Important Web Links

Link Categories

• Agencies, Vendors, Testing Companies
• Certifications and Permits
• Energy and Fuel Topics
• Environment, Climate, and Global Warming
• General Public Services
• Health and Air Quality
• Toxics Air-born
• Federal Government Links
• State Government Links
• EPA Email Distribution Lists

Agencies, Vendors, Testing Companies^ 

• Asbestos
  Environmental Protection Agency web site with information on Asbestos. This includes general information, family protection, school buildings, building owners, cleanup sites, and asbestos professionals.
   
• Business Assistance - SWCAA
  SWCAA provides free, non-regulatory assistance to businesses seeking to comply with clean air requirements. Find contractors and consultants, permitting guidance, emission inventory information, EPA, and other important resources.
   
• Clean Cities Coalition
  Clean Cities advances the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to reduce petroleum consumption in transportation. A national network of nearly 100 Clean Cities coalitions brings together stakeholders in the public and private sectors to deploy alternative and renewable fuels, idle-reduction measures, fuel economy improvements, and emerging transportation technologies
   
• Department of Natural Resources County Fire Danger Rating
  Find out about the fire danger rating system and current fire danger status in your county in the state of Washington.
   
• EPA EMPACT
  Ozone, when it occurs at ground level, presents a serious air quality problem in many parts of the United States. Ozone is a major ingredient of smog, and when inhaled - even at very low levels - can cause a number of respiratory health effects. People who live in communities with high ozone levels can use timely and accurate information to make informed decisions about how to protect their health from ozone exposure and when to take actions to reduce local ozone levels.
   
• EPA Environmental Protection Agency
  The Environmental Protection Agency provides the governance of protecting our environmental resources. These include taking action on climate change, improving air quality, assuring the safety of chemicals, cleaning up our communities, protecting America's waters, expanding conservation, working for environmental justice, and building strong state and tribal partnerships.
   
• EPA Office of Solid Waste
  Nearly everything we do leaves behind some kind of waste. Households create ordinary garbage while industrial and manufacturing processes create solid and hazardous waste. EPA regulates all this waste and it's goals are to protect us from the hazards of waste disposal; conserve energy and natural resources by recycling and recovery; reduce or eliminate waste; clean up waste which may have spilled, leaked, or been improperly disposed.
   
• EPA Office of Water
  EPA's comprehensive authority on water. Topics include drinking water, education, grants, laws and regulations, water pollution, resources, science and technology, water infrastructure, and water news.
   
• EPA Online Library System (OLS)
  The EPA National Library Network is composed of libraries and repositories located in the Agency's Headquarters, regional and field offices, research centers, and specialized laboratories, as well as web-based access to electronic collections. The combined network contains information on: environmental protection and management; basic sciences such as biology and chemistry; applied sciences such as engineering and toxicology; and extensive coverage of topics featured in legislative mandates.
   
• Federal Small Business Assistance Program
  Resources for small businesses on environmental information, assistance and technical help, environmental consultants, regulations and laws, saving and finding funds.
   
• Government Printing Office (GPO)
  Obtain current documents and information on congressional legislation, laws, courts, reports, and publications.
  This site also contains press releases and other U.S. Governmental data.
   
• National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA)
  The National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA, formerly STAPPA/ALAPCO) welcomes you to Clean Air World. Use this web site to learn about air pollution, find the latest news and information on important air topics and link to governmental air pollution control agencies around the world.
   
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  With the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act of 1970, Congress created OSHA to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women but setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, education and assistance. This site provides comprehensive information for workers, employers, regulations, enforcement, data and statistics, training, publications and the latest safety news.
   
• Other Air Quality Agencies in Washington
  Air quality in most areas of Washington State is protected by local clean air agencies, which are listed on this site. Tribes protect and have authority over their tribal lands. Ecology's regional offices have authority in all other areas. Find the agency you need for your area.
   
• Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center
  Pollution prevention (P2) means reducing or eliminating the volume or toxicity of materials, pollutants or wastes at the source so that they never become an air, land, or water waste stream in the first place. P2 is a proactive approach to environmental management. Its not the same as pollution control or waste management, which is managing pollution at the "end of the pipe". Pollution prevention has wide-ranging environmental and economic benefits, because it gets at the waste and inefficiencies that are the root causes of pollution.
   
