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Home › News › news/page › Alert
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Changes Coming to the EN Quality Assurance Server

April 21, 2021

Beginning on April 23, U.S. EPA will be making updates to the Exchange Network Quality Assurance Server (QA Server). The QA Server currently provides a set of SOAP web services for synchronous and asynchronous XML schema validations, schematron validation, XML transformation via XSLT, and virus scanning.  

As part of this reengineering effort, the current QA Server will be updated and migrated to a new platform. Some older, unused functionality will be retired, but most of the current functionality will remain the same. Exchange Network partners typically interact indirectly with the QA Server when downloading schema validation reports for an Exchange Network data flow. Most partners should experience little to no impact from these changes. 

Here are some important highlights about the upcoming changes:

  • The current endpoints for the QA Server will not change:
    • Test endpoint will remain https://tools.epacdxnode.net
    • Production endpoint will remain https://cdxtools.epa.gov
       
  • Virus Scanning will no longer have its own Web Services Definition Language (WSDL). The method will be consolidated under the remaining WSDLs. Virus scanning can be performed synchronously with the Validator_v30.wsdl or asynchronously with the ValidatorEx_v30.wsdl.
     
  • The Validator and ValidatorEx XSLT document transformation service and the Schematron validation service will be deprecated.
     
  • 2 WSDLs will remain available for use:
    • Validator_v30.wsdl
    • ValidatorEx_v30.wsdl

Please see below for more information about the timeline and other considerations.
 
Timeline
The schedule for deploying the changes is as follows:

  • Test Environment – April 23, 2021
  • Production Environment – April 30, 2021

After changes deploy to the Test environment, you may test services using the new QA server. If you have any issues or questions, please contact the Exchange Network Node Help Desk (see contact information below).
 
Exchange Network Node Help Desk 
For any questions or comments, or to report testing issues, please contact the Exchange Network Node Help Desk via:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 1-888-890-1995 (Select Option 1 and then Option 5 from the menu) 
    Available 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

NAAS Production Changes Pushed Back to April 24

April 14, 2021

**This message contains important new details about previously reported changes to the Exchange Network Authentication and Authorization Service (NAAS)** 
 
Thank you to all the teams that have helped test and provide feedback on the new TEST environment of the NAAS. Your responsiveness helps make the application better and helps EPA prepare for the forthcoming migration of the Production NAAS. At this time, EPA and its contractor team are still working with some organizations to help them diagnose and resolve issues with their applications, but the majority of teams’ issues have been resolved.
 
Here are some important updates on the ongoing migration process:

  • NAAS Production Environment Cutover Pushed Back One Week
    In the interest of letting partners test more thoroughly and resolve as many issues as possible, EPA is delaying the Production NAAS cutover until the weekend of April 24th. Once plans are finalized, we will send another EN Alert with a specific outage window.
     
  • Policy and Access Denied Issues 
    This has been the most widespread issue reported to the EN Help Desk. The previous TEST NAAS implementation contained some blanket policies that allowed some TEST users to perform their work without having the correct policy credentials in place for their accounts. The new NAAS is enforcing policies correctly. Consequently, in the TEST environment, some users may need to request policies for the USER ACCOUNT and DATAFLOW that they are working in. Please continue to contact the EN Help Desk to have these policies put in place. So far, missing policies do not appear to be similarly widespread in Production. Further research is ongoing to prepare for the production cutover and ease agencies’ transitions.

Please continue to work with the EN Help Desk if you have any questions or concerns.
 
Reminders:

  • The node help desk can provide new Secure Authentication Keys if you need one for TEST or PRODUCTION.
     
  • New TEST and PRODUCTION IP Addresses are listed below. If you have outbound firewall rules to the NAAS, please make sure you enable access to these IP Addresses:
    • TEST: 204.47.254.135
    • PRODUCTION: 204.47.254.197

Exchange Network Help Desk

  • Email: [email protected]
     
  • Phone: 1-888-890-1995 (Select Option 1 and then Option 5 from the menu) 
    Available 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern

EN Security Updated in Test; Please Test Your EN Data Flows

April 7, 2021

**This message contains important details about changes to the Exchange Network Authentication and Authorization Service (NAAS)** 
 
On Monday, April 5th at 6:00 PM EDT, U.S. EPA deployed changes to the TEST environment of the Exchange Network Authentication and Authorization Service (NAAS). These changes are part of the previously reported migration to a new NAAS platform.
 
