New Data.gov Community Supports Critical Ocean and Coastal Planning

Posted by Jeanne Holm, Data.Gov Evangelist, GSA's Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies on December 9th, 2011

Our nation’s oceans, coasts and Great Lakes are precious and vital to our economy and environment, so planning for their sustainable future is paramount. The newest Data.gov community, Ocean.Data.Gov, supports the efforts of the National Ocean Council to protect our oceans and waterways, serving as a portal for data, information and tools.

A screenshot of the website Ocen.Data.Gov

Ocean.Data.Gov provides greater access to information on oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes.

This new community supports the implementation of the National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, our Coasts, and the Great Lakes, established by an Executive Order signed by President Barack Obama in July 2010. The policy established principles for ocean management and created a framework for effective coastal and marine planning to address conservation, economic activity, user conflict, and sustainable use of the nation’s oceans, coasts and the Great Lakes.

The new site is managed by the National Ocean Council and was developed collaboratively by its15 member agencies. Ocean.Data.Gov provides greater access to data and information from a single site for federal agencies, as well as simplifying where citizens and business can go for access to tools and support.

Ocean.Data.Gov is one of 7 Data.gov communities, which focus on specific issues of national importance. Data.gov is managed by the GSA’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies. Data.gov increases the ability of the public to easily find, download, and use datasets generated and held by the federal government.

I invite you to look at the rich information on Ocean.Data.gov and join our community to find out more about the use of our nation’s great natural resources.