Data Quality Planning
| Name | Organization | Website | Reach |
| Uniform Federal Policy for Quality Assurance Project Plans – Training Materials | U.S Department of Defense | https://www.epa.gov/fedfac/uniform-federal-policy-quality-assurance-project-plans-training-materials | National |
| Systematic Planning | U.S Department of the Navy | DON Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) | National |
| How EPA Manages the Quality of its Environmental Information | US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) | https://www.epa.gov/quality | National |
| Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans, EPA QA/G-5 | USEPA | https://www.epa.gov/quality/guidance-quality-assurance-project-plans-epa-qag-5 | National |
| Guidance on Systematic Planning Using the Data Quality Objectives Process, EPA QA/G-4 | USEPA | https://www.epa.gov/quality/guidance-systematic-planning-using-data-quality-objectives-process-epa-qag-4 | National |
| Agency-wide Quality Program Documents | USEPA | https://www.epa.gov/quality/agency-wide-quality-program-documents | National |
| Managing the Quality of Environmental Data at EPA Region 1 | USEPA Region 1 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/managing-quality-environmental-data-epa-region-1 | Regional |
| US EPA Region 2 Guidance for the Development of Quality Assurance Project Plans for Environmental Monitoring Projects | USEPA Region 2 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/us-epa-region-2-guidance-development-quality-assurance-project-plans-environmental | Regional |
| EPA Region 3 Quality Assurance Project Plans | USEPA Region 3 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/epa-region-3-quality-assurance-project-plans | Regional |
| Region 4 Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) Tool Box | USEPA Region 4 | https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/region-4-quality-assurance-project-plan-qapp-tool-box | Regional |
| Managing the Quality of Environmental Data at EPA Region 5 | USEPA Region 5 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/managing-quality-environmental-data-epa-region-5 | Regional |
| Managing the Quality of Environmental Data at EPA Region 6 | USEPA Region 6 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/managing-quality-environmental-data-epa-region-6 | Regional |
| Managing the Quality of Environmental Data at EPA Region 7 | USEPA Region 7 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/managing-quality-environmental-data-epa-region-7 | Regional |
| Managing the Quality of Environmental Data at EPA Region 8 | USEPA Region 8 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/managing-quality-environmental-data-epa-region-8 | Regional |
| Region 9 Wetlands Quality Assurance Project Plan Guidance and Template | USEPA Region 9 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/region-9-wetlands-quality-assurance-project-plan-guidance-and-template | Regional |
| Quality Assurance Project Plans for Tribes in Region 10 | USEPA Region 10 | https://www.epa.gov/r10-tribal/quality-assurance-project-plans-tribes-region-10 | Regional |
| Quality Assurance | Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation | https://dec.alaska.gov/water/water-quality/quality-assurance/ | State |
| Quality Assurance Documents | Alaska Division of Air Quality | https://dec.alaska.gov/air/air-monitoring/quality-assurance-plans/ | State |
| Quality Assurance | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection | https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/About/Quality-Assurance | State |
| Data Submission Guidance | Illinois Environmental Protection Agency | https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/water-quality/watershed-management/resource-assessments/Pages/guidance.aspx | State |
| Quality Assurance Project Plan Template Insturctions | Indiana Department of Environmental Management | https://www.in.gov/idem/nps/quality-assurance-project-plan-template-instructions/ | State |
| Quality Assurance Project Plans | Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection | https://www.mass.gov/lists/quality-assurance-project-plans | State |
| Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Quality Assurance Project Plan Guidance | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency | https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/p-eao2-13.pdf | State |
| Underground Storage Tank and Petroleum Remediation Quality Assurance Program Plan | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency | https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/p-eao2-04.pdf | State |
| Toxic Substances Control Act; Polycholrinated Biphenyl Inspection Program; Quality Assurance Program Plan | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency | https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/p-eao2-08.pdf | State |
| Data Quality Management | Missouri Department of Natural Resources | https://dnr.mo.gov/waste-recycling/business-industry/guidance-technical-assistance/data-quality-management | State |
