RRT - Aug 2011
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The Essentials of Data Management
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Data Acquisition, Management and Dissemination
Scribe
Field Data Collection (Mobile GIS)
Case Studies
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Deepwater Horizon
Minot ND Floods
Environmental Response Team
RRT - Aug 2011

The Essentials of Data Management

Data Acquisition, Management and
Dissemination
Environmental Response Team
Goals
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Translate field work into electronic data, not
reports!
Facilitate data capture and input
Ease the burden of paper trail
Consistent data management practices
Consistent data dissemination
Environmental Response Team
Planning Phase
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Develop a Data Management Plan (DMP)
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Data Stream Analysis
Evaluate Data Capture Tools
Define Data Elements
Data Quality Objectives
Environmental Response Team
On-site information workflow
can range from the simple…
Scribe
MySite.MDB
XRF Soil Monitoring
Environmental Response Team
to the Complex…
Environmental Response Team
Data Collection Tools
Environmental Response Team
Data Elements
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Every piece of information you are capturing
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May be more than you realize
Information about a sample
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Location ID
Matrix
Date / Time
Units
Equipment type
Calibration information
etc…
Data Quality Objectives
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AKA: “ Reporting Requirements”
Make sure the information you are capturing can
satisfy required reports and possibly future
requests
May force you to re-evaluate your data elements
and possibly your collection tools
Environmental Response Team
RRT - Aug 2011
Scribe
Environmental Response Team
What is Scribe?
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Desktop application (MS Access)
Provide an environmental database that is easy
enough to use so people “who aren’t database
people” can use it
Manage the entire life cycle of a project
EPA Response Data Standard

Required by START contracts and Management
Directives
Environmental Response Team
Why Use Scribe?
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Flexibility and Functionality
Data Integration
Customizable
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Queries
Import Scripts
Layouts
Project Templates
Site Transition
Deliverable
Environmental Response Team
Data Communication
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When the scope of a job increases and the complexity level
goes up, one local database is often not able to support the
needs of the project
Geographic or functional separation
Maintain local control over a dataset but be able to deliver
it, so it can be incorporated into the larger project data
Scribe.NET allows you to maintain multiple projects for the
same site and then join that data in a master subscription
A good way to accommodate multiple agencies, contractors
or roles on a large project
Environmental Response Team
Environmental Response Team
Then the actual work
begins...
Process
Collect
•Initial QAdecision
•Primary
•Publish
No
matter
tothe tool,
support
•Import
Scribe.NET
the
data Data
needs to be
•Queries
in
an electronic
•Generate
•GIS
format suitable for
•Spatial analysis(i.e.
Documentation
•Reports
Scribe
Labels and COCs)
REPEAT
Analyze
Environmental Response Team
Communicate
Publish
Data Communication
Using Scribe.Net
Scribe.NET
Subscribe
Client
Enterprise
Publish
Subscribe
Multiple-Project
Publication Model
Sampling
Analytical
Scribe.NET
Client
/ GIS
Enterprise
/ Google
Earth
RRT - Aug 2011
Field Data Collection
(Mobile GIS)
Environmental Response Team
Field Data Collection
(Mobile GIS)
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ArcGIS mobile application configurable to an Agency’s
ArcGIS server
View and navigate mobile maps
Collect, edit, and update field data in real time and
disseminate information immediately
Allows customization for specific field tasks or projects
Integrate seamlessly into current workflows
Integrate external hardware (range finder, camera, GPS)
Environmental Response Team
Field Data Collection
(Mobile GIS)
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Mobile GIS allows the field user to
connect directly to a server environment
to access the latest information as needed
Mobile GIS also allows a preset/defined
environment to be set up in advance
Depending on the workflow or defined
field task, the user has the ability to
conduct some predefined jobs
RRT - Aug 2011
Case Studies

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Deepwater Horizon
Minot, ND floods
Environmental Response Team
Deepwater Horizon
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First Mission: Manage EPA Data
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Ensured consistency between EPA Regions (4 and 6)
