Integrated Error
Correction
Setting the Record Straight-An E-Government Service
4>EPA
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Prepared by the
Office of
Environmental Information
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V S N
*^ ^^ • ^
Office of Environmental
Information (OEI)
OEI is an innovative center of excellence that
advances the creation, management, and use of
information as a strategic resource to enhance public
health and environmental protection.
Contents
PACE
Letter from the Office of Environmental Information (OEI) 1
Data Quality 2
The Integrated Error Correction Process - An E-Covernment Service . . .4
Customers 6
High Tech-High Touch - 100-Percent Customer Satisfaction 7
Error Correction on the Web 8
Year-end Summary and Highlights 16
Agency-wide Summary 17
System-by-System Summaries 19
The Next Steps 23
Information Resources 24
Glossary
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Letter from the Office of Environmental Information
January 12, 2001
The Agency has taken exciting steps over this last year to ensure that data and information management is
a strategic resource. The creation of the new Office of Environmental Information (OEI) provides the
Agency with a fresh and focused approach toward better information management. A high priority project
in our Year 2000 Action Plan was the Integrated Error Correction Process to promote data quality and set
the record straight. This project was recommended in the Agency Data Quality Strategic Plan,
December 1998, and accepted by the Deputy Administrator in April 1999. OEI made it operational in
May 2000.
High quality data has always been our business and is in our best interest. Inspections, permits, and
regulation decisions are often based on the data we have in our national systems. Ensuring high data
quality in our national systems is part of all of our jobs. This new E-Gov service of Error Correction from the
Internet is just one example of how OEI can improve data quality, customer service, and the public's access
to accurate information.
Error Correction from the Internet makes EPA's commitment to provide an effective and timely process for
correcting and resolving reported data errors clear to the Congress and to the public. The Agency expends
a great deal of resources and attention on data quality to support enforcement, compliance, environmental
justice, and geographical initiatives. Multi-media inspections and permits, geographical information systems
analysis and maps, and community-based environmental efforts rely on quality facility information. Error
Correction from the Internet ensures that this critical data will support these critical functions, analyses, and
decisions.
Although our environmental data quality efforts will never be complete, I believe that we have made an
outstanding advance with the implementation of Error Correction from the Internet and I hope that you will
support this specific program and our commitment to quality information.
d
Edwin A. Levine,
Assistant Administrator
of Environmental Information
and Chief Information Officer
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Data Quality
Serving the public's right-to-know about
environmental conditions is a vital and growing part
of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
business because:
• The widespread availability of data to the
public, and its use for purposes unforeseen at
the time of collection, is now being recognized
by EPA and its partners
• Performance-based management now requires
reliable and accurate performance measures
• Stakeholders are identifying specific data
inaccuracies and areas where data does not
meet their needs
Need for EPA Data
Quality Improvement
Evaluations and internal review of the Agency's data
quality have produced recommendations to
improve the accuracy, timeliness, and public
presentation of data. EPA actions include:
• Establishing a new information office, the
Office of Environmental Information, to
consolidate and provide uniformity in EPA's
approach to information management
• Exercising the new powers afforded by Internet
disclosure of data in a fair and responsible
manner
• Establishing procedures to engage the public
in the development, maintenance, and
modification of the information products it
offers to the public, including, at minimum,
the process EPA and the states will use to
assure prompt correction of data errors in
existing EPA Internet resources
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A Call for Action
In an effort to address data quality concerns, in April
1998 the EPA Deputy Administrator called for the
development of a strategic action plan to implement
an Agency-wide approach to ensuring data quality.
The announcement states that:
"The plan should include, as one critical
component, a strategy to ensure that our error
correction process is well-defined, efficient, and
transparent to our partners, the public and the
regulated community."
The Deputy Administrator also called for close
cooperation with EPA's state and tribal partners and
emphasized the primary responsibility of program
offices for stewardship of the data systems they
manage.
In developing a Data Quality Action Plan (DQAP),
which was submitted to the Administrator in
December 1998, EPA sought and considered input
from a wide variety of sources, including states,
regulatory partners, EPA program staff, and other
stakeholders. DQAP includes a recommendation
for the establishment of a transparent Error
Correction Process.