EPA is asking partner agencies to test their Exchange Network applications and data flows and report any issues to the Exchange Network Help Desk (see contact info below). Partners should test their ability to authenticate, submit, and solicit data with EPA’s Central Data Exchange (CDX) in the TEST environment.
 
EPA is currently tracking a handful of issues that they hope to have resolved within the next 1-2 days. These include:

  • Policy and Access Denied Issues – The previous NAAS implemented policy conditions inconsistently and some users were able to perform their work without being granted the necessary NAAS policies. The updated NAAS is enforcing policies correctly. If you are receiving an error that states “Access Denied” or “Access to the requested resource… is not permitted based on policy”, please reach out to the Exchange Network Help Desk and share the USER ACCOUNT that you are using and the DATA FLOW you need to access. The Help Desk will apply the correct policy for you.
  • “Multiref” Error – Users may see an error message that states: “Message part multiRef was not recognized. (Does it exist in service WSDL?)”. This issue occurs when some NAAS v2 method parameters are transferred as multiRef elements rather than simple XML elements. This is a known issue for partners that are using v1 of the NGN Node. This issue affects NAAS v2 methods in: auth.wsdl, policy.wsdl, securitytoken.wsdl, usermgr.wsdl. NAAS v3 methods are unaffected.
  • Validation report errors – The QA Server is having issues responding with validation reports. This is being rectified.

If you are experiencing these or any other connectivity issues with the NAAS TEST environment, please contact the Exchange Network Help Desk as soon as possible. This will allow support staff ample time to resolve issues before the planned migration of the NAAS Production environment on April 18th.

The NAAS Production environment cutover is still planned to occur on the weekend of April 18th, assuming successful testing by EN partner agencies. If partners are having trouble pinpointing or resolving issues in the TEST environment, EPA may delay the changes to PRODUCTION until the weekend of April 25th.
 
Please work with the Exchange Network Help Desk if you have any questions or concerns.

  • The Help Desk can provide new Secure Authentication Keys if you need one for TEST or PRODUCTION.
  • The new NAAS TEST and PRODUCTION IP addresses are listed below. If you have outbound firewall rules to the NAAS, please make sure you enable access to these IP addresses:
    • TEST: 204.47.254.135
    • PRODUCTION: 204.47.254.197

 Exchange Network Help Desk

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 1-888-890-1995 (Select Option 1 and then Option 5 from the menu) 
    Available 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern

Further Details on EN Security Changes

March 29, 2021

The NAAS Backwards Compatibility Layer (BCL) has been deployed in the Development environment for the past week and is very stable. Thanks to the development teams that have helped test things so far. There are a few remaining small issues we need to verify and potentially work through with our teams. In an abundance of caution, we are delaying the cutover of the TEST NAAS one week to make the NAAS as fully ready for partners as possible.

  • NAAS Test Environment Cutover – Is now planned to happen on Monday night, 6pm on April 5th. We expect roughly two hours of downtime. At this point we will be asking teams to test the NAAS BCL, let us know if things are working for them, and work with us to help troubleshoot and resolve any issues that they may encounter.
  • NAAS Production Environment Cutover – is still planned to occur the weekend of April 18th , assuming testing can be verified by partners. If partners are having trouble pinpointing issues or resolving them after the test cutover, we may fall back to the following weekend, April 25th IF NECESSARY. 

