There are even more cool data tools available to environmental reporters from EPA than those mentioned in the last WatchDog. [2] Here are two more newly revamped or released ones.

TRI-CHIP [3] (Toxics Release Inventory-Chemical Hazard Information Profiles): There are quite a few databases that offer information on the hazards of particular chemicals — but EPA's TRI-CHIP assembles a great deal of toxicity and hazard information from many sources and makes it easy to search. It is a downloadable application that runs on your computer.

TRI.NET [4]: This downloadable app allows you to construct complex queries into the Toxics Release Inventory database, and to map the results in ways that can be used for publishable graphics or layered on maps with other environmental and demographic information. It allows you to define very specific neighborhoods and to pull in data from other EPA information systems.