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Created an EPA DMP
Coordinated field data management centers
Published combined EPA dataset on a daily basis
Ensured delivery of EPA data to local and enterprise
users
Liaison between field data
management and EPA HQ
Environmental Response Team
Deepwater Horizon
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Second Mission: Manage All Response Data
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Initial success put EPA in leadership role
Established unified approach to data management
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Unified DMP
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Served as SSCs to in both Houma and Mobile
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Provided leadership and support to
initiatives monitoring dispersant use
and characterizing sub-surface
plumes
Ensured access to non-EPA data
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Environmental Response Team
Monitoring and
Sampling Activities
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Air Monitoring
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AreaRAE
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Surface Water
Sediment
Air
Weathered Oil / Tar Balls
Waste
Sampling
DataRAM
EBAM
Multi-media Sampling
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AreaRAE
MultiRAE
DataRAM
EBAM
Fluorometer
Monitoring
MultiRAE
Fluorometer
TAGA Bus
ASPECT
Real-time Mobile Monitoring
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Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer
(TAGA) bus
Airborne Spectral Environmental
Collection Technology System
(ASPECT) Plane
Summa Canister
(Air Sample)
Source: AreaRAE: (http://www.raesystems.com/)
DataRAM: (http://www.environmental-expert.com/)
SUMMA Canister (http://www.orbitingscientific.com/)
EBAM: (http://www.geneq.com)
TAGA Bus (http://www.epa.gov/)
ASPECT: (http://www.epa.gov/)
Screening and Analytical
EPA and BP (CTEH) Operations
 Real-time Air Monitoring
 CO, H2S, O2, PM10, PM2.5, SO2, Benzene
 Volatile Organic Compoundstotal (VOCs)
 Sampling Analytical Results
 Air
 VOCs, Semi Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOC), H2S
 Sediment and Surface Water
 Mercury, Metals, PCB, Pesticides, VOCs, SVOCs, Dispersant
 Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) for Gas Range Organics (GRO)
 TPH for Diesel Range Organics (DRO) and Oil Range Organics (ORO)
 Toxicity
 Waste
 TCLP for VOC , SVOC and Metals, ignitability, Paint Filter
 Tarballs
 PAHs, Fingerprinting, TPH (DRO,ORO,GRO)
 Real-time Mobile Air Monitoring TAGA bus
 VOCs
 Benzene, Toluene, Xylene
 Organic Dispersants
 2-Butoxyethanol , 1-(2-Butoxy-1-Methylethoxy)-2-Propanol
Screening and Analytical
Continued…
ADEM Operations
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Real-Time Air Monitoring
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FDEP Operations
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None
Sampling Events and Analytical Results
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Air
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None
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Surface and Subsurface Water
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None
Sampling Events and Analytical Results
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Air
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Real-Time Air Monitoring
None
Surface Water
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VOCs, SVOCs, TPH for ORO, Metals
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PAHs, TRPH, Metals (Nickel and
Vanadium only), VOCs
Sediment
•
NPS Operations
MDEQ Operations
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Real-Time Air Monitoring
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Air
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None
Surface Water
•
TPH for ORO, VOCs
None
None
Sampling Events and Analytical Results
None
Sediment
•
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Surface Water
•
Real-Time Air Monitoring
•
Air
•
•
•
None
Sampling Events and Analytical Results
PAHs, TRPH
TPH for PRO, VOCs
Sediment
•
None
Data Management Flow
Data Acquisition and
Quality Assurance
Data Management
and Consolidation
Data
Dissemination
ADEM
ERMA
Scribe.NET
Area
Command
FDEP
EPA Google
Earth
Application
MDEQ
Geodatabase
SMU
Public Health
Task Force
Deliverables
GIS Products
Data tables
Available for
distribution within
Unified Command
Available through
subscription to
Scribe.NET
Google
Earth
Available through
EPA.GOV/BPspill
Conclusions
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Get trained and experienced people integrated
early
Develop, maintain and enforce Data
Management Plans
Develop a Regional / National approach to
Data Acquisition, Management and
Dissemination
Continue to build the relationships within the
response community
Environmental Response Team
Minot, ND Floods
Minot, ND Floods
In late June 2011 the Souris River overtopped its banks causing extensive
flooding in Ward and McHenry Counties in North Dakota.