| Quality Assurance Project Plan Technical Guidance | New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection | https://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/guidance/srra/quality_assurrance_project_plan_guidance.pdf | State |
| Quality Assurance and Quality Control of Water Quality Data | New York Department of Environmental Conservation | https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/23850.html | State |
| Quality Assurance Plans | South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control | https://scdhec.gov/quality-assurance-plans | State |
| UST Quality Assurance Program Plan | South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control | https://scdhec.gov/environment/land-waste/underground-storage-tanks/release-assessment-clean/quality-assurance | State |
| Quality Assurance Project Plans for Nonprofit Source Projects | Texas Commission on Environmental Quality | https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/nonpoint-source/nps-qapp | State |
| Quality Assurance and Monitoring Procedures for Surface Water Quality Monitoring | Texas Commission on Environmental Quality | https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/monitoring/swqm_guides.html | State |
| Air Quality Research: Quality Assurance | Texas Commission on Environmental Quality | https://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/airmod/project/quality-assurance | State |
| Texas Risk Reduction Program | Texas Commission on Environmental Quality | https://www.tceq.texas.gov/remediation/trrp/trrp.html | State |
| Guidelines for Preparing Quality Assurance Project Plans for Environmental Studies | Washington State Department of Ecology | https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/documents/0403030.pdf | State |
| Quality Management Plan, 2020 | Washington State Department of Ecology | https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/documents/2003014.pdf | State |
Data Quality Review
| Name | Organization | Website | Reach |
| General Data Validation Guidelines | U.S. Department of Defense | https://denix.osd.mil/edqw/documents/documents/gen-data-validation-rev1/ | National |
| Data Validation Guidelines Module 1: Data Validation Procedure for Organic Analysis by GC/MS | U.S. Department of Defense | https://denix.osd.mil/edqw/documents/documents/module-1/ | National |
| Data Validation Guidelines Module 2: Data Validation Procedure for Metals by ICP-OES | U.S. Department of Defense | https://denix.osd.mil/edqw/documents/documents/module-2/ | National |
| Data Validation Guidelines Module 3: Data Validation Procedure for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Analysis by QSM Table B-15 | U.S. Department of Defense | https://denix.osd.mil/edqw/documents/documents/module-3-data-validation/ | National |
| Data Validation Guidelines Module 4: Data Validation Procedure for Organic Analysis by GC | U.S. Department of Defense | https://denix.osd.mil/edqw/documents/documents/module-4-data-val/ | National |
| Superfund CLP National Functional Guidelines for Data Review | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) | https://www.epa.gov/clp/superfund-clp-national-functional-guidelines-data-review | National |
| Superfund CLP Analytical Services Guidance Documents | USEPA | https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/clp/superfund-analytical-services-guidance-documents_.html | National |
| Guidance on Environmental Data Verification and Data Validation | USEPA | https://www.epa.gov/quality/guidance-environmental-data-verification-and-data-validation | National |
| Environmental Data Review Program Guidance | USEPA Region 1 | https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/documents/r1-dr-program-guidance-june-2018.pdf | Regional |
| Region 2 Quality Assurance Guidance and Standard Operating Procedures | USEPA Region 2 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/region-2-quality-assurance-guidance-and-standard-operating-procedures | Regional |
| EPA Region 3 Data Validation | USEPA Region 3 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/epa-region-3-data-validation | Regional |
| EPA Region 4 Data Validation Standard Operating Procedures for Contract Laboratory Program Routine Analytical Services | USEPA Region 4 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/epa-region-4-data-validation-standard-operating-procedures-contract-laboratory-program | Regional |
| Data Validation & Laboratory Quality Assurance for Region 9 | USEPA Region 9 | https://www.epa.gov/quality/data-validation-laboratory-quality-assurance-region-9 | Regional |
| Conservation Division of Spill Prevention and Response Contaminated Sites Program | Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation | https://dec.alaska.gov/media/18665/quality-assurance-tech-memo-2019.pdf | State |
| Labaratory Data Review Checklist | Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation | https://dec.alaska.gov/media/20872/laboratory-data-review-check-list.docx | State |
| Laboratory Data Review Checklist for Air Samples | Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation | https://dec.alaska.gov/media/22791/laboratory-data-review-check-list-air-samples.docx | State |