The Integrated Error Correction
Process - A Giant Step Forward
The Integrated Error Correction Process initially
became operational in the Spring of 2000 through
the Facility Identification and Toxic Release
Inventory (TRI) databases from the Envirofacts
Warehouse Web Site. Since then, it has become
part of the national systems covering data and
records pertaining to more than 1,000,000 facilities
and sites. From the start, the focus has been on
customer service. To date, the Error Correction
Process has reached stakeholders as far away as
Alaska and as close as staff in our EPA Regional and
Headquarters Offices.
The Error Correction Process builds upon existing
procedures and the network of people in the
Environmental Programs. This provides:
• More complete documentation on how error
notifications flow through a large decentralized
organization (EPA and state partners)
• A management framework to ensure that error
notifications do not fall through the cracks
• A personal touch to improve the anonymity of
contacting a federal agency or communicating
through cyberspace
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The Integrated Error Correction Process -
An E Government Service
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By accessing EPA's Web Site (www.epa.gov), the
public can report and resolve errors. The Error
Correction Process provides a framework for the
correction of errors after data postings on EPA Web
Sites.
The Error Correction Process offers:
• Formalized Error Correction Network.
Regions and States have always been active in
improving data quality. A formalized network
now provides a point of contact to ensure that
concerns are heard and appropriate action is
taken.
• Web-Based Management Tracking Tool. This
system gives the Agency an accountability
tool. It monitors and assists the formalized
network in reporting and tracking the data
identified, and it captures the actions taken to
correct or resolve the data dispute. In addition,
it tracks five categories of errors: Facility
Characteristics, Enforcement, Inspection,
Environmental Data, and Other.
It does NOT, however, correct data supplied
inaccurately by the original reporting entity. Entities
that need to correct or update the data they
submitted must use existing regulatory processes. If
data supplied by the original reporting entity is
posted inaccurately, the Error Correction Process
facilitates correction of these errors.
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Principles and Values
Built into the Process
The most basic principle of the Error Correction
Process is to resolve data inaccuracies in the source
collection systems. This is the basic premise of good
government. The principles underlying the
formalized process are:
• The Agency wants accurate data in the
national regulatory program systems.
• The regulatory collection procedures are not
altered by this data reporting error process.
• Applications and tools that use these
databases benefit by having the source data
corrected only once.
• Data providers and data stewards are engaged
and empowered with the primary
responsibility to resolve and correct data
inaccuracies.
• The person who wants to report an error has a
seamless and streamlined process. This is
similar to the credit card discrepancy process -
just one call or one Web page for the reporter
to use.
• Timeliness and communication are critical -
for feedback to the reporter and on the
resolution of the reported inaccuracy.
Data Ownership Is Key
Data owners are essential to the Error Correction
Process because they:
• Verify the accuracy of reported data, which is
critical to data quality
• Support the formalized network of contacts,
which is now well documented
• Ensure that concerns are heard and
appropriate actions are taken
The Error Correction Process tracks and resolves
errors reported from the public access mechanisms.
It does NOT record errors:
• Discovered by program systems
• Notified through regulatory submissions
• Identified by national system quality
assurance programs
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Notification
Data
Stewards
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Customers
6
Who Are the Customers?
The Error Correction Process has four primary
customers:
• Data Providers submit the source data.
Generally speaking, the regulatory community
and state/EPA staff are data providers
• Data Stewards manage a data collection,
system, or process. In general, EPA or state
program coordinators and system managers
are in a stewardship position.
• Data Users create or use applications that
access the data.
• Persons who report errors provide the
Agency with a notification of a data
inaccuracy, error, or mistake.
These customers may not be separate individuals;
many may have multiple roles. The Error Correction
Process is designed to ensure that these customers
are sufficiently informed on the resolution of
reported errors.
