EPA/160/B-99/002
•" States
nmental Protection
Office of International Activities July 1999
Mail Code 2670R 160-B-99-002
http://www.epa.gov/oia
Environmental
Information On-Line
A Guide for International Users
1,1 S. E^w.V£NT/iPROTEC8fl|f
AG^CV
1445 ROSS AVENUE
DALLAS,
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road-based awareness of pollution's effects on human health and
the environment can be a powerful force for change. In the
I
United States, increased access to environmental information
through the Internet has been a key factor in fostering environmental
awareness. EPA's highly-popular web site, with more than 200,000pages of
searchable information, has been a leader in making quality information
available to the public.
As Internet access increases worldwide, many of our international partners
have expressed an interest in the EPA site, both as a model for distributing
environmental information to the public and for the technical resources which
it contains. This publication, ivrittenfor an international audience, highlights
EPA ireb pages which have generated a strong interest outside of the United
Jt
i States. 1 hope that you will find this information useful as you ivork toward
improving the quality of life in our common home.
Carol M. Browner, Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS
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Environmental Information On-
A Guide for International Users
CONTENTS:
Laws and Regulations 3
International Cleaner Production Cooperative 4
Technical Information Packages (TIPs) 5
National Service Center for Environmental Publications 6
Technology Transfer and Support Division 7
INFOTERRA 8
Public Access to Environmental Information:
ENVIROFACTS, Center for Environmental Information
and Statistics, Index of Watershed Indicators, BEACH Watch 9-12
Partners for the Environment EPA's Voluntary Programs 13
Compliance Assistance Centers 14
Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) 15
Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program 16
Software for Environmental Awareness 17
Environmental Training Modules 18
Green Communities and the Green Communities Assistance Kit 19
Other Helpful Information:
Search the U.S. EPA Internet Site, Adobe and PDF 20
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS
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Laws and Regulations:
www.epa.gov/epahome/rules.html
This searchable site allows users to obtain a current listing of U.S. environmental
legislation, proposals, rules, and notices published in the Federal Register. Users
can also link to the Code of Federal Regulations site, which contains summaries and
ovemews of major environmental legislation such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water
Act, and the Pollution Prevention Act.
NOTE: The Code of Federal Regulations, an annual guide of all rules and notices
published by U.S. federal agencies in the previous year, is divided into 50 titles, with
environmental regulations generally found in Title 40.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS
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International Cleaner Production
Cooperative:
es.epa.gov/cooperative/international
The International Cleaner Production Cooperative provides a single point of access
to cleaner production information from around the world. The Cooperative
retrieves data on cleaner production from diverse Web sites maintained by
international organizations, industry associations, non-governmental organizations,
research organizations, and local and national governments across the globe
This site allows users to retrieve technical and policy data through a sophisticated
search engine that supports both simple and complex queries. Recent headlines, news
conferences, and events related to member sites are highlighted and updated regularly
on the Cooperative's home page The Cooperative also offers pre-packaged queries for
specific industries and popular topics. Users can perform searches through each
individual database, by a specific region of the world, or through all member sites. The
Cooperative also invites users to recommend or submit information such as
documents and other Web sites related to cleaner production.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS
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Technical Information Packages (TIPs):
www.epa.gov/oia/tips
The Technical Information Packages (TIPs) are a series of on-line information
collections prepared by the U.S. EPA with international audiences in mind The
packages focus on key environmental and public health issues being investigated by
EPA and attempt to summarize the EPA's pertinent technical publications, databases,
models, web sites, and software programs related to these issues.
Each TIP consists of an introductory text which provides an overview of a specific
topic. Embedded within this introductory text are abstracts of related EPA materials. In
most cases, users may link from these abstracts to full-text versions of documents or to
databases, models, etc Each TIP also provides information on how to order hard-copy
versions of EPA materials
There are currently 10 TIPs available on-line.
Technical Information Packages (TIPs)
Air Quality Management
Ensuring Safe Drinking Water
EPA Information Resources
Hazardous Waste Management
Lead Phase-Out
Pesticide Use & Disposal
Risk Assessment
Small Community Wastewater Systems
Solid Waste Management
Water Quality
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National Service Center for
Environmental Publications (NSCEP):
www.epa.gov/ncepihom
The National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) is EPA's
central repository and distribution center for all Agency publications. Over 5,000
hard copy and multimedia publications may be ordered through NSCEP's on-line
catalogue This site also provides information on ordering publications via e-mail, fax,
or telephone.
By using the "What's New" button on the site, users may stay informed about EPA's
most recently published documents. "Understanding EPA Speak," another highlight on
the NSCEP site, is designed to explain acronyms and terminology used in EPA
documents.