| Quality Assurance and Quality Control | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection | https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Remediation–Site-Clean-Up/Guidance/Quality-Assurance-and-Quality-Control | State |
| Data Quality Assessment and Data Usability Evaluation Techincal Guide | New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection | https://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/guidance/srra/data_qual_assess_guidance.pdf | State |
| DER-10, Technical Guidance for Site Investigation and Remediation | New York Department of Environmental Conservation | https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/remediation_hudson_pdf/der10.pdf | State |
| Review and Reporting of COC Concentration Data under TRRP | Texas Commission on Environmental Quality | https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/remediation_hudson_pdf/der10.pdf | State |
Public Communications
| Name | Organization | Website | Notes |
| Federal Enterprise Data Resources | Federal Government | Home | resources.data.gov | Guidance and tools on data management and standards |
| Care Principles | Global Indigenous Data Alliance | CARE principles | Data management and consideration principles for indigenous data |
| Global Indigenous Data Alliance | Global Indigenous Data Alliance | Global Indigenous Data Alliance | Main GIDA website with additional resources |
| Plain Writing Act of 2010 | U.S. Government Publishing Office | Plain Writing Act of 2010 | |
| Plain Language Training | Federal Government | Training | plainlanguage.gov | |
| Plain Language Resources | Federal Government | resources | |
| Plain Language Groups and Organizations | Federal Government | Groups and organizations | plainlanguage.gov | List of groups |
| IT Accessibility Laws and Policies | Federal Government | IT Accessibility Laws and Policies | Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 |
| Making the Web Accessible | W3C | Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) website | Additional reading and resources for web accessibility |
| Create Accessible Documents | Federal Government | Create Accessible Documents | Section508.gov | Guidance on making documents accessible for the web |
| The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship | Scientific Data Journal | The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship | Scientific Data (nature.com) | |
| Enabling FAIR Data Project | COPDESS | Enabling FAIR Data Project – COPDESS | |
| Go FAIR Initiative | GOFAIR | GO FAIR Initiative | Hosts forums, festivals, and builds community to implement FAIR data principles |
| ITRC’s Risk Communication Toolkit | ITRC | Risk Communication Toolkit | Risk communication guidance by ITRC |
| The SALT Framework | USEPA | The SALT Framework | US EPA | Risk communication guidance from USEPA |
| Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Toolkit | CA Department of Public Health | Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Toolkit | Risk communication guidance from CA Dept of Health |
| AirNow | USEPA | AirNow | Houses U.S. air quality index |
| CA Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 | CA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment | CalEnviroScreen 4.0 | OEHHA | Screening methodology to help identify communities that are disproportionately burdened by multiple sources of pollution |
| My Water Quality – Is it safe to swim in our waters? | State of CA | CA Safe to Swim | Real-time monitoring for coastal water quality |
| GeoTracker | CA State Water Resources Control Board | GeoTracker | Data mangement system and interactive map service for sites that impact or have the potential to impact water quality in CA with an emphasis on groundwater |
| IQAir | IQAir | IQAir | Global air quality awareness with international partnerships |
| Purple Air | Purple Air | Purple Air | Citizen science real-time air quality monitoring network |
| EIM – Environmental Information Management Database | State of Washington Department of Ecology | Washington EIM | Environmental data management system for state of Washington that contains environmental monitoring data collected by state scientists and partners |
| U.S. Governments’s open data portal | Federal Government | Data.gov | Open data portal for the US |
| Digital Civic Engagement for Government | Granicus | Granicus | Service for governments to send digital communications to citizens |
| Reilly Tar & Chemical Superfund Site Community Involvement Plan | USEPA | Reilly Tar and Chemical Superfund Site Community Involvement Plan | Example community engagement plan |
| CA Tribal Relations Program | CA Environmental Protection Agency | California Native American Tribal Relations | CalEPA | List of tribal consultation policies from multiple CA agencies |
| What is a User Story | Visual Paradigm | Visual Paradigm | Information on user stories and how to create and use them |
Data Exchange and Valid Values
| Name | Category | Organization | Website | Notes | Reach |
| USEPA Water Quality Exchange (WQX) Domain Values | EDMS, Federal | US Enviromental Protection Agency (USEPA) | https://www.epa.gov/waterdata/storage-and-retrieval-and-water-quality-exchange-domain-services-and-downloads | Valid values lookup. | National |
