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Exchange Network Basic Information
The Environmental Information Exchange Network (Exchange Network) is an Internet-based system used to securely exchange environmental and health data among EPA, states, tribes and territories, and other partners. With the Exchange Network, partners receive many benefits, including:
- Improved data quality - the Exchange Network helps to eliminate faulty and duplicative data entry, and transmission of invalid submissions.
- Better data integration - partners using the Exchange Network can now integrate environmental information across inconsistent sources, programs and databases.
- Timely availability of environmental data - the use of Web services and the Internet enable the Exchange Network to provide immediate access to published data.
- Reduced burden - partners using the Exchange Network can reduce the costs and burden associated with reporting data.
- Improved decision making - partners may use the Exchange Network to access integrated, high quality data when making environmental decisions.
- Automated data submission and retrieval - Web services allow secure computer-to-computer connection on a scheduled basis.
- Security: the Exchange Network is protected by a centralized security system.
- Authorization and authentication: the Exchange Network allows partners to control access to their data.
How the Exchange Network Works
Using the Internet and standardized data formats, the Network partners (boxes) exchange information between Nodes (green arrows that talk both ways) using a data exchange template (yellow hexagon). A Node is a point of interaction between participants on the Exchange Network, and is a collection of specific technical and policy components that are utilized to provide and receive information via the Exchange Network. EPA's Node on the Exchange Network is the Central Data Exchange. Exchange Network partners agree to develop and use the data standards and schema through the data exchange templates to exchange information, ensuring improved data quality, and better integration across different sources, programs and databases, and increased availability of data.
Exchange Network Grant Program
The Exchange Network Grant Program provides funding to state, tribal, and territorial partners to encourage data integration efforts using the Exchange Network. The grant program supports the exchange of data and mentoring, planning and training activities related to the Exchange Network. The grant program also includes the standardization, exchange and integration of the geospatial information to address environmental, natural resource and related human health issues. The priorities of the grant program include:
- Developing the Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) capabilities needed to participate in the Exchange Network.
- Developing Exchange Network data exchanges, data standards, eXtensible Markup Language (XML) schema, and Web services.
- Planning, developing and implementing collaborative, innovative projects that demonstrate the value of the Exchange Network.
History of the Exchange Network
The Exchange Network originated in 1998, when state environmental agencies, in collaboration with EPA, formed the Information Management Work Group (IMWG). In 2000, the IMWG created a design blueprint that demonstrated how the Exchange Network could share and exchange environmental information in a more effective and efficient manner. The Blueprint for a National Environmental Information Exchange Network (PDF) (143 pp, 811 K, About PDF) provided a road map for the establishment of the Exchange Network.
The Exchange Network became operational in 2003 after performing its first automated data exchange. The Exchange Network continues to grow as new partners and data exchanges become operational. View the Program Status.
As the Exchange Network grew, the IMWG commissioned the Network Planning Action Team (NPAT) to develop a business plan to manage the evolution of the Network as it transitioned from implementation to operation. The business plan, also known as the NPAT report (PDF) (98 pp, 449 K, About PDF) contains a set of strategies and proposals intended to guide the Network's growth. One of the suggestions was to develop a different governance structure that would better integrate Network activities (PPT) (209 K). In early 2005, the Exchange Network began to implement changes in its governance structure.
Central Data Exchange (CDX)
Partners using the Exchange Network make information accessible to EPA. EPA's Central Data Exchange (CDX) is the point of entry (or Node) for environmental data exchanges with the Agency. Each EPA program, such as Air or Water, assists in the development of exchange formats for its business subject matter area, coordinates with CDX to receive transactions based upon these formats, and has the capacity to exchange data in its own system with CDX. Also, CDX enables submitters to access their data by using Web services and ensures streamlined, electronic submission of data via the Internet.