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High Tech-High Touch -
100-Percent Customer Satisfaction
Data quality and customer satisfaction are our
two most important products. The Error
Correction measures of success are:
• 100% communication to our customers
on reported errors received and resolved
• 100% tracking to capture all the activities
from notification through resolution
Informing the data steward network, informing
those who report errors, and having the
national systems reflect accurate data changes
close the loop toward 100% customer
satisfaction. The Error Correction Process
employs High Tech-High Touch. This means
we use technology to make our process
efficient AND we ensure timely personalized
communication with our customers.
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100%
Errors
Resolved
100%
Customer
Satisfaction
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Error Correction on the Web
8
Web pages available to the public from
www.epa.gov.
• Error Correction Throughout EPA
• Region 10 EC-Online
• AIRSData
Web pages associated with the Error
Correction Process:
• Error Notification Form
• Customer Support Standards
• Notice of Use
• Error Tracking System (Intranet)
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Error Correction Throughout EPA
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Envirofacts users (www.epa.gov/enviro/) may query numerous environmental databases to
obtain land, water, and air information collected by EPA national programs. If errors are
discovered in the search results, users can report them by clicking on the Report Error but-
ton (on the Query Results navigation bar), and completing the Error Notification form
subsequently displayed.
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Region 10 EC-Online Data Quality Review
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Data Access I Related Sites
Enforcement and Compliance On-Linc (EC-On-Line) brings together environmental and other information from a number of data systems to proa
historical compliance profiles for facilities located in Region 10. The website is organized into several pages below, which can be accessed by c
on the buttons at the top or bottom of this screen. First time viewers wishing to sec facility specific reports should click on the "Data Access" t
first, read the disclaimer and clarifying information contained on that page, and then click on the "Facility Report" link located at the bottom of
page.
The facility reports you will be sccmg contain information from EPA and state systems into which records had been entered as of December, I
Specific "refresh" dates differ for the air, water and hazardous waste data bases that support EC-On-Line, and are shown at the bottom of the I
Reports. Please keep this in mind when commenting on actions or information more recent than that "refresh" date.
EC-On-Line is an EPA sponsored project in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the Idaho Department of
Environmental Quality, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Washington Department of Ecology. Participating state agcncici
have a variety of information on their web sites that you might find useful You can cbck on any of the icons shown below to access one of the ;
agency web sites.
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PL£A8E NOTE: This page provides options that are Intended only for those reportInq errors In the data shown In the "Fadlity Repi
G*n«ral Public Data Error Correction Comment
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Facility Representative Data Error Correction Comment
(you represent A racbTy/orgaruzjtion and, after reviewing m« data shown >n your Fac*iy P*port, you wtsh to report
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Region 10 Environmental Compliance (EC)-Online users (general public and facility repre-
sentatives) may generate reports and review environmental and other information from a
number of data systems concerned with air, water, and hazardous waste throughout the
region. General public users report errors using the same Error Notification form as that
available through Envirofacts.
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AIRSData users may specify criteria to create custom reports on air pollution in areas
throughout the country and display standard maps of the United States. To report errors,
comment, or ask questions about the air pollution data displayed by AIRSData, users may
call or e-mail the national, regional, and state and local EPA staff contacts provided by the
system.
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Error Notification Form
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Facility Information Query Results
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Submitter Information
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The Error Notification Form allows users to report errors to EPA by describing the error
and providing contact information so that EPA staff may acknowledge their report and
inform them of data error resolution.
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Customer Support Standards
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EPA's Error Correction Performance Standards for Customer Service
Error Correction Performance Standards
1) Once you send in the error notification, you will receive immediate confirmation of its transmission
upon receipt by EPA
2) Within H to 4 business days, EPA will communicate to you on the status of your error notification,
including the name and contact information of the data manager who is handling the error you brought to
our attention
3) Within 10 business days, EPA will communicate with you on the status of the actions that require
research to resolve the error
4) We commit to providing you with a detailed report when the error is resolved
Our performance goal is to achieve 100% customer satisfaction You have taken the time to notify EPA of
discrepancies in the data and we want to make sure that we keep you informed on the status of your
notification throughout this process We value your input and you' review of EPA's data Your
involvement allows us to maintain a high level of quality Thank youi
Click here to view the work flow process chart that shows how error notifications will be handled
A link to the Customer Support Standards is provided from the Error Notification Form to
provide reporters with EPA's performance standards for customer service, which include a
strong commitment to data quality and customer satisfaction.