Links to other environmental documents and related Web sites are also available
through NSCEP.
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Technology Transfer Highlights:
www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl
The Technology Transfer Highlights page is an on-line source for the retrieval of EPA
technical documents and publications, primarily from EPA's Office of Research and
Development (ORD). Documents are indexed by type, publication number and title.
Available publications include brochures, handbooks, manuals and software This site
links to seminar and conference information, names of EPA staff who can offer
professional expertise, and to other environmental resources on the Internet.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS
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INFOTERRA:
www.epa.gov/INFOTERRA
INFOTERRA is an international environmental referral and research network
comprised of more than 175 countries and coordinated by the United Nations
Environment Programme. The United States focal point of INFOTERRA resides in the
EPA Headquarters Library and is administered by the EPA's Office of Information.
INFOTERRA/USA helps the international community receive environmental
information through database searches, expert referral, bibliographic compilations, and
document retrieval.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS
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PUBLIC ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL
INFORMATION
The U.S. EPA is committed to providing timely, high-quality environmental
information to I !.S. citizens. The site on this page and the sites on the next three
pages provide examples of how the EPA has used the Internet to deliver such
information at the local, regional, and national leivls
Center for Environmental Information
and Statistics (CEIS):
www.epa.gov/ceis
The Center for Environmental Information and Statistics (CITS) is a user-friendly,
interactive database which provides information on a variety of environmental
conditions throughout the United States CEIS offers a one-stop, plain-English source
of reliable information on the environmental health of U.S communities Illustrative
charts and graphs complement the site's written data. Although the focus of CEIS is
primarily local.it also provides some information on national and regional
environmental conditions
There are three primary features of CEIS:
Environmental Profile: provides community-
specific information on air quality, water quality
and local waste management
Environmental Atlas: a resource containing
detailed maps which show the sources, types
and amounts of pollutants that have been
released into a community. This feature allows
for key-word and topical searches.
Digital Library of Environmental Quality: allows
users to search for reports topically or by
entering a key-word.
Certain information on the CEIS page is
available only in Portable Document Format
(PDF), which must be viewed through the Adobe Acrobat Reader
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Envirofacts Warehouse:
www.epa.gov/enviro/indexjava.html
The Envirofacts Warehouse allows its users to retrieve environmental information
from eight EPA databases on Superfund sites, drinking water, toxic and air releases,
hazardous waste, Biennial Reporting System, water discharge permits, and grants
information. Query forms allow users to retrieve site-specific information from the
various databases. Envirofacts can also display query results through a sophisticated
mapping-on-demand feature.
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Index off Watershed Indicators:
www.epa.gov/surf2/iwi/h1.html
The Index of Watershed Indicators is a compilation of information on the "health "of
aquatic resources in the United States. The Index looks at a variety of indicators
that assess the vitality of rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands and coastal areas. It also
determines whether activities on the lands surrounding watersheds place these
bordering watersheds at risk.
The Index evaluates a set of environmental indicators for each of 2,111 watersheds, or
"cataloguing units", in 48 states.
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BEACH Watch:
www.epa.gov/osVbeaches
EPA's BEACH Watch Web site offers information about water quality and monitoring
activities at over 1,000 beaches in the United States. The Agency created this
director)- to better inform the public about beach water quality, as well as to strengthen
beach monitoring and standards programs.
Certain information on the BEACH Watch page is available only in Portable Document
Format (PDF), which must be viewed through the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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Partners for the Environment:
www.epa.gov/partners
Through its "Partners for the Environment" program, EPA collaborates with over
7,000 organizations by using voluntary goals and commitments to achieve
measurable environmental results in a timely and cost-effective way. EPA's partners
include small and large U.S. businesses, citizens groups, state and local governments,
universities and trade associations
The Agency's national voluntary programs address a broad range of environmental
issues, including: agriculture, air quality, energy efficiency and global climate change,
pollution prevention, regulatory innovation, water conservation, and waste manage-
ment In addition to these national programs, EPA's 10 regional offices have established
voluntary programs aimed at addressing specific regional environmental priorities
The "Partners for the Environment"Web site provides access to detailed information
about each program, and also provides contact information and on-line ordering forms
for anyone wishing to receive additional information on the programs.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS
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Compliance Assistance Centers:
es.epa.gov/oeca/mfcac.html
The Compliance Assistance Centers are EPA's innovative approach to helping U.S.
businesses comply with federal environmental regulations. There are nine
centers, each offering one-stop shopping for sector-specific information.
