Work in Progress: Governance of Digital Environmental Information In the Biden Administration’s First Year

Throughout its first year, the Biden administration has conveyed the importance it places on public information. Websites are the primary medium of communication from federal agencies to the public, and in the past year, many federal agencies have demonstrated attention to their websites. The Environmental Data and Governance Initiative’s (EDGI’s) Website Monitoring Team has been tracking changes to federal climate, energy, and environmental webpages for the last five years, including restorations and revisions made by the Biden administration.

The report Work in Progress: Governance of Digital Environmental Information In the Biden Administration’s First Year presents changes to environmental information available on agency websites at the one year mark under President Biden. It assesses the extent to which harms are addressed and forward progress is made with respect to federal environmental information on agency websites.

The Biden administration has made significant progress restoring public information harmed under the Trump administration. There are also signs of substantial forward progress that goes beyond restoration. The key area in which there has not yet been progress, however, is in information policy. The Biden administration has stated its intention to rebuild public trust in the government in multiple executive orders, and we urge the administration to strengthen information policies, not just information itself, to ensure its integrity and usher in greater public trust.

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Work-in-Progress-Bidens-First-Year

Author(s): Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI) Website Monitoring Team
Publication Date: January 20, 2022
Preferred Citation: "Work in Progress: Governance of Digital Environmental Information In the Biden Administration's First Year" (Environmental Data & Governance Initiative, January 20, 2022)