Weather Data: How Much Do We need and Who Pays?

This panel session will focus on how weather and related environmental networks are funded, with a particular focus on non-federal networks and procurement of such data via "data buy" arrangements with the federal government and other customers. Topics of interest include: public-private partnerships whereby the operating revenue of a network is cost-shared among governments at multiple levels, industry, and academia; implications for data rights and intellectual property; how the market value of data is determined in government contracting; emerging frameworks for international sharing of data; and recent programs and legislation of relevance, including the National Mesonet Program and the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act. Panelists will represent the perspectives of data users and data providers, the Federal Government Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the private sector.