| EPA Superfund: Electronic Data Submission for Multi-Regions, EDD | EDMS, Federal | US Enviromental Protection Agency (USEPA) | https://www.epa.gov/superfund/epa-superfund-electronic-data-submission-multi-regions-edd | EDD guidance. | National |
| EPA Data Standards | EDMS, Federal | US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as part of the Environmental Data Standards Council (EDSC) | https://www.epa.gov/data-standards | EPA data standards for consistently defined and formatted data elements and sets of data values | National |
| CalEPA Environmental Data Exchange Network (CEDEN) Lookup Lists | EDMS, State | California Enviromental Protection Agency (CalEPA) | http://ceden.org/CEDEN_Checker/Checker/LookUpLists.php | Valid values lookup; good for some methods | State |
| California SWRCB GeoTracker Search for Valid Values | EDMS, State | California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/searchvvl.asp | Valid values lookup lists. | State |
| California SWRCB GeoTracker Electronic Submittal of Information | EDMS, State | California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/ust/electronic_submittal/index.html | EDD guidance. | State |
| Delaware DNREC EQuIS Data Processor (EDP) Format | EDMS, State | Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) | https://earthsoft.com/products/edp/edp-format-for-dnrec/ | EDD and valid value guidance. | State |
| Maine Environmental and Geographic Analysis Database (EGAD) | EDMS, State | Maine Department of Envirmental Protection | https://www.maine.gov/dep/maps-data/egad/ | EDD and valid value guidance. | |
| New York State DEC EQuIS Data Processor (EDP) Format | EDMS, State | New York State Department of Enviromental Conservation (DEC) | https://earthsoft.com/products/edp/edp-format-for-nysdec/ | EDD and valid value guidance. | State |
| Washington Ecology Environmental Information Management System (EIM) Help Center | EDMS, State | Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) | https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/eim/help/ | EDD guidance; Valid value lookup for bigger lists, see template help for shorter lists | State |
| Washington Ecology Accredited Labs | Labs | Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) | https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/laboratorysearch/Default.aspx | Shows accredited labs and what they are accredited for. Current accreditation only. | State |
| National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI) | Methods | National Water Quality Monitoring Council, US Geological Survey (USGS), USEPA | https://www.nemi.gov/ | Great resource, but sometimes does not have current methods because they have to be “approved” first. Does not have historical methods. | National |
| SGS-AXYS Analytical Services | Methods | SGS-AXYS Analytical Services | https://www.sgsaxys.com/ | We use many of their develomental methods for emerging contaminants. Message lab for method info, or talk to project manager. | Canada |
| Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater | Methods | American Public Health Association (APHA), American Water Works Association (AWWA), and Water Environment Federation (WEF) | https://www.standardmethods.org/ | Requires account to access. Good if you need to look at actual method. | National |
| USEPA Hazardous Waste Test Methods (SW-846) | Methods | USEPA | https://www.epa.gov/hw-sw846 | Useful Methods Status Table (for versioning) that’s buried in the site, so linked here. | National |
| ASTM International Standards | Methods | ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA | https://www.astm.org/ | Good for determining versioning on standards. | Global |
| USEPA Environmental Measurement Collection of Methods | Methods | USEPA | https://www.epa.gov/measurements/collection-methods | Not searchable, but straight from the source. | National |
| The NELAC Institute (TNI) Laboratory Accreditation Management System (LAMS) | Methods/Parameters | The NELAC Institute (TNI) | http://lams.nelac-institute.org/ | TNI codes for accreditation. | National |
| USEPA Selected Analytical Methods for Environmental Remediation and Recovery (SAM) | Methods | USEPA | https://www.epa.gov/homeland-security-research/sam | Good compilation of methods from different sources. | National |
| HACH company USEPA compliant methods | Methods | HACH Company, Loveland CO | https://www.hach.com/epa | Cross-walk of HACH methods to USEPA methods (so the USEPA method can be reported instead of an instrument model). | National |
| USEPA Substance Registry Services (SRS) | Parameters | USEPA | https://ofmpub.epa.gov/sor_internet/registry/substreg/ | Try to use this when possible. Sometimes it does not have parameters, especially for emergent chemicals. | National |
| USEPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard | Parameters | USEPA | https://comptox.epa.gov/dashboard/ | Compilation of toxicology info sourced from many sites, databases, and sources, including US federal and state sources and international bodies. Not reviewed by USEPA. | National |
