From: gwdokokl!ahrea@MAILHOST.ECN.UOKNOR.EDU ((Alan Rea))
Newsgroups: comp.infosystems.gis
Subject: Re: industrial sites database/map?
Date: 3 Oct 92 21:22:15 GMT
              <GIS-L@UBVM.BITNET>
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU

>The question on nuclear facilities has me doing some thinking. Does anyone
>know of an industrial sites database and or map. It would be interesting
>for me to map smelting facilities considering that my general focus is
>forest monitoring. Anyone have any ideas on this?

>Peter Schlesinger
>The Woods Hole Research Center
>i43_ps02@red.whoi.edu

The EPA has a number of data bases that are supposed to contain such
information.  I checked into a few of them for a project here in
Oklahoma, but found some problem with each, so that the information was
of limited use to me.  The problems I had generally were along the
lines of the locational data being too generalized.  For example a
large percentage of the sites listed in one database for Oklahoma
plotted in one location, which looks like the State Capitol.
Apparently, that is the 'generic' latitude-longitude for Oklahoma City,
probably as listed in some atlas.  I suspect that the data came from
some form that the EPA requires businesses to fill out, and when people
come to the blanks for latitude and longitude, they pull out the old
atlas, and get it -- to the nearest minute or so.  Either that, or they
call USGS and ask a dedicated public servant to read a map for them ;-).
Another problem was that often, the databases don't seem to be fully
populated, or they are patchy.  I'm sure this varies from state to
state, too, because I believe most of these data bases are administered
by local governments for EPA.

Also, could someone who understands all these data bases please explain
to me (and the net) how they are all related, and what is included in
them, as well as whether there are other data bases I've missed?  Ones
I know of are: the Hazardous Waste Data Management System; the SATA
Subtitle 3 data base; the Facilities Index System (FINDS); and the
Toxic Chemical Release Inventory.

I don't mean to throw stones here at EPA, only to point out problems
I've had using some of these databases.  Putting together this sort of
information is certainly an enormous task to try to accomplish.
Hopefully, the situation is improving.  At any rate, one or more of the
data bases I mentioned could contain the type of data you are after, you
just have to check it out and see what the quality of the data is for
your area of interest.

Also, you might check other agencies.  For example, the Oklahoma
Department of Commerce publishes a database (digital or book form) of
businesses in the state, including their SIC code, which tells you what
sort of business they are.  Unfortunately, the only locational data
there is a street/mailing address.  State tax and employment/labor
agencies usually have data bases with SIC codes, too, but their stuff is
usually confidential.

Good luck, I'm interested to see where this discussion leads.

Alan Rea
Hydrologist, US Geological Survey (Water Resources Division)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
ahrea@qvarsa.er.usgs.gov
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU