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Questions About the Chesapeake Bay Map
Progress on enforcement
Locate cases in Chesapake Bay area
- What information does this map display?
- What are the limitations of interactive maps?
- What do the maps allow me to do?
- Why do some of the markers on the map have plus signs inside them?
- How can I get additional information on particular enforcement case and facility?
- I do not know the location of an environmental enforcement action taken but I know the name of the company or facility impacted, can I find information on this particular action?
- When reviewing a particular environmental enforcement action, why does the information provided in the ECHO Case Report sometimes differ from the EPA Press Release?
1. What information does this map display?
The interactive map provided shows facilities within the Chesapeake Bay airshed and watershed where the EPA concluded an environmental enforcement action between since January 2009. There may be delays between when an action is taken and the time it is entered into EPA's database, so recent actions may not yet be reflected on this map. This map does not show environmental enforcement actions taken by state or local environmental agencies.
2. What are the limitations of interactive maps?
Interactive mapping tools are a challenge for accessibility due to the inherent visual aspects of mapping. These maps cannot be made fully accessible under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended in 1998). If a person needs accommodations due to a disability, additional assistance is available in obtaining information on the environmental enforcement actions taken at the facilities shown on these interactive maps. Individuals, who may need information not accessible to them, can contact Allison Donohue for assistance by email (donohue.allison@epa.gov).
3. What do the maps allow me to do?
The maps allow the user to navigate across the Chesapeake Bay and to zoom in and out of places of interest. If you have an interest in a specific location, we recommend that you zoom into the location a few times. After you zoom in, the facility location indicator will change from a dot to a flag and you will be able to click on the indicator to obtain additional information on the environmental enforcement case and the facility.
4. Why do some of the markers on the map have plus signs inside them?
Sometimes the EPA takes an environmental enforcement action that impacts more than one facility. Facilities impacted by a multiple facility environmental enforcement action have a plus sign inside the location indicator marker.
5. How can I get additional information on particular enforcement case and facility?
- The first item is a link allowing you to access the Enforcement Compliance History Online (ECHO) case report for the particular enforcement case and facility. The ECHO case report includes a case summary, penalty amounts, laws violated, facilities affected, any pollutants reduced, and complying actions required.
- The second item indicates the laws associated with the enforcement action.
- The third item is a link called “More Information” and is available for some facilities that have a press release or a case highlight in the annual results Web site. It will be gray if no additional information is available.
- The fourth item is a link called “FRS ID:” You can obtain additional information on the facility impacted by the enforcement action from the ECHO Detailed Facility Report. The ECHO facility report includes histories of inspections, enforcement actions, and chemical releases, as well as a demographic profile of the surrounding area.
- The fifth item is a link called "Multi-Facility" and will be present only for location indicators with a plus sign inside them. The "Multi-Facility" link allows you to open an additional map and view the location of all the facilities associated with the multi-facility case selected.
6. I do not know the location of an environmental enforcement action taken but I know the name of the company or facility impacted, can I find information on this particular action?
You can search for an EPA enforcement action using an enforcement action name or facility name by going to the Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) and searching under the “EPA Enforcement Cases Search” on the left side bar. ECHO is available at http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo.
7. When reviewing a particular environmental enforcement action, why does the information provided in the ECHO Case Report sometimes differ from the EPA Press Release?
The information reported for an environmental enforcement action may vary based on when the information was provided for the press release and when data was refreshed in ECHO. ECHO Case Reports are not updated on a daily basis; and therefore, at a given time, the information may not match exactly.