Vulnerable EPA hazardous sites, 2100

Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title: Vulnerable EPA hazardous sites, 2100
Abstract:
This file includes facilities in California clipped from the EPA data set, and reports results from a spatial analysis of which facilities are located within the areas that would be inundated by a 100 year flood following a 1.4 meter sea level rise. Metadata for the EPA listed sites is included in this metadata.
To improve public health and the environment, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) collects information about facilities, sites, or places subject to environmental regulation or of environmental interest. Through the Geospatial Data Download Service, the public is now able to download the EPA Geodata shapefile containing facility and site information from EPA's national program systems. The file is Internet accessible from the Envirofacts Web site (<http://www.epa.gov/enviro>). The data may be used with geospatial mapping applications. (Note: The shapefile omits facilities without latitude/longitude coordinates.) The EPA Geospatial Data contains the name, location (latitude/longitude), and EPA program information about specific facilities and sites. In addition, the file contains a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), which allows mapping applications to present an option to users to access additional EPA data resources on a specific facility or site.
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Heberger, Matthew, and Herrera, Pablo, 2009, Vulnerable EPA hazardous sites, 2100: The Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on the California Coast, The Pacific Institute, Oakland, CA.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Heberger, Matthew, Cooley, Heather, Gleick, Peter, and Herrera, Pablo, 2009, The Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on the California Coast: Pacific Institute, Oakland CA.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -124.259739
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -117.111980
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.753659
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 32.670771

  3. What does it look like?

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Calendar_Date: 1911
    Currentness_Reference: publication date

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • Entity point (332)

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.000000. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000000. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    epa_listed
    A datatable listing of site information

    FID
    Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

    Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

    Shape
    Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

    Coordinates defining the features.

    REG_ID

    FAC_NAME

    LOC_ADD

    LOC_CITY

    LOC_STATE

    LOC_ZIP

    LATITUDE

    LONGITUDE

    HOR_DATUM

    COL_MTH

    REF_NAME

    FAC_URL

    PCS1_NAME

    RCRA1_NAME

    TRIS1_NAME

    AFS1_NAME

    ACRES1_NAM

    2000_inund

    2100_inund

    Both_inund

    2000_INUND

    2100_INUND

    BOTH_INUND

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

    The EPA Geospatial data set was generated from the following national environmental programs: Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) from the Compensation, and Liability Information System [CERCLIS] Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) - Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities (TSDF) [RCRAINFO], Large Quantity Generators (RCRA LQG) Air Facility System (AFS) Major dischargers of air pollutants Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program for 2004 and 2005 TRI Reporters [TRIS] National Environmental Performance Track (NEPT) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Majors from the Permit Compliance System [PCS]

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    The Pacific Institute
    c/o Matthew Heberger
    654 13th Street
    Oakland, California 94612
    United States

    510 251 1600 (voice)
    info@pacinst.org

Why was the data set created?

This dataset shows the locations of EPA listed sites that are vulnerable to a 100-year coastal flood with a 1.4 meter sea-level rise.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    Aerometric Information Retrieval System Facility Subsystem (source 1 of 7)
    , AIRS/AFS Majors.

    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    A Clean Air Act stationary source major discharger of air pollutants according to the Alabama power decision's definition of a major source or the 1993 EPA compliance monitoring branch classification guidance. A facility is classified as a major discharger if: (a) actual or potential emissions are above the applicable major source thresholds; or (b) actual or potential controlled emissions > 100 tons/year as per Alabama power decision; or (c) unregulated pollutant actual or potential controlled emissions > 100 tons/year as per Alabama power decision.

    National Environmental Performance Track (source 2 of 7)
    , NEPT.

    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    National Environmental Performance Track is a partnership that recognizes top environmental performance among participating U.S. facilities of all types, sizes, and complexity, public and private. Program partners are providing leadership in many areas, including some that are not currently regulated, such as energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and water consumption.

    National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Majors from the Permit Compliance System (source 3 of 7)
    , NPDES.

    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    Water pollution degrades surface waters making them unsafe for drinking, fishing, swimming, and other activities. As authorized by the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States. Only major NPDES interests maintained in the Permit Compliance System (PCS) are provided in the file.

    Resource Conservation and Recovery Act - Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities (source 4 of 7)
    , RCRA TSD.

    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    Through the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Congress directed EPA to create regulations to manage hazardous waste from 'the cradle to the grave.' Under this mandate, EPA developed strict requirements for all aspects of hazardous waste management including the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. This data source includes RCRA TSD regulated by EPA and by States along with Corrective Action Facilities.