In Minot, ND over 4000 homes and businesses were inundated with flood
waters, with over 2000 structures completely submerged.
FEMA issued a Mission Assignment to EPA to accomplish four
objectives:
 Remove household hazardous wastes from the impacted area;
 Decontaminate and prepare white goods and e-waste for recycling;
 Collect and process orphan containers; and
 Conduct environmental monitoring and sampling in impacted and
work areas.
EPA Mission Assignment
Household hazardous waste removal
Collect and process orphan containers
White goods and e-waste recycling
Environmental monitoring and sampling
Data Collection Methods
Logbook
 Chronological data entry.
 Time-consuming for
large amounts of data.
 Data type consistency
is not guaranteed.
 Conversion to database,
and post-processing is
required.
Site Specific Field Sheet
 Designed to record
specific data for a site.
 Narrows down data
requirements and domains.
 Data entry to a database
and quality check required.
 Data entry errors may
occur during transcription.
Electronic Field Sheet
 Custom data collection
form, does not require data
post-processing.
 Data manager compiles
forms and converts data to
tabulated format.
 Requires manual
association with site photos.
Field Assessment
Mobile Application
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Tool currently in use at Minot, ND to
collect information on:
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Household hazardous waste
Orphaned containers / Spills
Vermiculite insulation
Configured as a series of electronic data
collection forms for the Windows Mobile
operating system.
Automatically associates location data, site
photos, and assessment information.
Reduces data entry and post-processing.
Eases data integration with other databases.
Allows quick data dissemination over the
Internet through synchronization.
Data Collection Process
Launch mobile
assessment
application
Enter additional
container information
and inspection data
Obtain coordinates
from GPS and
confirm location
Take pictures with
device camera and
attach to assessment
Select one of the
choices and begin
the assessment
Add assessment
comments as
necessary
Enter user
information and
select container type
Review data
summary and finish
location assessment
Enter number of
containers and
accessibility details
Synchronize
assessments to
ArcGIS server
Data Synchronization
When an assessment
is completed, the data
collected is stored in
the handheld device
as a series of XML
files. These files are
stored in the
“Assessments”
directory.
The device must
be connected to
the Wireless
Network (Wifi) or
Phone Network in
order to transfer
the assessment
files to the ArcGIS
server.
Once the network
connection is
established, the
assessments can
be selected and
synchronized
clicking on “Sync”.
When the
assessments
synchronize, they
are no longer
visible at the
Assessment Sync
screen and they
are moved to the
“History” directory.
Data Dissemination
After synchronization is completed, assessment data can be
accessed online through a web mapping application.
Web Mapping Application
Click on “Identify”
to
review the assessment data table.
View associated media by
clicking on URL link.
Click on “Print”
to create
custom maps from viewer.
Data Collaboration
Assessment data collected by field teams
and synchronized through network.
Includes assessments for:
• Orphaned containers
• Household hazardous waste
• Vermiculite
Viper data feed pushed directly to web
mapping application. Includes sensor
readings for:
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
• Particulate Matter (PM)
Asbestos analytical results obtained
through Scribe. Working on data feed
collaboration. Includes results for:
• Asbestos PCM (NIOSH 7400)
• Asbestos PCME (NIOSH 7402)
Next Steps
Configure mobile application to
receive real-time assessment
updates, allowing users current
data viewing capability.
Incorporate Scribe.Net data feed
for analytical results into viewer.
Allow assessment status update
through handheld device.
RRT - Aug 2011
Questions?
Randy Nattis
Nattis.Randy@epa.gov
404.229.9499
Environmental Response Team