How can we help people find environmental information?

[Paul Orum <paul_orum@yahoo.com>]

Re: How can EPA, states, and environmental organizations help the public find information?

How we organize environmental information answers the question, "how can EPA, states, and environmental organizations help the public find information?".

EPA must proactively design information collections for efficient and organized data management.  This helps those who report information to EPA, it helps EPA, and it helps those who use EPA's information.

As I've suggested previously, I think this means including "key identifiers" in collected data that serve the common sense ways that people search for information, including:

1] By location (by zip code, town, watershed, state, etc.).
2] By facility (a nearby facility, etc.)
3] By company (all of the facilities under common ownership).
4] By industry (a common or similar activity of concern).
5] By regulation (what laws regulate whom, what, and where).
6] By substance (a toxic chemical of concern).
7] Etc.

For examle, if a library patron wants to know, "what are the major water pollution sources in my area?", she needs search elements that include location and facility, as well as other non-point sources of pollution.  If searching for "safer alternatives to hydrofluoric acid in refineries," he needs search elements that include industry and substance, as well as access to solutions databases.

Librarians should urge EPA to organize data collection up front according to the common ways that people search for information -- so that it enables common searches when it gets to libraries.


Paul Orum
Working Group on Community Right-to-Know