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, ------- ------- 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 ------- 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 ------- 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 ------- 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 ------- 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 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- 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. ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- 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 ------- 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 ------- 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 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- 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. ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- 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. ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- 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. ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- 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 Q ------- 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 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- 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 Q ------- 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. ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- 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 ------- 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. ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- 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 ____________ ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- 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 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON-LINE FOR INTERNATIONAL USERS ------- |