Again, please work with the node help desk if you have any questions or concerns. Reminders:

  • The node help desk can provide new Secure Authentication Keys if you need one for TEST or PRODUCTION.
  • New TEST and PRODUCTION IPs are listed below. If you have outbound firewall rules to the NAAS, please make sure you enable access to these IPs:
    • TEST: 204.47.254.135
    • PRODUCTION: 204.47.254.197

NODE HELP DESK:
Phone: 888.890.1995
Email: [email protected]
https://www.exchangenetwork.net/about/contacts/network-help-desk/

Update on EN Security Changes

March 24, 2021

**This message contains important new details about forthcoming changes to the Exchange Network Authentication and Authorization Service (NAAS). The new information includes the migration date for the NAAS TEST environment.** 

As previously reported on March 8 and March 17, U.S. EPA is updating the Exchange Network’s security infrastructure known as the Network Authentication and Authorization Service (NAAS). The current NAAS application will be migrated to a new platform. The system will retain all existing functionality and the re-platforming should be transparent to most users.  

EPA will perform the cutover for the TEST version of the NAAS at 6:00 PM EDT on Monday March 29, 2021. At that time, EPA will decommission the existing TEST NAAS and deploy the new TEST NAAS in its place.

Here is what to expect:

  • Beginning at 6:00 PM EDT on March 29, EPA anticipates approximately 2 hours of downtime before the new TEST NAAS becomes available. The actual timing may vary so please plan accordingly.
  • The new TEST NAAS should be fully available for testing beginning on the morning of March 30, 2021. 
  • As previously reported, the URL for the TEST NAAS will not change. After the deployment completes, you will still be able to access the TEST NAAS at https://naas.epacdxnode.net. 
  • The IP address for the new TEST NAAS will change to: 204.47.254.135. If your agency has firewall rules that allow traffic only with specific IP addresses, you will need to update your settings to allow access to this new IP address. 

Beginning on the morning of March 30, partner agencies should begin testing their Nodes and data flows against the new TEST NAAS environment. Please report any anomalies, questions, or errors to the Node Help Desk at:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 1-888-890-1995 (Select Option 1 and then Option 5 from the menu) 
    Available 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern

EPA tentatively plans to deploy the new Production NAAS on April 19, 2021. Please begin making any necessary firewall adjustments and plan to adjust your data flow schedule to accommodate that timing. More details on precise migration date will be announced as soon as they are available.

  • New Production NAAS IP Address: 204.47.254.197
  • Production NAAS URL: https://cdxnodenaas.epa.gov

Reminder: FY21 EN Grant Applications Due by March 31, 2021!

March 18, 2021

The application deadline for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Exchange Network (EN) Grant Program is quickly approaching! Applications are due to U.S. EPA by 11:59 PM Eastern Time, Wednesday, March 31, 2021.

Applicants can find a copy of the Solicitation Notice (SN) on the Grants.gov website at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=331293. You can find additional guidance tools, including optional fillable templates, on both Grants.gov and on the EPA Exchange Network website. Remember to review the FY21 SN in full, as significant updates have been made since the FY20 version. 

For more information, please contact:

Erika Beasley
EN Grants Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
E: [email protected]

Updated Info on Changes to EN Security Service

March 17, 2021

**This message contains important new details about forthcoming changes to the Exchange Network Authentication and Authorization Service (NAAS). The new information includes tentative migration dates and the new NAAS IP addresses. Please read this message in its entirety to understand if your agency or organization will be affected.** 

As previously reported on March 8, U.S. EPA is planning updates to the Exchange Network’s security infrastructure known as the Network Authentication and Authorization Service (NAAS). The current NAAS application will be migrated to a new platform in the coming weeks. The system will retain all existing functionality and the re-platforming should be transparent to most users. Here are some important highlights about this upcoming change:  

  • The current URLs for the NAAS will not change. 
  • The IP addresses for the NAAS will be changing, so agencies with strict firewall rules will need to update them for the new IP addresses. See below for details. 
  • Server security certificates will not be changing during this migration, so agencies will not need to adjust for new certificates.

Please see below for more information about anticipated timing and other considerations. If you have any questions or comments please contact the Exchange Network Help Desk (see contact information below).

Schedule and Downtime 
The anticipated schedule for re-platforming the NAAS is:

  • New NAAS Test Environment
    Tentatively available on March 29, 2021
    Deployment planned for weekend of March 27-28 (expect service downtime during the weekend)
     
  • New NAAS Production Environment 
    Tentatively available on April 19, 2021
    Deployment planned for weekend of April 17-18 (expect service downtime during the weekend)

EPA anticipates that the NAAS will be unavailable for part of the deployment weekends. EPA will communicate more specifics about the amount of downtime anticipated as that information becomes available. Watch for more details in a future EN Alert email. Please take note of this anticipated downtime and inform your agency’s Exchange Network users that they will not be able to connect to the Exchange Network or NAAS-supported applications during the NAAS platform change.

