governance. Furthermore, the grantee will provide collaboration, mentoring, and information sharing among Tribal stakeholders through development of a mentoring program.

The total estimated funding expected to be available under this competitive opportunity is approximately $800,000, with an annual value not exceed $160,000. After the initial year, the cooperative agreement may be funded incrementally for up to four additional years subject to satisfactory performance, availability of funds, and other applicable considerations.

The Notice is available at www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/grants and through grants.gov. Applications are due August 30, 2013. Questions should be directed to EPA’s Salena Reynolds by phone at 202.566.0466 or email at reynolds.salena [at] epa.gov.

Salena Reynolds
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
P: 202.566.0466
E: reynolds.salena [at] epa.gov

On July 8, 2013, from 1:00-2:30PM ET, the Network Technology Board will sponsor an Open Conference Call to review the recently released Institutional Controls (IC) Data Exchange. The IC data flow provides both Query and Solicit services for sharing IC data among Network Partners.

The Open Call will provide background on the IC flow development effort, an overview of the IC XML schema, and a description of the services supported by the IC data flow. In addition, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Indiana Department of Environmental Management staff will share their plans for implementing the IC data flow on the Exchange Network. Finally Terradex, Inc., will discuss how private software solutions would apply IC data flows to support providing public notice of ICs and monitoring IC effectiveness.

To participate, please register at: .

Connie Dwyer
EPA NTB Co-Chair
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
P: 202.566.1691
E: dwyer.connie [at] epa.gov

Roy Walker
State NTB Co-Chair
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
P: 405.388.3806
E: roy.walker [at] deq.ok.gov

The Network Technology Board is excited to announce the release of the new Institutional Controls (IC) Data Exchange. Institutional controls are non-engineered instruments, such as administrative and legal controls, that help minimize the potential for human exposure to contamination and protect the integrity of a remedial action. ICs can reduce exposure to contamination by limiting land or resource use and guide human behavior at a site. Many Partners inventory ICs and some provide public-facing displays of these data.

In 2013, an Integrated Project Team led by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the EN Coordinator, and the Environmental Council of the States developed the implementation resources necessary to allow Partners to publish IC data via the Exchange Network using a standardized data format. The IC Data Exchange provides both Query and Solicit services. No data processing services are required. The data publishing services will support both REST and SOAP service requests.

Adele Vogelgesang
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
P: 614.728.1747
E: adele.vogelgesang [at] epa.state.oh.us