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Information Sources
Main Features
- Access to EPA libraries and repositories, publications, and databases.
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Hotlines for assistance with questions about environmental issues.
- FOIA (Freedom of Information Act)
- Terminology Reference System (TRS)
The Information Sources site features over a dozen portals through which various types of EPA information can be accessed.
Description
"The EPA National Library Network link is key to locating information sources. It contains information about the EPA libraries and repositories, and also provides access to the EPA Online Library System (OLS). The OLS database is the shared catalog for all EPA libraries and repositories. It can be used to locate books, reports, journal holdings information, and other materials on environmental topics, but does not provide access to journal articles. If an electronic version of a non-article resource is available, a link may be provided. EPA staff can check out items found in the OLS directly from their regional EPA libraries or service centers; non-EPA staff have access to the materials via interlibrary loans.
Note: on the EPA National Library Network site, under EPA Library Services and Repositories, a link titled Additional Sources of EPA Information can be found at the bottom of the page, which features Terms of the Environment: Glossary, Abbreviations and Acronyms. This alphabetized list of key terms provides a quick and easy to use reference tool. It can be also accessed directly at: http://www.epa.gov/ocepa111/OCEPAterms.
The link to EPA – Information Sources leads to a page where information on monitoring programs, clearinghouses, and selected research programs can be found. Hotlines and Clearinghouses links to a variety of EPA helplines assisting with questions about specific environmental issues. Technical information, reports, and documents can be requested electronically or by phone. Dockets leads to a collection of all the public records of information used to document the EPA’s rule making (see the section Laws, Regulation and Dockets for more information.) The Employee Directory allows one to search for EPA staff by name and office.
The Publications section provides access to EPA technical and public information via several links. Hard copies of EPA publications can be ordered through the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP); NSCEP’s National Environmental Publications Internet Site (NEPIS) provides view and print access to over 9,500 digital documents. The link to Publications on the EPA Site provides direct access to full-text online publications by various EPA Offices and Programs. The Information Products Bulletin is a catalogue of environmental information products under development and available for public comment.
The Newsletters link leads to several dozen online EPA newsletters and news bulletins. A list of EPA public listservs and information on how to subscribe is provided under Listservs. The link to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) page features links to information request forms and reading rooms. The Privacy Act link leads to information on how to request access to information about oneself that may be in the EPA record system.
Issue-specific databases can be found under Databases & Software, which also features models and information systems and the particularly useful Terminology Reference System. This list contains several hundred terms, which are easily searchable by keyword, definition, or via an alphabetical catalog. Additional technical information can be found under the Test Methods and Models links. A number of models are available to the public at no cost. Examples include the Landfill Air Emissions Estimation Model and the Pesticide Analytical Model.
The Information Sources site also includes Frequent Questions, which provides answers to topic-specific questions on selected environmental issues, i.e., Asbestos in Schools, Drinking Water, Superfund, Regional FAQs, etc.
If an item cannot be found in any of the online catalogs, do not assume the item is not available. Many documents, especially those in electronic format have not yet been entered into the EPA database. Contact an EPA librarian for help. Contact information can be found at http://epa.gov/ambassadors/library_contacts.html.