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Notice of Use
14
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EPA wiD use the personal identflymg mformaaon which you provide only for the expressed purpose of responding to your error nonfic anon and wifl not make this
information available for other purposes The Agency does not sell or otherwise transfer personal information to an outside third party EPA wiB not accept
anonymously submitted errors
If you wish to file a complaint about a £acutfy. please use the option File a Complaint at the EPA s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance website
EPA strives to respond to every submitted error as quickly as possible. A State or EPA representative may contact you if additional information or documentation is
required The error will be routed to a State or EPA staff person who can evaluate and resolve the data m question. You wiD be informed when and where your
error is routed Most errors wiD be routed withn 2 to 4 working days It may take a month or longer before data corrections arc reflected m Envirofacts You wiE
be informed of the final disposition of the data m question and of any significant delays that may occur Cbck here to view the work flow process chart that shows
how error notification; will be handled Feel free to contact the Error Correction Center at any tane to check on the status of your error notification
Please bear m mmd that this Integrated En or Correction Process should be used only to report data errors wahm Envirofacts at this time It will be expanded to
other Agency resources later m calendar year 2000 It is not designed to provide answers to information requests regarding EPA pobcy If we receive information
that does not faD wflhm the purview of the EPA'Staie Integrated Error Correction Process, we will attempt to refer these requests to the appropriate person or
agency
This process is to be used to report inaccuracies m EPA data It is not intended for the following
• To submit new report; required by regulation
• To provide answers to questions regarding EPA pokey
• As a means to report non-compliance
Agam. this process is not intended to be a data coflection effort for the regulated community to report to States or EPA
Thank you for your participation m our program You have helped EPA to Srt the Record Straight'
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A Notice of Use link is also provided from the Error Notification Form to inform reporters
that their contact information will be used only to respond to the error notification and is
not made available to any outside third party.
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Error Tracking System (Intranet)
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Error Tracking System
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Create and Maintain Error Submitters
Create and Maintain Error Notifications
Create Correspondences
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The Error Tracking System is a central resource for the formalized error reporting network
(consisting of data providers, data stewards, data users, and persons who report errors).
This accountability tool is used only by designated EPA staff who capture reported errors
in the system, track actions taken to correct or resolve data disputes, and inform all con-
cerned parties of error resolution.
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Year-end Summary and Highlights
16
In 2000, the Error Correction Process has become
active in all major national systems in the
Envirofacts Warehouse, Region 10 EC-Online, and
AIRSData.
Team Activities
Availability of the Error Correction Process
Announced to the User Community
• Summer 2000: Met with representatives of
the industry and non-profit organizations to
inform them that the Error Correction Process
was available in all major Envirofacts areas.
• Informed key outreach contacts in the Regions,
at the Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act Hotline, at the Toxics Release
Inventory (TRI) User Support Hotline, and at the
Automated TRI Reporting System User Support
Hotline about the availability of the Error
Correction Process.
Solution Adopted for TRI Explorer
TRI Explorer adopted text to include a reference
and "hot link" to "live" data on Envirofacts.
Filing an Environmental Complaint
The Error Notification added the OECA "File a
Complaint" hotlink
http://es.epa.gov/oeca/main/enforce/file.html
to the Error Notification "Notice of Use" page.
Tracking Using the Error Log
• The Data Quality Action Officer began
communication activities with the data steward
network using the error tracking management
tool.
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Agency-wide Summary
May-December 2000
Error Notification Summary: 290 Total Reported
Errors (this number includes only 100 of the
Region 10 notifications)
17
TYPES OF ERROR NOTIFICATIONS
Total No.
DESCRIPTION
Invalid Notifications
Duplicates
Dropped
Referred
87
16
13
5
Rejected - Not Related to Data Quality 53
The notifications were reviewed by EPA staff and not
forwarded to data stewards for review.
These were notifications that addressed the same
piece of data.