    Resource Conservation and Recovery Act - Large Quantity Generators (source 5 of 7)
    , RCRA LQG.

    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    Large quantity generators of hazardous waste. LQG met or exceed any one of the following Federal criteria: (a) 1,000 kg or more of hazardous waste during any calendar month; or (b) more than 1 kg of acutely hazardous waste during any calendar month; or (c) more than 100 kg of any residue or contaminated soil, waste or other debris resulting from the cleanup of a spill, into or on any land or water, of acutely hazardous waste during any calendar month; or (d) 1 kg or less of acutely hazardous waste during any calendar month, and accumulate more than 1 kg of acutely hazardous waste at any time; or (e) 100 kg or less of any residue or contaminated soil, waste or other debris resulting from the cleanup of a spill, into or on any land or water, of acutely hazardous waste during any calendar month, and accumulated more than 100 kg of that material at any time.

    Superfund National Priorty List (source 6 of 7)
    , CERCLIS NPL.

    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    The Superfund Program, administered under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) is an EPA Program to locate, investigate, and clean up the worst hazardous waste sites throughout the United States. The NPL is the list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States and its territories. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation.

    Toxics Release Inventory Program (source 7 of 7)
    , TRI.

    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is a publicly available EPA database that contains information on toxic chemical releases and other waste management activities reported annually by certain covered industry groups as well as federal facilities. TRI reporters for all reporting years are provided in the file.

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    (process 1 of 1)
    Data records contained within are extracted from the EPA Locational Reference Tables (LRT), which are refreshed on a monthly basis. A shapefile is derived by executing a "Build Feature Class from X,Y Table" using the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) ArcGIS Desktop, Release 9.3. Data records that do not contain positional information (latitude and longitude values) are removed from the processed shapefile as their locations will default to a 0,0 coordinate and plot along the equator. This would provide erroneous locational information.

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    Positional accuracy for the data set varies for individual features based on collection method and source scale. Actual horizontal positional accuracy for the data set is unknown.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

    Actual vertical positional accuracy for the data set is unknown.

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    This shapefile omits facilities without latitude/longitude coordinates. The Locational Reference Tables (LRT) from which the data are extracted contain 90% of the known universe of active records but does not contain exact point data for the remaining 10% of facilities.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    The data concern the location of facilities and sites that are regulated by, or of interest to, the EPA in conducting its regulatory mission. The information on the facilities and sites, including the locations, has been gathered from a number of sources. While EPA subjects the data to Quality Assurance (QA) procedures, the Agency cannot vouch for the reliability of all the data. Users of the data (or any portion thereof) may wish to verify its accuracy before use.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints:
This shapefile is provided for public use by The Pacific Institute. The original EPA shapefile is provided for public use from the EPA under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Use_Constraints:
This shapefile is provided for public use by The Pacific Institute. The original EPA shapefile is provided for public use from the EPA under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

  1. Who distributes the data set?[Distributor contact information not provided.]

  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    Downloadable Data

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    The data are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please reference the Pacific Institute as the originator of the dataset in any future products or research derived from these data.
    This information is being made available for informational purposes only. Users of this information agree by their use to hold blameless the State of California, and its respective officers, employees, agents, contractors, and subcontractors for any liability associated with its use in any form. This work shall not be used to assess actual coastal hazards, insurance requirements, or property values and specifically shall not be used in lieu of Flood Insurance Studies and Flood Insurance Rate Maps issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the Environmental Protection Agency, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data to evaluate data set limitations, restrictions or intended use. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein.

  4. How can I download or order the data?

  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?

    These data are available in Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) shapefile format. The user must have ArcGIS or ArcView 3.0 or greater software to read and process the data file. In lieu of ArcView or ArcGIS, the user may utilize another GIS application package capable of importing the data. A free data viewer, ArcExplorer, capable of displaying the data is available from ESRI at www.esri.com.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 26-Feb-2009
To be reviewed: 04-Jan-2012
Metadata author:
Matthew Heberger
Pacific Institute
Research Associate/GIS Manager
USEPA Headquarters 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W. Mail Code: 2823T
Washington, DC 20460

(510) 251-1600 (voice)
(510) 251-2203 (FAX)
mheberger@pacinst.org

Hours_of_Service: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
Metadata extensions used:

Generated by mp version 2.9.6 on Thu Feb 26 11:55:12 2009