Testing
Once the NAAS Test environment has been migrated to the new platform, EPA will notify the Exchange Network community in an EN Alert email. This will open an opportunity for the community to help verify that the re-platformed NAAS services are continuing to operate normally. During this testing period, partner agencies should:

  • Verify that your nodes / dataflows remain operational and are working normally. Unless your agency is covered by one of the exceptional situations below, the NAAS services in the TEST environment should continue to work normally for you without any need for intervention on your part.
  • Please report any anomalies, questions, or errors to the Node Help Desk (see information below).

Exceptional Situations
In most cases, the NAAS re-platforming will be completely transparent and users will not need to take any action. The exceptions to that rule are listed below. Please read on to determine if your organization will be impacted by one of these situations. If you have questions, please contact the Exchange Network Help Desk (see below).

  • Firewall Rules – After the migration, the IP addresses for the Test and Production NAAS will change. If you have an outbound firewall rule from your system to the current NAAS IP addresses, your agency will need to update your firewall rules to allow access to the new NAAS IP addresses below:


    Test NAAS

    New IP Address: 204.47.254.135
    URL: https://naas.epacdxnode.net
    Planned Effective Date: March 29, 2021

    Production NAAS
    New IP Address: 204.47.254.197
    URL: https://cdxnodenaas.epa.gov 
    Planned Effective Date: April 19, 2021
     

  • Secure Authentication Key (SAK) – If your system communicates with the Exchange Network using a SAK, you will need to contact the Node Help Desk to obtain a new SAK.

Exchange Network Help Desk 
For any questions or comments, or to report testing issues, please contact the Exchange Network Help Desk at:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 1-888-890-1995 (Select Option 1 and then Option 5 from the menu) 
    Available 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern

Updates Coming to Exchange Network Security Service

March 8, 2021

**This message contains important information about forthcoming changes to the Exchange Network Authentication and Authorization Service. Please read this message in its entirety to understand if your agency or organization will be affected.** 

U.S. EPA is planning updates to the Exchange Network’s security infrastructure known as the Network Authentication and Authorization Service (NAAS). As part of a longer-term modernization effort, the current NAAS application will be migrated to a new platform in the coming weeks. The system will retain all existing functionality and the re-platforming should be transparent to most users. Here are some important highlights about this upcoming change:  

  • The current URLs for the NAAS will not change. 
  • The IP addresses for the NAAS will be changing, so agencies with strict firewall rules will need to update them for the new IP addresses. 
  • Server security certificates will not be changing during this migration, so agencies will not need to adjust for new certificates.

Please see below for more information about anticipated timing and other considerations. Some details are still forthcoming, so watch for more information in future EN Alert emails. If you have any questions or comments please contact the Exchange Network Help Desk (see contact information below).

Timeline and Downtime 
The tentative schedule for re-platforming the NAAS is:

  • NAAS Test Environment –  March 2021 (exact weekend dates TBA) 
  • NAAS Production Environment – April 2021 (exact weekend dates TBA)

EPA anticipates that the NAAS will be unavailable for part of the cutover weekend. EPA will communicate more specifics about the dates and the amount of downtime anticipated as that information becomes available. Watch for more details in a future EN Alert email. Please take note of this weekend downtime and inform your agency’s Exchange Network users that they will not be able to connect to the Exchange Network or NAAS-supported applications during the NAAS platform change.

Testing
Once the NAAS Test environment has been migrated to the new platform, EPA will notify the Exchange Network community in an EN Alert email. This will open an opportunity for the community to help verify that the re-platformed NAAS services are continuing to operate normally. During this testing period, partner agencies should:

  • Verify that your nodes / dataflows remain operational and are working normally. Unless your agency is covered by one of the exceptional situations below, the NAAS services in the TEST environment should continue to work normally for you without any need for intervention on your part.
  • Please report any anomalies, questions, or errors to the Node Help Desk (see information below).

