Environmental Progress - Spring 1997

Illinois EPA On-Line Internet Presence Grows

Visit us at "http://www.epa.state.il.us/".

An ever-expanding world of information about the Illinois EPA and environmental issues is available on the agency's home page on the World Wide Web. From site-specific data on contaminated land and watershed conditions to enhanced on-line versions of agency publications, the Illinois EPA is expanding its presence on the Internet.

More than 22,000 visits have been made to the site since it was first launched in July 1995 at the easy-to-remember address of "http://www.epa.state.il.us/". In recent months, the amount of information available electronically has grown substantially.

Among recent additions are the Site Environmental Information Data System. Users can obtain a list and maps of sites for each county and click on for more detailed information under a variety of permit and regulatory programs, including leaking underground storage tanks. Within Cook County, a site can be accessed via zip code. More information will be added in the future for the Bureau of Land project, making the system a useful tool for redeveloping contaminated sites and for the public to check on the progress of cleanups. The Bureau's Solid Waste Section also now has detailed information available on-line ranging from permit and fee requirements to reports on landfill capacity, recycling suggestions, household hazardous waste disposal and other topics.

Citizens can use the web site to check on water quality for major rivers and lakes in the state under a comprehensive watershed inventory program undertaken by the Bureau of Water.

The Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program in the Bureau of Air has information on tailpipe testing requirements and maps and operating hours for all of the testing stations now on the web site.

A wealth of information on the Clean Break program that reaches out to small business, as well as the agency's small business ombudsman, is provided. Of particular interest to small business operators are the "plain language" guides on air, water, and land permits.

College students interested in the summer Governors Environmental Corps internships for the first time this spring could download all the application forms directly from t he Internet, as well as useful information.

Visitors to the Illinois EPA home page can check on agency news releases and notices of public hearings.

The latest issues of Environmental Progress are on the site, including "links" to the Internet home pages of other agencies, organizations or firms cited in the articles. Partners Update, the newsletter for the Partners in Pollution Prevention, is also on the site, with further information on pollution prevention planned in the near future.

Coming attractions in the short term include a quick reference guide to Illinois EPA experts on hundreds of subjects, and an Envirofun kids page.

Visitors to the site can use it to directly e-mail the agency with questions and comments and get a return electronic response. Among the comments always welcome are suggestions on how to improve the site and make more useful information readily available.