These notifications were dropped due to lack of
response by original notifiers for additional
information.
These notifications addressed subjects related to
EPA's Public Information Center.
These notifications included reports of Envirofacts
query errors and questions about the Error
Correction Process.
Notifications That Need More Information 9
EPA staff have requested more information from
original submitters before a determination could be
made about the validity of a notification.
Valid Notifications
194
Data Quality Errors Corrected
as a Result of Notifications
50
These notifications were determined to be valid by
EPA staff and forwarded to data stewards for review.
Facility Characteristics - 147
Enforcement - 4
Inspection - 2
Environmental Data - 8
Other - 33
Data owners have corrected the data in the
program systems and notifiers have been provided
with this resolution.
RCRIS-12, PCS-14, AIRS-6, SDWIS- 4, TRIS-3, FLA-7,
RMP-1,Other-3
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18
Number of Data Quality Flags Placed (6)
in Envirofacts in 2000 (of the 50 data
quality errors corrected)
Number of Data Quality Flags
currently up on December 31 st,
2000 (of the 50 data quality errors
corrected)
Reviewed Notifications That Were
Rejected by Data Stewards
(3)
29
Notifications Currently Under
Review by Data Stewards
115
An image labeled "Data Quality" is displayed on
system records in which the data quality will be
corrected on the next Envirofacts data refresh.
TRIS-2, AIRS-1, PCS-1, SDWIS-2
SDWIS-2, PCS-1
The data quality of the program records identified
in these notifications was determined to be correct
by the data stewards. EPA staff communicated these
resolutions to the original notifiers.
RCRIS-6, PCS-5, AIRS-6, TRIS-4, FLA-1, RMP-1,
BRS-1, Other-5
These notifications have been sent to data stewards
and submitters have been notified of the status.
5 less than 30 days old
9 more than 30 days old
53 more than 60 days old
25 more than 90 days old
23 more than 120 days old
RCRIS-52, PCS-15, AIRS-18, SDWIS-5, TRIS-5, FLA-5,
RMP-2, CERCLIS-2, BRS-1, NCDB-1, Other-9
Management Summary
Data ownership is key. Outstanding notifications require EPA Headquarters, State, and Regional Office
collaboration. Many of the notifications provided updated information and were not "errors" in data
management. There are many lessons still to be learned in the resolution process for error notification.
Agency initiatives are addressing many of the data quality gaps that the Error Correction Process is
identifying.
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System-by-System Summaries
May-December 2000
19
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System (RCRIS)
Number of Errors Reported to Date . . . .70
Resplved 18
Unresolved 52
Facility Characteristics - 65
Environmental Data - 2
Other - 3
These notifications have been accepted for
correction or determined to be invalid and rejected.
1 less than 30 days old
5 more than 30 days old
22 more than 60 days old
1 3 more than 90 days old
11 more than 120 days old
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
Permit Compliance System (PCS)
Number of Errors Reported to Date . . . .34
^
)lved
Unresolved . 15
Facility Characteristics - 30
Environmental Data - 1
Other - 3
These notifications have been accepted for
correction or determined to be invalid and reacted.
0 less than 30 days old
0 more than 30 days old
11 more than 60 days old
2 more than 90 days old
2 more than 120 davs old
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Office of Air and Radiation
Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS)
Number of Errors Reported to Date . . . ,30
solved
Unresolved
Facility Characteristics - 29
Enforcement - 1
These notifications have been accepted for
correction or determined to be invalid and rejected.
0 less than 30 days old
1 more than 30 days old
6 more than 60 days old
4 more than 90 days old
7 more than 120 days old
20
Office of Water
Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
Number of Errors Reported to Date
Ived
Unresolved
Facility Characteristics - 4
Enforcement - 3
Environmental Data - 2
These notifications have been accepted for
correction or determined to be invalid and rejected.
2 less than 30 days old
1 more than 30 days old
2 more than 60 days old
0 more than 90 days old
0 more than 120 days old
Office of Environmental Information
Toxic Release Inventory System (TRIS)
Number of Errors Reported to Date 12
•*
solved .. ...7
Unresolved... 5
Facility Characteristics - 7
Inspection - 2
Environmental Data - 2
Other - 1
These notifications have been accepted for
correction or determined to be invalid and rejected.
