Advanced Technology Systems, Inc. with Ohio University and Texas A&M University - Kingsville as subcontractors, will develop a state-of-the-art, scalable and robust computer application for NETL to manage the extensive data sets resulting from the DOE-sponsored ambient air monitoring programs in the upper Ohio River valley region. Efforts will be made to include, to the greatest extent possible, ambient air data collected by other agencies in the upper Ohio River valley region, such as U.S. EPA, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA-DEP), West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection (WV-DEP), Ohio EPA, and the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD). Although emphasis will be placed on data collected in the upper Ohio River valley region, the computer application developed under this Agreement will be designed, to the greatest extent possible, to access data collected at NETL-sponsored ambient air monitoring sites outside the region, such as sites operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority in the Great Smoky Mountains (under DOE Interagency Agreement DE-AI26-98FT40406) and by Southern Research Institute in North Birmingham, AL (under DOE Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-00NT40770). The data base and analytical tool development effort will also be coordinated, to the greatest extent possible, with similar tools being developed for use by U.S. EPA. This will ensure that the database and analytical tools produced under this Agreement will be readily accessible to a wide variety of stakeholders.

The proposed data management system will include a web-based user interface that will allow easy access to the data by the scientific community, policy- and decision-makers, and other interested stakeholders, while providing detailed information on sampling, analytical and quality control parameters. In addition, the system will provide graphical analytical tools for displaying, analyzing and interpreting the air quality data. The system will also provide multiple report generation capabilities and easy-to-understand visualization formats that can be utilized by the media and public outreach/educational institutions.

The project will be conducted in two phases. In Phase 1, which will take twelve months to complete, a data repository and warehouse will be developed. Phase 1 will include the following tasks: (1) data inventory/benchmarking for data application, including the establishment of an external stakeholder group; (2) development of a data management system; (3) population of the database; (4) development of a web-based data retrieval system, and 5) establishment of an internal quality assurance/quality control system on data management.

In Phase 2, which will be completed in the second year of the project, a platform for on-line data analysis will be developed. Phase 2 will include the following tasks: (1) development of a sponsor and stakeholder/user website with extensive online analytical tools; (2) development of a public website; (3) incorporation of an extensive online help system into each website; and (4) incorporation of a graphical representation (mapping) system into each website.