Redlands, California - Renewing its five-year enterprise license agreement (ELA) with ESRI, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues its use of geographic information systems (GIS) as a 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 proved to be very successful. It 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, aftermath activities following hurricanes require easy 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 basis for decision making. This is just one of EPA's many GIS successes that have prompted its renewal of the ESRI ELA.

"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."

The license allows EPA staff to access a full range of ESRI products in the ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Desktop, and ArcGIS Mobile suites. Because of easy software access, employees have found more uses for GIS such as emissions monitoring, hazardous waste assessment, and water discharge permits issuance. A broadened use of GIS has improved the EPA's analysis, science, regulation, and environmental decision making. It also supports EPA's efforts to keep the public informed about environmental conditions, news, and concerns.

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