Exceptional Situations
In most cases, the NAAS re-platforming will be completely transparent and users will not need to take any action. The exceptions to that rule are listed below. Please read on to determine if your organization will be impacted by one of these situations. If you have questions, please contact the Exchange Network Help Desk (see below).

  • Firewall Rules – After the migration, the IP addresses for the Test and Production NAAS will change. If you have an outbound firewall rule from your system to the current NAAS IP address, your agency will need to update your firewall rules to allow access to the new NAAS IP addresses. EPA will announce the new NAAS IP addresses in an EN Alert as soon as they are available. EPA will make every effort to provide this information at least 3 weeks prior to the cutover to allow time for partner agencies to adjust their firewall rules.
     
  • Secure Authentication Key (SAK) – If your system communicates with the Exchange Network using a SAK, you will need to contact the Node Help Desk to obtain a new SAK.

Exchange Network Help Desk 
For any questions or comments, or to report testing issues, please contact the Exchange Network Help Desk at:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 1-888-890-1995 (Select Option 1 and then Option 5 from the menu) 
    Available 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern

Update to Connection Links for the March 1st and March 8th FY21 Exchange Network Grant Solicitation Notice Webinars

February 25, 2021

In support of the FY 2021 Exchange Network (EN) Grant cycle, the EPA is currently hosting a series of webinars to assist interested applicants. There are two remaining sessions scheduled, one on March 1st (for tribal applicants) and one on March 8th (for all applicant types). Please note that the connection information for the remaining webinars has been updated and is listed below.

The Exchange Network Grant Program website also hosts a copy of the webinar presentation document, accessible here: https://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/exchange-network-grant-program#Resources. A recording of a prior webinar session will also shortly be made available. Potential applicants are also encouraged to review the FAQs posted to this section of the website.   

Tribal SN Webinar Session:
Monday, March 1, 2021, 3:00 – 4:30pm ET

  • TEAMS Presentation Link (Recommended Format) – Click here to join the meeting
  • Dial-In Option (Audio Only) – Number:  1(202) 991-0477; Conf. ID: 859131039#

General SN Webinar Session:
Monday, March 8, 2021, 11:00 – 12:30pm ET

  • TEAMS Presentation Link (Recommended Format)- Click here to join the meeting
  • Dial-In Option (Audio Only) Number: 1(202) 991-0477; Conf. ID: 99735969#

Please direct any questions to Erika Beasley, Exchange Network Grants Program Manager, at [email protected].

Although not mandatory, EPA would appreciate if you would pre-register for webinar sessions by sending an email to Shela Poke-Williams ([email protected]) indicating the session you plan to attend and listing the participant name(s), organization, and state, tribe, or territory. Please note that EPA will maintain these records internally and they will not be shared with any third parties.

U.S. EPA to Host Webinars on FY21 Exchange Network Grant Solicitation Notice

February 10, 2021

In support of the FY 2021 Exchange Network (EN) Grant cycle, U.S. EPA will host three webinars to assist interested applicants. The webinars will be held on February 22nd, February 25th, and March 8th. Each webinar will include the same presentation on the following topics: a brief overview of the EN Grants Program and FY 2021 timeline, critical elements of the Solicitation Notice, notable changes from FY 2020, an overview of new guidance materials and optional templates, and common mistakes to avoid. This will be followed by a question and answer session with participants. Please note that the sessions will end when all the participants’ questions have been addressed.
 
Notes on Joining the Webinars

  • Note: The webinars will be given through Microsoft Teams, which can be joined by clicking the links provided below. Please note these links are different for each webinar.
  • Note: To enter a meeting, click the appropriate link below; you will be prompted to ‘choose your video and audio options’. Select your audio preference (e.g. ‘computer audio’), ensure your camera is turned off, mute yourself, and then click ‘join meeting’.
    • During the call, you can unmute yourself to ask a question by clicking on the microphone icon (top of the screen).
    • Questions can also be typed into the TEAMS “Meeting Chat”.

