Integrating Citizen Science into the Work of United States Environmental Agencies

Abstract

Citizen scientists in the United States (US) gather data on a wide range of environmental conditions. Environmental agencies, however, have a mixed record when it comes to capitalizing on the resource that this information represents. In 2020, the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), on behalf of the US Environmental Protection Agency, examined how citizen science was being used or supported by environmental agencies in states, tribes, and local governments in the US. This article summarizes and builds on that research to assess progress to date. It concludes that there is significant use by agencies of citizen-generated data on water quality, but much more limited use in other fields. This is particularly true for air quality data, where the technology for private data collection is much more recent. ELI called on agencies to be more proactive in exploring the value of citizen science data, and in providing leadership to help agencies build on each other’s experiences. It is of interest that these recommendations are similar to recommendations also made in 2020 by the staff of the European Commission. Another important conclusion in ELI’s recommendations is that agencies should see citizen science as an important tool in addressing environmental justice concerns.