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About the Facility Emissions Map - Criteria Air Pollutants

What does the map tell me?

A Facility Emissions Map is a composite image, containing a map and five bar charts that illustrate the distribution of criteria air pollutant emissions from point sources -- facilities such as power plants and factories. The emissions values come from EPA's National Emission Inventory (NEI) database.

The map uses color-coded discs to indicate facility locations and the magnitude of their air pollutant emissions. A disc's center denotes a facility's location, and its radius is proportional to the facility's emissions of the air pollutant you select. The disc's color indicates which of six ranges of pollutant emissions that facility falls within.

A pair of bar charts below the map indicate how facilities in the map are distributed among the emissions ranges. The charts include a bar for each emissions range. One chart shows total emissions from facilities in each range. The other chart shows how many facilities fall within each range of pollutant emissions.

Another pair of bar charts beside the map indicate the distribution of facility emissions and facility counts among industry types, as designated by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code. These two charts include bars for up to nine SIC codes having the highest emissions totals, plus another bar for all other SIC codes combined. As above, one chart illustrates the distribution of facility emissions among SICs, and the other chart shows the distribution of facility counts. All SICs in the charts are associated with facilities included in the map.

A fifth bar chart shows the total emissions of each criteria air pollutant from the facilities included in the map.

To generate a Facility Emissions Map, choose a pollutant and a year. You also may select facilities to be included based on emissions amount or SIC, and you may add geographic features to the map.

What does the map look like?

This image shows the component parts of a Facility Emissions map. The map section includes shaded discs, representing the locations of facilities emitting a pollutant that you choose, superimposed on a state map with county outlines. Disc shading indicates how much of that pollutant each facility emits. Bar charts below and beside the map summarize facility emissions and counts, and a bar chart in the lower right corner shows total emissions of each criteria air pollutant from facilities in the map.

How can I customize the map?

Geographic Area
The name of the geographic area previously selected is displayed here. You can click on "change" to choose a different area.

Pollutant Emitted
Selects facilities based on an air pollutant they emit. You may choose one of these pollutants:
  • CO - Carbon monoxide
  • NOx - Nitrogen oxides
  • VOC - Volatile organic compounds
  • SO2 - Sulfur dioxide
  • PM2.5 - Particulate matter (size < 2.5 micrometers)
  • PM10 - Particulate matter (size < 10 micrometers)
  • NH3 - Ammonia
  • Total emissions - the sum of all these pollutants

Year of Data
The calendar year of pollutant emissions displayed in the map. Choose one of the available years. EPA compiles a national inventory of criteria air pollutant emissions at 3-year intervals (1996, 1999, ...) and updates the National Emission Inventory database two to three years after the inventory year. Minor database updates, to amend and correct data, take place at least twice a year. AirData uses the latest database update that has been approved for public release.

Emissions Range   (optional) 
Selects facilities based on the amount of pollutant emitted. You may enter a minimum value (emissions threshold), a maximum value (emissions ceiling), or both (emissions range). Values must be between 0 and 10 million tons. The minimum value may not exceed the maximum. Leaving either field blank means emissions in any amount. A facility is included in the map if its emissions of the selected pollutant are within the range you specify, for the year you select.

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)   (optional) 
Selects facilities based on Standard Industrial Classification -- the type of industry or activity. There are 2-digit codes, which are major classifications, and 4-digit SIC codes, which are detailed classifications. A major classification includes all the detailed classifications whose codes match in the first two digits. You may select up to 20 classifications. Without this option selected, industry type plays no role in determining which facilities to include in a map.

Geographic Features   (optional) 
Enhances a map with features such as city locations, highways, and national park outlines. Without this option selected, the map includes standard features: outlines of geographic areas and facility location circles.

 

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