prepared by john e. white and the airnow team u.s. environmental protection agency and sonoma...

Prepared byJohn E. White and the AirNow Team

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Sonoma Technology, Inc.

Health Data Initiative Forum III

The Health Datapalooza – Data Lab BreakoutJune 5th , 2012

United States Environmental Protection Agency - The AirNow Program

Air Quality Data for Your Application/Service

What is AirNow?

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AirNow is the national framework for acquiring and distributing air quality information

• Collects, quality assures, and transfers real-time and forecasted air quality information to the public

• Gathers data provided by 130 federal, state, and local air quality agencies

• Issues weather/air quality news stories• Partners with national media• Provides air quality education and outreach

America’s “go to” resource for current and forecasted air quality information

What is AirNow?

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• Data Decision• Informs the public, media, and decision

makers• Educates and supports the voluntary

AirNow community of agencies• Provides data to other systems

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AirNow Web Services: Why Are They Needed?

• Best way to retrieve data/information ‘on demand’ from AirNow• Air quality Forecasts/Action days• Observed air quality data• Agency, reporting area, and monitoring site information

• Current Uses• Local Air Agency websites, news organizations, schools, researchers, and public• Spreadsheets, mobile apps and other applications

• EPA Wants Your Help!• Getting air quality conditions and forecasts to the public or your audience• The Challenge: making air quality information more personal…more localized• Integrate with other environmental/scientific applications? How about weather?

Example: EPA doesn’t want to tell people to stay inside, so can we empower people to exercise knowing both weather and air quality?

• To sign up and get air quality data – go to AirNow Gateway• www.airnowgateway.org - Login/request new account

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AirNow Web Services: Some Current Examples

AirNow Web Services – The Future• AirNow Application Programming Interface (API)

• Replace AirNow Gateway• Additional services (WCS – point, WMS – mapping service), data sets,

and formats useful for building applications• An easier to use, well-documented interface

• API will include:• Expanded library of services• Additional geospatial services• More payload options• Improved standardization and extensive documentation• Online query generator tools

• Release Date• Fall 2012

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Thank youJohn E. White -- EPA AirNow

(919) 541-2306, white.johne@epa.gov

Steve Ludewig – Sonoma Technology, Inc.

(707) 665-9900, steve@sonomatech.com