Toxics Release Inventory Data and ToolsEnvirofacts Database and Query

US EPA

Office of Environmental Information

Tribal Lands Forum August 2013

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Toxics Release Inventory

• TRI is a dataset compiled by the U.S. EPA that contains

information on more than 650 toxic chemicals handled by many

facilities.

• The data is reported by facilities, made public, and has been

collected since 1987.

• Toxic chemicals – those known to cause cancer or other serious

or irreversible health effects and/or have significant adverse

effects on the environment.

• The goal of EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program is to

empower citizens and other TRI stakeholders through

information about how toxic chemicals are managed.

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Toxics Release Inventory

Factors to consider with TRI data:• TRI covers an important subset of toxic chemicals managed at U.S.

facilities, but TRI doesn't cover all chemicals or facilities.

• TRI data reflect annual emissions and don't indicate the frequency or

duration of the emissions.

• The level of toxicity varies among the chemicals on the TRI list.

• TRI doesn't include information about public exposure to

chemicals.

• TRI facility operations and releases are regulated under other EPA

programs with requirements designed to limit human and

environmental harm.

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How can tribes use TRI data

TRI can help Tribes:

• Identify sources of toxic chemical releases in or near Indian

country, Alaska Native Villages, or other areas of interest to

tribes;

• Track increases or reductions of toxic chemical releases from

facilities over time; and

• Prioritize efforts to reduce pollution from facilities located on or

near Indian lands.

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TRI National Analysis Results• 46

TRI facilities located on 14 Indian country lands and Alaska Native Villages and Areas in 2011. There are 1676 facilities on or within a 10 mile buffer of these lands.

• Total disposal or other releases from these facilities was 10.8 million pounds. On-site land disposal accounted for 89% of total disposal or other releases.

The two electric utilities on the Navajo Nation Reservation and one metal mine on the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona accounted for 78% of the on-site land disposal. One paper facility located on the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe's (Fond du Lac) land reported one-third (33%) of all air releases.

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Envirofacts

Six TRI Search tools in EPA's one stop source for environmental information.

• Find facilities that report to TRI.

• Create customized summaries of reported TRI information, generate release and waste management reports.

• Review submitted TRI reporting forms and download TRI data.

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New Tribal Query in Envirofacts

Query EPA’s data by proximity to tribal land

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Tools

Tools to help users access and analyze the TRI data:

myRTK: for quick snapshot of facilities in your area and information about compliance history, chemicals released and potential health effects.

TRI Explorer: reports of releases, transfers, and waste managed that can be compared across facilities, chemicals, geographic areas, industries (NAICS code) or reporting years.

TRI.Net Build customized TRI data queries which users can then download, map and analyze results with other data sources.

Geospatial tools (ArcGIS, EPA’s GeoPlatform, other mapping tools)

Tools and training to assist facilities with reporting can be found here: http://www.epa.gov/tri/training/index.htm

TRI Explorer

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• Aggregate chemical

release and chemical

use data

• Includes tribal

information

• Get reports

TRI.NET query

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Do queries and download data for further analysis and mapping

TRI for tribal communities: http://www.epa.gov/tri/stakeholders/tribal/index.html#5

To offer feedback about training ideas on TRI for tribal environmental professionals, please contact John Mead John.Mead@nau.edu #928-523-2005 at ITEP or Lee Pera (contact below).

EPA Presenter:

Lee Pera (EPA’s Geoplatform and training) pera.lee@epa.gov 202-566-2332

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For More Information