Tips for Writing Effective Error Notifications
Please be specific by including as much relevant information about the error as you can provide. Please include the following:
- The name of the system you are searching
- Specific Facility identification information (preferably the system identification number)
- The data field in question
- The section heading on the page for the data field in question
- Full location address, if applicable
- Latitude, longitude and data source, if applicable
- Accuracy measure or estimation if applicable to latitude and longitude
- Chemical name information, if applicable
There is no such thing as reporting too much detail. Here are examples of effective error notification language (the pertinent information has been highlighted):
Example 1: Facility Identification
While looking at the results of a Facility Information Query, I selected the NPDES National System Record, System ID = IN0040444. On the Facility Detail Report for this record, the Facility Name "NORTH WEBSTER MUNICIPAL STP NORTH" should be changed to 'NORTH WEBSTER WWTP" and the Postal Code, which is blank, should be 46555.
Example 2: Latitude/Longitude
The latitude/longitude results on the Facility Detail Report, currently lists the coordinates as 38.25686/-103.7145 for the “PASSAIC FALLS WATER” Facility. The results are inaccurate on the Envirofacts TRI report due to an Address change from “7021 Bindley Drive, Fountain, VA 22017” to “5023 Chestnut Street, Passaic, VA 22055”. This site is currently being operated by CSC Systems and the correct lat/long for this location is 38.682925/-104.714714, with an estimated accuracy of 5 meters.
Example 3: Permit Information
From the Hazardous Waste Data Query Form, the Process Information query results for ASHLAND CHEMICAL CO., HANDLER ID = CAD044046274, under the heading "List of Process Unit Information for Group "Tankstr1" contains an error. The Legal Status for process S02 (Tank Storage) shows 'INTERIM STATUS'. The Legal Status should be changed to "PERMITTED".
This amount of detail will allow EPA to accurately research on the error. The System Action Officer will be able to go directly to the data field in question in the source system, verify the error and make corrections as necessary. These corrections should be reflected in Envirofacts during the next system refresh cycle.