Webinar Details and Connection Information

Monday, February 22, 2021, 2:00 – 3:30pm ET

  • TEAMS Presentation Link (Recommended Format) – https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YmJhYWM1YjItN2VlZi00ZDM1LTkwNWEtNDM2MTE0YTU3NWIz%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2288b378b3-6748-4867-acf9-76aacbeca6a7%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22c4bb078b-f507-47fe-9134-2f1d27f2a185%22%7d
  • Dial-In Option (Audio Only) – Number: 1(202) 991-0477; Conf. ID: 641194269#

 
Thursday, February 25, 2021, 2:00 – 3:30pm ET

  • TEAMS Presentation Link (Recommended Format)- https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YmJhYWM1YjItN2VlZi00ZDM1LTkwNWEtNDM2MTE0YTU3NWIz%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2288b378b3-6748-4867-acf9-76aacbeca6a7%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22c4bb078b-f507-47fe-9134-2f1d27f2a185%22%7d
  • Dial-In Option (Audio Only) Number: 1(202) 991-0477; Conf. ID: 985220193#

 
Monday, March 8, 2021, 11:00 – 12:30pm ET

  • TEAMS Presentation Link (Recommended Format)- https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZDcxZjFjMGQtZDMzZC00ZTY0LTg4MTQtOWZkYThlYmIwMzEy%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2288b378b3-6748-4867-acf9-76aacbeca6a7%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22c4bb078b-f507-47fe-9134-2f1d27f2a185%22%7d
  • Dial-In Option (Audio Only) Number: 1(202) 991-0477; Conf. ID: 99735969#

 
Please direct any questions to Erika Beasley, Exchange Network Grants Program Manager, at [email protected].
 
Although not mandatory, U.S. EPA would appreciate if you would pre-register for webinar sessions by sending an email to Shela Poke-Williams ([email protected]) indicating the session you plan to attend and listing the participant name(s), organization, and state, tribe, or territory. Please note that EPA will maintain these records internally and they will not be shared with any third parties.

Planned Maintenance on February 14 May Cause Service Outages

February 9, 2021

Please be advised that U.S. EPA will be conducting system maintenance and infrastructure improvements on Sunday, February 14, 2021 from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM EST. During this time, the Exchange Network, Shared CROMERR Services, and the EPA Central Data Exchange (CDX) may experience extended service outages or interruptions. Please plan accordingly and reschedule any activity planned during this window. 

If you have questions, you may contact the Exchange Network Help Desk. 

U.S. EPA Publishes FY21 Exchange Network Grant Solicitation Notice

February 3, 2021

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Exchange Network (EN) Grant Program Solicitation Notice (SN) has been published to Grants.gov and is available here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=331293. Applications are due to EPA by 11:59 PM Eastern Time, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Additional guidance tools, including optional fillable templates, are available for applicants both on Grants.gov and on the EPA Exchange Network website. Applicants are encouraged to review the new FY21 SN in full, as significant updates have been made since the FY20 version. Information on applicant webinars will be provided shortly.

The purpose of Exchange Network (EN) grants are to foster better environmental management and decision-making through increased access to timely, high quality, environmental information. An applicant’s proposed project goals and outputs should align with one or more funding areas in the SN and EPA’s FY 2018-21 Strategic Plan Goal 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness, Objective 3.4: ‘Streamline and Modernize’.

EPA expects to award 25-35 grants of up to $400,000 each, totaling approximately $8,000,000 in FY21. Most awards will be in the $50,000 to $200,000 range. The exact number of grants will depend on the number of applications submitted to EPA by the application deadline, the amounts of proposed project budgets, and the quality of proposals.

EPA only accepts project proposals for EN grants submitted electronically through Grants.gov, unless applicants have a waiver. EPA anticipates that it will announce selection decisions around August 2021, and tentatively plans to issue awards by September 30, 2021.

For more information, please contact:

Erika Beasley
EN Grants Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
E: [email protected]

Project Team on Environmental Data Management Best Practices is Recruiting Members

December 9, 2020

The Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council (ITRC) is recruiting members for a new project team on Environmental Data Management Best Practices.  The Team will produce a toolkit and online trainings that focus on the fundamentals of environmental data management practices, so that organizations can progress toward more modern and efficient data management. The team will launch in 2021 and operate for one to two years. E-Enterprise and Exchange Network partners from states, tribes, and EPA can consider lending their perspectives and expertise to this effort. 

