OEDP Response to OSTP RFI on Equitable Data Engagement and Accountability

Inclusive, interactive data systems can become a foundation for strengthening environmental equity in communities, especially those dealing with historical or ongoing environmental injustices. Socializing government and the public to the value of community data and the concept of environmental data as a public good will be critical to building equitable and effective data systems. Open dialogue and participatory infrastructure development can help identify the political push points and necessary changes in the social behavior of Federal agency staff and researchers, to ensure adoption and use of inclusive data systems.

In September 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) requested information "on how to best to encourage collaborations between the Federal government and (a) state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments; (b) researchers and research institutions; and (c) local communities that facilitate producing, accessing, and using equitable data." (See RFI here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/09/02/2022-19007/request-for-information-equitable-data-engagement-and-accountability). Informed by our research and programming, the Open Environmental Data Project (OEDP) offers recommendations for Federal agencies to better support collaboration with other levels of government, civil society, and the research community around the production and use of equitable data.