| CAS Scifinder | Parameters | American Chemical Society | https://www.cas.org/products/scifinder | Complete CAS registry. Paid resource that needs a license. Expensive. | National |
| CAS Common Chemistry | Parameters | American Chemical Society | https://commonchemistry.cas.org/ | Free resource. | |
| PAN Pesticide Database | Parameters | Pesticide Action Network (nonprofit) | http://www.pesticideinfo.org/ | Good for pesticides. | National |
| NIH PubChem | Parameters | National Institutes of Health (NIH) | https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ | This is a go-to after USEPA SRS. In fact, it might be better. | National |
| USGS Parameter Codes | Parameters | USGS | https://help.waterdata.usgs.gov/codes-and-parameters/parameters | Methods and units combined with parameters. | National |
| CHEMINDEX | Parameters | Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety | http://ccinfoweb.ccohs.ca/chemindex/search.html | Canada | |
| NIST Chemistry Workbook | Parameters | National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at US Department of Commerce | https://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry/ | National | |
| NIH ChemIDplus | Parameters | National Institutes of Health (NIH) | https://chem.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/chemidlite.jsp | National | |
| Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) | Taxa | Partnership of Federal agencies (USGS, USEPA, NOAA, etc.) | https://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html | Supposed to be the go-to resource for US, but is often not up to date. | National |
| Washington Flora Checklist | Taxa | University of Washington Herbarium | http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/waflora/checklist.php | For plants. More updated than ITIS. Has a name checker. | Regional |
| World Registry of Marine Species (WoRMS) | Taxa | Multi-organization/country. Based at Flanders Marine Institute, Belgium | http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php | Great resource. Incorporates many other databases like DiatomBase. Seems ahead of some US sources. Good comparison tool. | Global |
| AlgaeBase | Taxa | Multi-organization/country. Based in Galway, Ireland. | http://www.algaebase.org/ | Good for algae. | Global |
| USGS BioData Taxonomic System | Taxa | USGS | https://my.usgs.gov/confluence/display/biodata/BioData+Taxonomy+Downloads | Downloads only. USEPA is big on this for WQX. | National |
| USDA PLANTS Database | Taxa | USDA National Resources Conservation Service | https://plants.usda.gov/ | Good for plants | National |
| SCAMIT Taxonomic Database Tool | Taxa | Southern California Association of Marine Invertebrate Taxonomists | http://data.sccwrp.org/scamit/index.php | Pseudo searchable. Good for regional invertebrates. | Regional |
| Catalogue of Life | Taxa | Multi-organization/country | https://www.catalogueoflife.org/ | Draws from a number of sources like ITIS. Better to use the sources themselves. Has a monthly search and annual checklist. | Global |
| University of Michigan Diatom Taxonomic References | Taxa | University of Michigan | http://umich.edu/~phytolab/GreatLakesDiatomHomePage/references/references.html | References only | National |
| USGS Diatoms and non-diatoms (soft-algae) | Taxa | USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program, EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS), and Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University (ANS). | https://diatom.ansp.org/Taxa.aspx | Good for diatoms. Lists only, not up to date (2011). Shows NADED IDs. | National |
| Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) | Taxa | Multi-organization/country | http://www.eol.org/ | Draws from a variety of sources. Better to use the sources themselves. | Global |
| Encyclopedia of Puget Sound (Washington) | Taxa | Puget Sound Institute at University of Washington | https://www.eopugetsound.org/species | Regional | |
| FishBase | Taxa | Multi-organization/country. Based in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines | http://www.fishbase.org/search.php | Global | |
| MolluscaBase | Taxa | Multi-orginization/country. Based at Flanders Marine Institute, Belgium | http://www.molluscabase.org/ | Global | |
| Northwest Standard Taxonomic Effort (NWSTE) | Taxa | Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership (PNAMP) | https://www.pnamp.org/project/northwest-standard-taxonomic-effort | Excel list. Out of date. | Regional |
Geospatial Data
| Name | Organization | Website |
| Spatial Data Collection Standards | Indiana Department of Environmental Management | https://www.in.gov/idem/resources/publications/spatial-data-collection-standards/ |
| Information Systems / Resources / Standards | North Dakota Information Technology | https://www.gis.nd.gov/standards |
| Geographic Information Systems (GIS) | Washington Department of Ecology | https://ecology.wa.gov/Research-Data/Data-resources/Geographic-Information-Systems-GIS |
| Spatial Data | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency | https://www.pca.state.mn.us/data/spatial-data |
