Renewing its five-year enterprise license agreement (ELA) with Esri, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues its use of GIS as core technology across its nationwide service. The ability to deploy unlimited ArcGIS software allows EPA employees to extend the agency's existing applications and create new ones to support its mission of protecting human health and the environment.

Five years ago, the EPA signed an ELA with Esri that facilitated the expansion of the EPA GIS user community. This, in turn, has widened the range of GIS applications for research, regulation, and reporting. Additionally, the agreement has effectively supported fast response to environmental events. For example, hurricane aftermath activities require unfettered access to GIS software to perform geospatial analysis necessary for issuing water well precautions and spill notifications and delivering other vital information. The license agreement has made it possible for responders to get the software essential to perform immediate assessments, publish vital information and reports, and create a responsive system for decision making. This is just one of EPA's many GIS successes that has prompted its renewal of the Esri ELA.

EPA's NEPAssist online application uses ArcGIS Server technology to help simplify users' processes of filing and reviewing environmental impact statements and environmental assessments.

"The ELA helps ensure that EPA staff have access to the geospatial technology they require to do their work," says EPA's geospatial information officer Jerry Johnston. "It enables us to centrally manage software licenses and deployment. More importantly, no one goes without the GIS tools they need for their work. GIS is deeply integrated into many parts of our agency's business, and its use continues to expand."

With the ELA, EPA staff have full access to Esri products, including ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Desktop, and ArcGIS Mobile. As a result, they have expanded their use of GIS in more projects, such as emissions monitoring, hazardous waste assessment, and water discharge permits issuance. GIS has improved the EPA's analysis, science, regulation, and environmental decision making and supports its efforts to keep the public informed about environmental conditions, news, and concerns.

More Information

Learn more about ELAs offered through the Esri Federal GIS Program at www.esri.com/fgp.