1 less than 30 days old
1 more than 30 days old
2 more than 60 days old
U more than 90 days old
1 more than 120 days old
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Office of Environmental Information
Facility Linkage Application (FLA)
Number of Errors Reported to Date ... .1 3
Resolved 9
Unresolved . . .5
Other - 1 3
These notifications have been accepted
for correction or determined to be invalid and
rejected.
0 less than 30 days old
1 more than 30 days old
2 more than 60 days old
1 more than 90 days old
1 more than 1 20 days old
21
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Risk Management Plan (RMP)
Number of Errors Reported to Date ... .4
Resplved 2
Unresolved
Facility Characteristics - 4
These notifications have been accepted
for correction or determined to be invalid and
rejected.
0 less than 30 days old
0 more than 30 days old
2 more than 60 days old
0 more than 90 days old
0 more than 120 days old
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Information System (CERCLIS)
Number of Errors Reported to Date ... .2
Resolved 0
Unresolved
Facility Characteristics - 2
These notifications have been accepted
for correction or determined to be invalid and
rejected.
0 less than 30 days old
0 more than 30 days old
0 more than 60 days old
2 more than 90 days old
0 more than 120 days old
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Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Biennial Reporting System (BRS)
Number of Errors Reported to
Re»lved
. .2
Unresolved
22
Facility Characteristics - 2
These notifications have been accepted
for correction or determined to be invalid and
rejected.
0 less than 30 days old
0 more than 30 days old
0 more than 60 days old
1 more than 90 days old
0 more than 120 days old
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
National Compliance Database (NCDB)
Number of Errors Reported to Date ... .1
fAjlved 0
Unresolved
.1
Facility Characteristics - 1
These notifications have been accepted
for correction or determined to be invalid and
rejected.
0 less than 30 days old
0 more than 30 days old
0 more than 60 days old
0 more than 90 days old
1 more than 120 days old
Types of Error Reporters
01
JD
EPA Contractor
EPA Employee
Owner/Operator/Employee
State/Local Government Contractor
State/Local Government Employee
Other Government Representative
General Public
43
29
10
This chart does not include Error Notifications from Region 10, which were categorized as "No Affiliation Type.
A total of 290 errors were reported.
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The Next Steps - Data Quality
Commitment and Partnership
In an effort to continue the success of the Error
Correction Process, OEI and its partners will
continue:
Working with Internet partners and having the
Error Notification Process available throughout
EPA Web Sites
Working with outside stakeholders who use
EPA information to include it on their Web
Sites
Expanding outreach efforts to gain greater
awareness and understanding of the Error
Correction Process
Striving for 100% customer satisfaction and
improved data quality
-------
Information Resources
24
Contacts
Kim Orr
Data Quality Action Officer
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Environmental Information
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
202/260-6238
202/401-0182 fax
orr.kimberlie@epa.gov
Pat Carvey
Special Assistant
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Environmental Information
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
202/260-3103
202/401-0787 fax
garvey.pat@epa.gov
Other Information Resources are:
EPA Public Information Center at:
www. epa.gov/epahome/pic. htm
Office of Environmental Information
Toxics Release Inventory Explorer at:
www.epa.gov/triexplorer
The Envirofacts Warehouse Web Site at:
www.epa.gov/enviro
AIRS Data at: www.epa.gov/airsdata
Region 10 ECOnline at: www.epa.gov/r10earth
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Glossary
AIRS Aerometric Information Retrieval System
BRS Biennial Reporting System
CERCLIS Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Information System
DQAP Data Quality Action Plan
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
FLA Facility Linkage Application
GICS Grants Information and Control System
LRT Location Reference Table
OECA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
OEI Office of Environmental Information
PCS Permit Compliance System
RCRIS Resource Conservation and Recovery Information
System
RMP Risk Management Plan
SDWIS Safe Drinking Water Information System
TRIS Toxics Release Inventory System
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