The REP recently had the opportunity to use EPA data in a mapping project for CORE. We wanted to share with you two nifty datasets that we found.

The first data set is the CERCLIS Superfund database. This database contains information on all NPL and non-NPL superfund sites in the country. Don’t bother trying to geocode the non-NPL sites as the street data is horrible. The REP suggests using the latitude and longitude data to locate the sites in the CERCLIS database. If the Superfund data leaves you a little confused, take advantage of the marvelous Superfund Info.Line (703-284-8214).

The second data set is the 2006 Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). This database includes every facility in the country that stores or releases toxic chemicals. Be aware that the six different dbf. files that compose the database can be a bit tricky to link as a single facility can have multiple entries. However, almost all the information that you need is in the first dbf. file. The REP recommends locating the facilities using latitude and longitude as the street data element is less than perfect.