Grantee Research Project Results
Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network (BASIN)
EPA Grant Number: R827057Title: Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network (BASIN)
Investigators: Scott, Donna , Barber, Larry B. , Heaney, James P , Rudkin, Chris , Waterman, James , McCaffrey, Mark
Institution: University of Colorado at Boulder
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: November 1, 1998 through October 31, 2000
Project Amount: $400,000
RFA: Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) (1998) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Environmental Statistics , Water , Sustainable and Healthy Communities , Air , Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration
Description:
The primary goal of the Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network (BASIN) is to help citizens make meaningful connections between environmental data and their day-to-day activities and facilitate involvement in public policy development. Objectives include:
- Developing new environmental monitoring technology to measure environmental impact of resource consumption on a neighborhood scale and new methods to detect disinfection byproducts.
- Creating strong partnerships and an ongoing alliance of governmental and private entities involved in environmental monitoring. Improving existing environmental monitoring to provide credible, timely data to the public.
- Creating a solid, sustainable information management and public access system for environmental data using advanced computer system technologies and a stakeholder involvement process.
- Developing an environmental index of key environmental parameters to interpret and enhance understanding of environmental issues and facilitate public dialog. Providing access to the index through a variety of broadcast media including TV, radio, newspaper and Internet.
- Engaging the public in long-term goals of project by involving them in monitoring the conditions of Boulder Creek Watershed and in developing a sense of responsibility and place.
Approach:
The Boulder Creek Watershed is the geographic focus of this grant with emphasis on critical local and regional environmental issues. Environmental parameters include 1) Water - SDWA Consumer Confidence Reporting, disinfection by-products, NPDES Phase II Stormwater, source water protection, and water conservation, and 2) Air - regional air quality. BASIN includes the following components:
- Environmental Data Network Association - participating agencies agree to provide access to existing monitoring data and develop and maintain environmental databases.
- Pilot Urban Neighborhood Monitoring - applying new monitoring techniques in innovative ways to measure resource consumption and associated impacts on environment.
- Information Collection, Management and Delivery - system to maintain data and communication links.
- Education, Outreach and Communication- system to communicate information about the environmental conditions and to facilitate community and school-based participation in new and existing environmental programs. Examples of new programs include: Environmental Index & Action Guide and ETV programing for community access television.
Expected Results:
The Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network (BASIN) developed by funds provided by the EMPACT grant will allow the community to develop the infrastructure needed to improve environmental monitoring, initiate a multi-agency database management system, provide public access to time-relevant data and foster public participation public policy formation. The program is designed to be ongoing, expandable, sustainable, and transferable.
Supplemental Keywords:
EMPACT, water, watershed, community-based., Scientific Discipline, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Hydrology, Monitoring/Modeling, Wet Weather Flows, Environmental Monitoring, Ecological Risk Assessment, aquatic ecosystem, EMPACT, community-based approach, disinfection by-products, resource consumption, public information, computing technology, web site development, stormwater, water quality, community outreach, public access, storm drainage, public outreach, storm water, NPDES, air qualityProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.