Category: Information tools

Geologic Guidebooks of North America Database

Read the full story from Inside Science Resources.

Geologic field trip guidebooks provide unique kinds of data not readily available from other sources. They often feature detailed coverage on the geology of a specific locale or region. In addition to including geologic maps and stratigraphic columns that convey the scientific details, other geographic information such as road maps and a distance log is generally included to facilitate locating key outcrops or other geologic features of interest. Photographs and supplementary notes are also used to highlight key details for the reader. Because of such attributes, guidebooks can be a useful resource for anyone from an amateur enthusiast to a professional geologist. 

In many cases field trip guidebooks may be issued in conjunction with a geologic conference, university-sponsored excursion, or other special event. Print runs are often small, with limited distribution. All of this can make finding guidebooks and the valuable information they contain difficult. 

The Geologic Guidebooks of North America Database helps address these concerns and provides a way to readily identify geologic guidebooks issued for any region in North America. As noted on the website, the database builds on entries originally compiled and edited by the Geologic Information Society Guidebooks Committee for the print publication The Union List of Geologic Field Trip Guidebooks of North America, last published in 1996. New information is added to the database monthly and over 10,000 guidebooks are now included. 

Nature-based Solutions Funding Database

National Wildlife Federation’s interactive database for communities interested in pursuing federal funding and/or technical assistance for nature-based solutions. Use the filters to search for nature-based solutions funding and technical assistance resources that fit your needs.

Spotlight on 2022’s Product Winner: ADEQ

Read the full story in Environment + Energy Leader.

As a result of the Pandemic, ADEQ developed and launched a new telecommute emissions reduction calculator that allows employers to estimate how telecommuting programs reduce pollutants that contribute to regional air quality problems. Developed with community/local business input, the calculator was included as an upgrade to a regional transportation demand management platform and includes the following innovative features: Telework emissions reductions calculations for regionally specific pollutants (NOx, VOC and PM10) to show how telework prevents air pollution — the first program in the region to share such detail. Easy to understand, presentation-ready emissions reduction totals are translated into equivalencies for more widely understood activities (e.g., decommissioning leaf blowers), and plug-and-play telework emissions reduction tables simplify employer sustainability reports.

What environmental justice mapping tools mean for the waste industry

Read the full story at Waste Dive.

A review of reports from WM, Republic Services, and Waste Connections shows an increasing level of data from tools such as EPA’s EJScreen about the potential effects of waste sites.

NASA satellite used to monitor methane from landfill sites

Read the full story at E&T.

Observations from a NASA satellite will be used by nonprofit group Carbon Mapper to discover the landfill sites responsible for emitting the most methane.

Great Lakes platform aims to be a go-to source for waterway data

Read the full story at Centered.

Data is everywhere, and more is being collected as sensors and other Internet of Things devices become more common. The Great Lakes Observing System launched Seagull, a cloud-based platform, to give people in the Great Lakes region access to a plethora of real-time data about their surrounding waterways.

Seagull brings together data harvested from the region’s diverse sources into a unified, accessible platform. Some of the hundreds of sources include satellites, models, and sensor-equipped lake buoys. Seagull replaced GLOS’s legacy data portal that was not cloud-forward and had become outdated.

EPA releases new PFAS Analytic Tools

U.S EPA has released a new interactive webpage, PFAS Analytic Tools, which provides information about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) across the country. This information will help the public, researchers, and other stakeholders better understand potential PFAS sources in their communities. The PFAS Analytic Tools bring together multiple sources of information in one spot with mapping, charting, and filtering functions, allowing the public to see where testing has been done and what level of detections were measured.

The tool draws from multiple national databases and reports to consolidate information in one webpage. It includes information on Clean Water Act PFAS discharges from permitted sources, reported spills containing PFAS constituents, facilities historically manufacturing or importing PFAS, federally owned locations where PFAS is being investigated, transfers of PFAS-containing waste, PFAS detection in natural resources such as fish or surface water, and drinking water testing results. The tools cover a broad list of PFAS and represent EPA’s ongoing efforts to provide the public with access to the growing amount of testing information that is available.

Because the regulatory framework for PFAS chemicals is emerging, data users should pay close attention to the caveats found within the site so that the completeness of the data sets is fully understood. Rather than wait for complete national data to be available, EPA is publishing what is currently available while information continues to fill in. Users should be aware that some of the datasets are complete at the national level whereas others are not. 

To improve the availability of the data in the future, EPA has published its fifth Safe Drinking Water Act Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule to expand on the initial drinking water data reporting that was conducted in 2013-2016. Beginning in 2023, this expansion will bring the number of drinking water PFAS samples collected by regulatory agencies into the millions. EPA also significantly expanded the Toxics Release Inventory reporting requirements in recent years to over 175 PFAS substances — and more information should be received in 2023. Additionally, EPA’s proposal to designate PFOA and PFOS as Hazardous Substances would also improve data on spill or release incidents reported to the Emergency Response Notification System. These reporting enhancements will be incorporated into future versions of the interactive webpage. EPA will continue working toward the expansion of data sets in the PFAS Analytic Tools as a way to improve collective knowledge about PFAS occurrence in the environment.

Learn more and access the tools and read the news release.

FAIRsharing.org

Read the full story at Inside Science Resources.

FAIRsharing.org is a curated, searchable registry of metadata standards; databases and repositories; and funder and journal policies that are relevant to specific domains or types of data…

FAIRsharing.org is a registry developed to help researchers and those who support them fulfill the FAIR principles by enabling them to readily locate the recommended metadata and reporting standards for particular domains or types of data, identify appropriate repositories for data storage and access, and reference journal and funder policies. As of this writing the site contains over 1600 records for standards, nearly 2000 records for databases/repositories, and over 150 records for policies. 

MECCE Interactive Platform

The Monitoring and Evaluating Climate Communication and Education (MECCE) Project is developing comparative data on climate communication and education through case studies, country profiles, and indicators. Their data support international and national policymaker, educator, communication, and civil society sector decision-making.

The Interactive Data Platform is designed to be an accessible place to access data and indicators on the extent and type of CCE provision across countries and regions.

Reporter’s Toolbox: New Climate Trace emissions database unveiled at COP27

Read the full story from the Society of Environmental Journalists.

Sure, there’s a lot of hype at climate change COP meetings. But the new data tool hyped by climate maven Al Gore at the recent COP27 may actually help shed light on the darkening global climate picture.

The effort is ambitious but credible: It seeks to offer quantitative estimates (or measurements) of most of the biggest greenhouse gas emissions in the world.

But is it useful for journalists?

Probably yes, and it probably will keep getting bigger and better all the time. More importantly, it may provide solid(-ish) data in a way that cuts through a lot of the greenwashing.

Where the data come from

The project is called Climate Trace and it’s a huge joint effort. Some may be relieved to learn that the data did not come from Gore himself. And skeptical journalists may be even more pleased to learn that the data did not come from companies or emitters.

Instead, more than 100 collaborators have compiled the data from some 300 satellites and 11,000 sensors. The funders and collaborators are all clearly listed. There are no oil companies among them.