Objective

To determine the extent of implementation of the two recommendations included in our initial audit report, Compliance With Executive Order 95 (Open Data) (Report 2020-S-11).

About the Program

State government entities possess large amounts of valuable information on subjects such as health, business, public safety, parks and recreation, labor, and transportation. Executive Order 95 (EO 95), issued March 11, 2013, established an online Open Data Website (Open Data) for the collection and public dissemination of publishable State data maintained by covered State entities (generally those headed by individuals who are appointed by the Executive). EO 95 implementation was phased in beginning in March 2013, with covered entities required to be in full compliance by December 2019. As of November 2022, there were over 5,630 data items on Open Data.

Open Data should provide ongoing “single-stop" access to publishable State data and make such data freely available in accessible formats for public use. Publishable State data should include comprehensive metadata and documentation to help maximize citizens’ understanding, and the public should be able to easily access the data using common data software applications. Each covered State entity was required, within 180 days of the issuance of EO 95, to provide ITS with a catalogue of its publishable State data, along with a proposed schedule for making the data available on Open Data. The catalogue and schedule were also to be publicly available.

As the steward of New York’s natural resources and environment, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is responsible for managing water, land, and air pollution in order to enhance the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the State and their overall economic and social well-being. DEC published its first data item to Open Data on February 13, 2013 and, as of October 2022, had published 155 data items including 76 data sets, 46 maps, 13 data lenses, 13 filtered views, six external links, and one chart). DEC’s data is typically updated annually, monthly, daily, or as needed, depending on the data.

Key Finding

DEC has made progress addressing the issues identified during the initial audit. Of that report’s two recommendations, both have been implemented.