NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite and Data Information Service (NESDIS) recognizes the National Centers for Environmental Information Cloud Archive Team with 2026 NESDIS Outstanding Information Technology and Engineering Team Award! This award recognizes the team’s efforts to develop and deploy the Open Information Stewardship System (OISS) and create a large language model (L-OISS) that automates the generation and testing of complex archive workflows. CSS Employee Owners Elchin Julfayev and Leo Mikula are members of this team and recognized for their contributions. 

The innovative and comprehensive approach taken with these current technologies will continue to positively influence future generations, who will benefit immensely from the hard work and perseverance of this team and their larger program. 

Congratulations to all on this major accomplishment! 

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Several mobile lab units in a parking lot

Continued Analysis of Contaminants from East Palestine Train Derailment

In February 2023, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio spilling chemicals that contaminated surrounding soil, water, and the air. Several Portable High-throughput Integrated Laboratory Identification Systems (PHILIS) – the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) suite of mobile laboratories designed to provide on-site analysis of chemical agents – and staff were mobilized to the site following the accident to conduct analysis of various contaminated media. The CSS…

people on a boat in a kelp farm pull a line of kelp from water

New Release: Aquaculture Atlas for the Gulf of Alaska 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has published An Aquaculture Opportunity Area Atlas for the Gulf of Alaska, which identifies 77 potential options in 10 study areas for establishing commercial seaweed and shellfish mariculture in Alaska state waters. For nearly three years, CSS employee owners have been working with partners through our contract with NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) to support this extensive, cross-agency effort. Since 2023, CSS has supported NCCOS with this collaborative effort,…

Map with 1 meter resolution on left and 30 meter on right.

High Resolution Land Cover Maps Now Available 

NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management has released higher resolution land cover maps for Alabama, Mississippi, Northeast Ohio, Rhode Island, and the Puget Sound in Washington.   These 1 meter data—previously only available in 30 meter—provide more detail communities need to map and understand their landscapes and features, including tree canopy, wetlands, impervious surface and several other categories. This additional detail will help inform decisions regarding stormwater management, flood mitigation, wetland restoration, and more.  CSS employee owners—subcontracted through Lynker Technologies—contributed to the release of this…