Sector Compliance Assistance Centers
Agriculture Paints and Coatings*
Auto Service & Repair* Printing*
Chemical Industry* Printed Wiring Boards*
Local Governments Transportation*
Metal Finishing*
Please note that those centers marked with an asterisk C) are non-EPA Web Sites.
Each center offers pollution prevention information, on-line access to printed material,
and a contact point for personalized mail and telephone responses for specific
compliance questions and concerns
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Integrated Risk Information System
(IRIS):
www.epa.gov/iris
The Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) is an electronic database containing
information on the human health effects of more than 500 chemicals For each
chemical, information is arranged according to reference dose for chronic oral
exposure, reference concentration for chronic inhalation exposure, and carcinogcnicity
assessment for lifetime exposure.
Certain information on the IRIS page is available only in Portable Document Format
(PDF),which must be viewed through the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS
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Environmental Technology Verification
Program:
www.epa.gov/etv
EPA's Environmental Technology- Verification Program (ETV) is a voluntary program
that verifies the performance characteristics of private-sector, commercial-ready
environmental technologies through the evaluation of objective, quality-assured data.
ETV provides permit holders and potential purchasers with credible and independent
information on environmental technologies The ETV Web site explains this
verification process, providing users with an overview of each of the twelve
verification pilot programs now in place. Also available on this site are ETV's testing
protocols, quality assurance plan, and full verification statements for each technology
that has completed the program.
Certain information on the ETV page is available only in Portable Document Format
(PDF), which must be viewed through the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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Software for Environmental Awareness:
www.epa.gov/seahome/
The Software for Environmental Awareness Web site allows users to download
interactive software on environmental issues. This software, which is produced
through the joint efforts of EPA and Purdue I ,'niversity, provides on-line technical
information on a variety of topics, including air, conservation, and pollution prevention.
Several programs are also available in Spanish. Though on-line programs may be
downloaded free of charge, there is a fee for ordering the CD-ROM version of the
programs.
The EPA/Purdue Partnership looks to identify new partners for software development
and implementation. Promoting continued translation of the software programs into
other languages is another shared goal.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE h 0 R INTERNATIONAL USERS
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Environmental Training Modules:
International Catalogue
www.epa.gov/oia/modules.htm
The Environmental Training Modules are a collection of separate training courses
designed to teach the fundamentals of a specific environmental management
procedure. The standard module uses a three-step teaching process and a combination
of case studies, exercises and other interactive methods in explaining an environmental
issue. Each course is led by an EPA iModule Manager.
The international catalogue for the training modules is now on-line. This catalogue
contains in-depth information on each of twenty-four courses. For each course, the
catalogue provides the following information: overview, objectives, methods, duration,
participation, recommended class size, facilities required, audio-visual needs, translation
options, and post-course follow up information. Names and contact information for
Module Managers are also included.
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Green Communities and the Green
Communities Assistance Kit:
www.epa.gov/region03/greenkit/index.html
Green Communities are sustainable communities communities that integrate a
healthy environment, a vibrant economy, and a high quality of life. EPA's Green
Communities Assistance Kit Web site offers a step-by-step on-line guide for
implementing environmental issues into community planning. The Grecnkit asks
practical questions, helping to guide communities through the planning process:
Where Are We Now? -a community self-assessment and profile
Where Are We Going? -an analysis of a community's social and environmental trends
Where Do We Want To Be? -a community visioning process
How Do We Get There? -a community plan of action
Let's Go' -community implementation tools ____________
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EPA Web Site Search Engine:
www.epa.gov/webmast1/searchfaq.html
The EPA Web site maintains a powerful search engine.
This function allows any user to search all of the
Agency's thousands of pages of on-line information for
words, phrases, titles, citations, etc. The search function
supports both simple and complex queries.
Portable Document Formats and Adobe
Acrobat Reader:
www.adobe.com
any EPA documents are stored in Portable Document
Format (PDF), a system which maintains the look and
presentation of the original document In order to view PDF
documents you must first download the Adobe Acrobat Reader
software. \\ hich is available irec-of-charge on Adobe's web site
(www.adobe.com). Downloading instructions for the Adobe
Acrobat Reader are available in a variety of languages
Additional information on the Portable Document Format can
be found on EPA's web site at:
www.epa.gov/epahome/pdf.html
NOTE' Adobe Systems Incoq^orated is a for-profit, private-sector
firm The 11 S EPA is not affiliated with Adobe Systems
Incorporated Questions regarding the Adobe Acrobat Reader
and other Adobe products should be directed to Adobe Systems
Incorporated
Adobe, Acrobat, and Adobe Type Manager are trademarks of
Adobe Systems Incorporated and may be registered in certain
jurisdictions (c)Copyright 1994 Adobe Systems Incorporated
All rights reserved
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