To learn more, visit the project team’s webpage or follow a related discussion on the E-Enterprise Community Inventory Platform.

To apply for membership on the team, visit the ITRC website and create a new member profile. 

The ITRC is a state-led coalition working to reduce barriers to the use of innovative air, water, waste, and remediation environmental technologies and processes. ITRC produces documents and training that broaden and deepen technical knowledge and expedite quality regulatory decision making while protecting human health and the environment. For more information on the ITRC, visit the ITRC website or Frequently Asked Questions.

Final EE2020 Webinar on December 17 to Feature Drones for Environmental Protection!

November 30, 2020

The next and final installment of the EE2020 webinar series is set for Thursday, December 17 at 1:00 PM Eastern! Visit the EE2020 Meeting Website to reserve your spot today.

Deploying Drones for Environmental Results
Date: December 17, 2020
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 PM Eastern
Register:  https://www.eenationalmeeting.net/december-2020

The link to join the webinar will be distributed to registrants via email shortly before the webinar begins.  

Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are taking environmental agency programs to new heights! States, tribes, and EPA are generating better environmental results and improving worker safety by deploying drones in emergency response, compliance monitoring, mapping, sampling, and other activities. Join us to hear more about these soaring efforts, techniques for managing all the new data, and lessons learned on the ground and in the sky.
 

 

 

For registration questions, please email: [email protected].

Register for November 19 Webinar on Low Code Platforms!

November 12, 2020

The next installment of the EE2020 webinar series is set for Thursday, November 19 at 1:00 PM Eastern! Visit the  EE2020 meeting website to reserve your spot today.

Do We Even Need Programmers? Low-Code Software and the Future of Environmental Protection Systems
Date: November 19, 2020
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 PM Eastern
Register: https://www.eenationalmeeting.net/november-2020-1

The link to join the webinar will be distributed to registrants via email shortly before the webinar begins.  

The next phase of digital transformation—from systems of record to GIS and data analytics—relies on no-code and low code platforms. These systems allow people with very little programming knowledge to create robust cloud applications in order to meet a wide variety of needs. Agencies are beginning to use these systems outside of traditional IT to meet emerging needs. However, these systems are not without their challenges. They require a new set of skills and a different governance model to achieve their full potential. Agencies will need to adjust their work to support this emerging cloud technology or face a wave of organizational chaos. This panel will outline the promises and pitfalls of the no-code/low-code platforms along with suggestions on how to fully leverage this new approach to tool and service development.

For registration questions, please email: [email protected].

Tribal Exchange Network Virtual Data Academy and Conference: October 26 - November 12

October 20, 2020

Are you a tribal official who works with environmental data? Interested in streamlining or enhancing your data management capacity? The Exchange Network Tribal Governance Group and the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) invite you to join their 2020 Virtual Data Academy and Conference. 

The conference portion of the event is being held from October 26-28 (open to all interested attendees) and will demonstrate how tribes can benefit from participating in the EN through live discussions and a showcase of tribal projects and tools. The series of workshops comprising the data academy are from November 2-12 (open to tribal officials only) and will offer practical lessons for tribes working with environmental data.

Interested? Please check out the resources outlined below or visit the meeting webpage for more information.

 

AGENDA

  • Presentations and interactive discussions.
  • Professional development workshops and mentoring sessions with peers.
  • Featured speakers include members of the Tribal Governance Group, Tribal Exchange Network users, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

PRE-REGISTRATION

By pre-registering, you will be granted priority access to event sessions and added to our announcements email list which will share updates about the upcoming event and notifications about conference recordings. Conference Sessions are open to the public, workshop sessions are open to tribal employees only and require pre-approval.

Register for Workshops after submitting your pre-registration form. Session details can be found in the  Agenda. Workshops include:

  • Data Carpentry – Ecology Curriculum (R emphasis) – 20 seats
  • The E-Enterprise Community Inventory Platform (EECIP): A Live Demo & Workshop for Tribes – 20 seats
  • The Quality Review and Exchange System for Tribes (QREST) – 15 seats
  • Introduction to ESRI Field Operations – 15 seats

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Additional Questions? Contact [email protected] or visit www.tribalexchangenetwork.org.

