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United States Environmental Protection Agency
Planning and Results

 

Compliance and Enforcement Data Systems

Data Systems Topics
Modernization/ICIS
Air
Hazardous Waste
Water
Toxics/Pesticides
Multimedia
Other Data Systems
Enforcement Models

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The information that EPA uses to manage and assess performance of the Agency's enforcement and compliance assurance program is stored in more than a dozen data systems. These systems were built to support specific environmental statutes. In general, data in the systems is input by either EPA Regions or States. These systems are the primary source of information used in determining the state of environmental compliance.

Modernization/ ICIS EPA is in the process of modernizing its enforcement and compliance data systems. The product of that modernization is the Integrated Compliance Information System or ICIS, a Web-based system that will integrate data currently located in more than a dozen separate data systems. The first phase of ICIS was completed June 2002, with other phases to be completed in later years.

Air Data Systems The air compliance/enforcement program uses three separate data bases for program support:

The Air Facility Sub-system (AFS) is a sub-system of Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS). AFS contains compliance data on air pollution point sources regulated by the U.S. EPA and/or state and local air regulatory agencies.

The National Asbestos Registry System (NARS) provides activity and compliance history of asbestos contractors.

The Applicability Determination Index (ADI) is a database that contains memoranda issued by EPA on applicability and compliance issues associated with the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (with categories for both NESHAP, Part 61, and MACT, Part 63), and chlorofluorocarbons (CFC).

Hazardous Waste Data can be accessed through RCRAInfo. RCRAInfo provides access to data supporting the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) of 1984. RCRAInfo replaces the data recording and reporting abilities of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System (RCRIS) and the Biennial Reporting System (BRS).

The Water Data Systems consist of two primary data bases:

The Permit Compliance System (PCS) is a national information system that contains data which supports the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System(NPDES) program. PCS tracks permit issuance, permit limits, self monitoring data, and enforcement and inspection activity for facilities regulated under the CWA. PCS contains records on more than 135,000 permittees nationwide.

The Safe Drinking Water Information System/Federal (SDWIS/FED) is EPA's national data base for the Public Water System Supervision Program. It includes inventory, compliance, and enforcement information on the nation's 170,000 public water systems. SDWIS/FED is an exceptions-based system that for the most part receives data directly from SDWIS/STATE or data transfer from a state's system. The SDWIS/STATE version is a data base that was designed for the states to help them implement their drinking water program and fulfill EPA's reporting requirements. The Significant Non Compliance (SNC) Exceptions Tracking System (SETS) is a sub-system of SDWIS/FED that generates/tracks significant non-compliers.

The Toxics/Pesticides Data Systems utilize two databases:

NCDB/FTTS, The National Compliance Data Base System (NCDB) tracks compliance and enforcement activity under the Pesticides and Toxic Substances program at a national level. The system tracks all compliance monitoring and enforcement activities from the time an inspector conducts an inspection until the time enforcement actions are taken and the case is resolved. Data in NCDB is transferred from 10 Regional tracking systems the FIFRA/TSCA Tracking System (FTTS).

Section 7 Tracking System (SSTS) is the only automated system EPA uses to track pesticide producing establishments and the amount of pesticides they produce. SSTS records the registration of new establishments and records pesticide production at each establishment.

The Multimedia Data Systems and Databases contain data for more than one environmental media.

Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) is a Web-based tool that provides the public with compliance, permit, and demographic data for approximately 800,000 facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act stationary source program, the Clean Water Act direct discharge program, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act hazardous waste generation program.

Integrated Data for Enforcement Analysis (IDEA), pulls data from the many separate media systems and integrates the data to produce multimedia reports. Multimedia reports can be produced for particular facilities or for types of activities.

The Online Tracking Information System (OTIS) is a collection of search engines that enables EPA staff, state/local/tribal governments and Federal agencies to access a wide range of data relating to enforcement and compliance. (Please note that this site is for state and federal use.)

The Sector Facility Indexing Project (SFIP), provides the public with facility-level profiles for five industry sectors (petroleum refining, iron and steel production, primary nonferrous metal refining and smelting, pulp manufacturing, and automobile assembly) and a subset of major federal facilities. The data includes information on the compliance and enforcement record of the facility as well as information on the manufacturing process.

Envirofacts is a website which gives access to many EPA databases that provide information about facilities or environmental activities that may affect air, water, and land anywhere in the United States.

The Other Data Systems

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System. (CERCLIS)contains information on hazardous waste sites, site inspections, preliminary assessments, and remediation of hazardous waste sites.

The Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS) has been redesigned and the data now resides at the National Response Center (NRC). Exit EPA disclaimer The primary function of the National Response Center is to serve as the sole national point of contact for reporting all oil, chemical, radiological, biological, and etiological discharges into the environment anywhere in the United States and its territories. Data on spills can now be queried on line via this web site.

The Enforcement Models The economic enforcement models are used to analyze the financial aspects of enforcement actions. There are six models that are currently available.

 

 

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