The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) mission is to improve and preserve the quality of the environment. EPA Region 7 covers the four state area of Kansas , Iowa , Missouri , and Nebraska . The Region 7 office has approximately 650 personnel and is responsible for implementation and oversight of multiple environmental programmatic areas such as Air, Toxics, RCRA, Superfund, Water, Wetlands, Pesticides, Environmental Justice, Compliance Assistance, and National Environmental Policy Act reviews. The Environmental Services Division (ENSV) supports and coordinates all of the activities involving Environmental Analyses and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in support of EPA's National and Regional program objectives. Regional Environmental Analysis activities include risk and environmental assessment, predictive and interpretive environmental modeling, environmental outcome measurement and performance optimization. Analysis methods or technologies used to perform these environmental analyses include statistical models, characterization (state) modeling, trend analysis, data integration, GIS analysis, remote sensing and image analysis. The specific activities required to perform GIS analyses include data management, application development and the coordination of GIS activities and issues at the federal, state, and local levels.
The purpose of this work statement is to acquire contractor service support for environmental analysis work and the continued access of and application development for a regionally-based GIS. The EPA Region 7 GIS is comprised of spatial environmental data which includes geo-political, infrastructure, cadastral/geodetic, industrial, pollution or stress-related, biological resources, physical geography, water resources, cultural geography and image and remote sensing data. This data is stored in a classic GIS infrastructure utilizing proprietary hardware and software computing environment (See Appendix A). Contractor responsibilities include providing services to document, gather, assimilate, map, analyze, process, and administer spatial data from a multitude of Federal, State, and local agencies through the use of GIS and other analytical tools and applications. Products include hard copy/electronic reports of analysis work, data or graphs, maps, models, and/or assembled data formatted for distribution within Region 7 and to other agencies, developed automated GIS applications and Internet Map Server applications and analyses.
SRG's GIS team at the EPA's Region 7 (R7) office provides GIS services supporting environmental policy and decision-making. We produce maps and reports, support the maintenance and development of the R7 GIS data infrastructure, perform ecological, statistical, and geographic analyses, and improve GIS applications to make user-friendly packages for people at R7 with various GIS experience.
The environmental maps and reports are a core function of the SRG GIS team, with the Environmental Justice branch possibly the largest map customer. Maps depict Environmental Justice issues focusing on areas of environmental concern with a high percentage of low income and minority population. Changes in these demographic factors are tracked through time using census data.
Other maps include agricultural statistics, lead-based paint inspections, preservation of natural resources on Native American lands, relationships between concentrated animal feeding operations and impaired streams, and industrial facility inspections.
GIS Data Processing and Data Development
Use GIS tools to perform minor Geo-coding. Download, via computing resources, or otherwise acquire available digital data from outside sources for processing.
Perform GIS data processing by taking acquired digital spatial data (such as DRG, DEM, NWI and Census data) and converting the format to allow input into the Region 7 GIS through an automated mechanism.
Perform spatial data conversion, compression and projection processes on fairly large data sets (i.e. Census or satellite image data) for use in the R7 GIS.
Digitize data from hard copy maps and process the data into the Region 7 GIS through an automated mechanism.
Perform form-based data entry (such as Global Positioning System data) and Produce basic map products using the R7 GIS.
Maintenance of the Region 7 GIS Data and Infrastructure
Research information to support and maintain the metadata for the existing R7 spatial data. Maintain the R7 GIS project archives in digital form.
Routine maintenance of the R7 GIS data catalogue, Routine maintenance and update procedures of GIS-related files existing on the R7 public access and internal web-sites.
Update the R7 GIS site with current data from real-time programmatic data bases.
GIS Project Analysis and Development of GIS Applications
Develop GIS web-based applications for distribution on an existing local Internet map server. Develop GIS analyses and major cartographic map products.
Analysis and Interpretation of Environmental Data to Produce Specific Assessments of Sites and/or Regions
Acquire, analyze, and interpret environmental data to produce interpretive graphs and map products and written narrative reports to describe the state of the environment and/or environmental trends at specific sites or in specific regions.
Ecological Assessment and Critical Ecosystems Targeting
Acquire data and assist in the development of ecological indicators, indices and models to support ecological assessments, and risk analyses and conservation targeting within the region.
Development of Inland Sensitivity Atlas for Region 7
Development of a multi-volume, highly detailed atlas of a 1 county buffer either side of the Missouri River through all of Region 7 and, in addition, a similar product for Greene County, Missouri, including data acquisition, map design and construction in accordance with established criteria, and production of paper and electronic media.
We prepared maps and projected impacts to wetlands from large scale, long contended development projects such as the St. John's New Madrid Floodway and the South Lawrence Trafficway.
We also mined, downloaded, converted, and reprojected data from many government agencies and private sector data warehousing sources, including the Department of Homeland Security, the conversion of Superfund CAD data, and creation of EPA regulated facility symbology. Statistical models using ecological factors have included critical ecosystem delineation, synoptic assessment of terrestrial ecosystems, and a model to support enforcement. Critical ecosystem delineation in R7 was based on expert consultation and literature review. Indicators were used to build a model to find the hot-spots (critical ecosystems) in EPA R7. Results, displayed as a map, highlighted those ecosystems that fit the model criteria.
Separate models for grassland, forestland, and agricultural land were created for the synoptic assessment of terrestrial ecosystems, and used to assess the main R7 terrestrial ecosystems. An interactive application helped researchers build their own synoptic assessment models using SAS (Statistical Analysis Software).
Enforcement support involved a model of cumulative risks on HUC8 watersheds. The model and EPA regulated facility data were used by a Visual Basic application that identifies and generates reports about high-risk facilities. Geographic analyses projects include water quality data, land cover statistics, road and stream density for eco-regions, and modeling paths of spilled toxic substances.
The "Building Locator" application was developed using ArcIMS. The user-friendly application runs inside a web-browser and allows the user to enter a person's first name, last name, or room number to bring up a map image of the appropriate floor in the building, highlighting the room of interest. The "Building Vacancy" application utilizes the same data, but was developed using ArcGIS and ArcObjects. Users, often branch chiefs or division directors, use the application to print maps showing where persons working under different programs are located in an effort to integrate new workers near those they need to communicate with frequently.
An ArcIMS application called "SiteMapper" was developed using HTML, ArcXML, JavaScript, and JSP to allow the user multiple options for resetting the focus of the map and creating reports that describe demographics and EPA regulated facilities in the area.
An application called "Watershed Characterization Mapper" was developed using ArcMap with VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). The user selects a watershed and several different maps are automatically generated with data reflecting land use, soil types, wetlands, elevation, and aerial imagery. This development has cut down both resource time and processing time required to plot watersheds in half or better, and has also resulted in lower error rates.
Enhancements were also made to an existing application developed at Southern Oregon University called "DGGRID". SRG created a stand-alone VB (Visual Basic) application that automates complex grid dataset processes. The user just picks a map feature or outlines a study area on a map to create the grids needed, previously a complex and tedious process.
This was a firm fixed price contract with performance incentives. SRG consistently achieved all the contract performance incentives. Software development was finished early or on time to the demanding specifications of the EPA. The application development was a critical element, so SRG recruited for an applications development position with modeling and environmental background. The environmental modeling tools and associated documentation were outstanding and very well received.
The incumbent staff on this contract was not sufficient to accomplish the tasks required. SRG recruited an outstanding applications developer who was also knowledgeable in environmental modeling and biological processes. This gave the staff the necessary additional skills to provide exceptional service to our customer.