Network Connectivity Issues May Be Impacting EN Services

September 30, 2020

Please be advised that the EPA is experiencing intermittent network connectivity issues. This may impact access to the Central Data Exchange (CDX), the Exchange Network (EN) and Shared CROMERR Services (SCS). Please know that actions are being taken to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. 

Register for October 8 EE2020 Webinar on Community Science!

September 28, 2020

The next installment of the EE2020 webinar series is set for Thursday, October 8 at 1:00 PM Eastern! Visit the meeting website to reserve your spot today. 

EE2020 Webinar on Community Science

Date: October 8, 2020

Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern
Register: https://www.eenationalmeeting.net/october-2020

The link to join the webinar will be distributed to registrants via email shortly before the webinar begins.  

Community science, or the involvement of the public in expanding scientific knowledge and understanding, is becoming more and more widespread in environmental and public health programs at the local, state, and national levels. The use of community-collected data to help address environmental issues presents both opportunities and challenges for government agencies.

This session will showcase results from an EPA-funded project at the Environmental Law Institute that is assessing how different state and tribal environmental programs use community science.  Panelists will review and discuss a diverse set of state and tribal case studies. The goals are to: 1) learn about different types of state and tribal community science programs that can serve as models; 2) analyze different program’s operations and best practices, and; 3) engage the audience in their ideas for how EPA, states and tribes can better partner on community science programs.

Visit the website to register and to find a more detailed agenda and information on our featured speakers. 

For registration questions, please email: [email protected].

Register for September 17 EE2020 Webinar on Building an Information-Centric Environmental Protection Enterprise!

September 9, 2020

The next installment of the EE2020 webinar series is set for Thursday, September 17 at 3:00 PM Eastern! Visit the EE2020 meeting website to reserve your spot today.

EE2020 Webinar on the E-Enterprise Digital Strategy

Date: September 17, 2020
Time: 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern
Register: https://www.eenationalmeeting.net/september-2020

The link to join the webinar will be distributed to registrants via email shortly before the webinar begins.

The September webinar will focus on the E-Enterprise Digital Strategy which represents a shared vision to help environmental agencies:

  • Better coordinate their IT systems and services;

  • Improve collaboration using shared data, and;

  • Reimagine ways to use technology to achieve better environmental outcomes and provide more responsive services to the public and the regulated community.

This webinar will begin 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 will focus on the Information-Centric principle of the E-Enterprise Digital Strategy. We will explore examples that show how agencies are making their data available as a service and the benefits of doing so.

For registration questions, please email: [email protected].

EPA To Host Feedback Session on FY 2020 Exchange Network Grant Cycle & Solicitation Notice

August 20, 2020

To support the development and planning of the upcoming FY’21 Exchange Network (EN) grant cycle and solicitation notice, the EPA will be hosting a feedback session on the FY’20 EN Solicitation Notice and FY’20 grant application cycle. This session will be held on August 27th from 1-2 PM Eastern Time  and will be an open discussion about the clarity and usability of the FY 2020 EN Solicitation Notice (SN), the scope of funding opportunities within the Notice, the applicant guidance appendices, and the optional templates included for the first time in FY 2020.

If you aren’t able to join this meeting, but would like to provide feedback on the FY’20 EN Grant Solicitation Notice or the application process, please email your comments to Erin McGown at [email protected] before September 9th, 2020.

Joining the Call:

  • Via Weblink (Recommended; as EPA will be sharing a PowerPoint presentation):  
    • Click this link to join: Join Microsoft Teams Meeting – FY20 Feedback Session
  • Via Phone:
    • Dial +1 202-991-0477 (United States, Washington DC -Toll); Conference ID: 799 796 29#

By participating in EPA hosted virtual meetings and events, you are consenting to abide by the agency’s terms of use. In addition, you acknowledge that content you post may be collected and used in support of FOIA and eDiscovery activities.

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