• Southwest Washington Fire Prevention Council
  The Southwest Washington Fire Prevention Council is a group of agencies, businesses and private individuals with a common goal: To prevent unwanted fires in the communities of Southwest Washington through prevention, education and teamwork. The counciil has pulled together a whole lot of fire safety information that you and your family need to be fire safe at home and in the wildlands. We invite you to peruse our site for interesting stuff on outdoor burning, fireworks, camping, spark arrestors, smoke alarms, escape plans, chimney fire safety, and much more.
   
• Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council (RTC)
  The Regional Transportation Council is designed to encourage and promote the development of a balanced, efficient and affordable regional transportation system to meet the mobility needs of people and goods, within and through this region, and minimize transportation-related air pollution.
   
• Washington State Department of Ecology
  Quality of life is a big concept. It encompasses our communities and families, our economy and businesses, and our unsurpassed natural environment. All three dimensions are interconnected and interdependent. When all three are healthy, Washingtonians thrive. Find information on water, air, waste, cleanup, toxic hazards and living green.
   
• Washington State Department of Health
  The Washington State Department of Health is concerned about you and your family, the community and evnvironment, data and statistical reporting, emergencies, licensing, and the general public health and healthcare providers.
   

Certifications and Permits^ 

• Applications and Permits - SWCAA
  Find permit applications, small unit notifications, asbestos, rules and regulations, outdoor burning, hazardous and toxic air pollutants and miscellaneous information on our Southwest Clean Air Agency forms and applications page.
   
• Environmental Permit Clearing House
  Operating permits are legally enforceable documents that permitting authorities issue to air pollution sources after the source has begun to operate. This Web site discusses the kind of operating permit (called a title V operating permit) that most large sources and some smaller sources of air pollution are required to obtain. This requirement comes from Title V of the Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990.
   
• North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
  The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy.
   
• Permit Assistance Center
  This site is the place to visit for help in understanding environmental permitting; government regulations; and getting your small business up and running. Topics include environmental permitting assistance, small business assistance and regulatory improvements for the State of Washington.
   
• Permit Handbook
  This document is currently not available.
   
• Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Substances
  This Department of Ecology web site explains PBTs. Included on the site are the rules, chemicals and publications of interest.
   

Energy and Fuel Topics^ 

• Alternative Fuels
  Clean Cities advances the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to reduce petroleum consumption in transportation. A national network of nearly 100 Clean Cities coalitions brings together stakeholders in the public and private sectors to deploy alternative and renewable fuels, idle-reduction measures, fuel economy improvements, and emerging transportation technologies.
   
• Clean Air Tips - SWCAA
  Previously displayed Clean Air Tips from the SWCAA web site. These tips provide you with information on how you can support a positive environmental impact.
   
• Energy Efficient Homes
  Your home is your castle, and can often be an expensive place to maintain. Energy consumption is at an all-time high in the United States, and a large portion of our carbon footprint is related to home energy consumption. Fortunately, this negative impact can be counteracted by the use of energy efficient appliances, better ways to heat and cool the home, new insulation methods, and other essential products designed to use less energy.
   
• Environmental Defense Fund Score Card
  Get an in-depth pollution report for your county, covering air, water, chemicals, and more. Scorecard is the world's largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of consumer products. Here you can find products that are healthy, green and socially responsible.
   
• Environmental Quality, Status, and Trends
  Find information on all environmental issues from this index.
   
• L.E.D. Technology News
  Light-emitting diode (LED) technology is advancing rapidly, leaving other energy-efficient lighting technology in the dust. Future LED bulbs will cost less, consume less energy, last longer, and do much more than illuminate your home. The LEDs of the future will be able to create lights in multiple colors, stream music, and communicate alerts and data. You do not have to wait much longer to experience this technology, the web site linked here reviews eight LED bulbs lighting the way to a brighter, healthier and more convenient future.
   
• Washington State Schools EarthGen Program
  EarthGen equips youth to grow their power as changemakers for a healthy environment. Through EarthGen’s science-based, action-oriented programs, young people gain the knowledge, skills, and experience they need to become leaders for climate solutions and environmental justice.
   

Environment, Climate, and Global Warming^ 

• Climate Change - EPA
  Learn more about how our climate is changing. EPA's updated Climate Change Indicators in the United States report presents evidence that climate change is already affecting our atmosphere, weather, oceans, ecosystems, and society.
   
• Environmental Permit Clearing House
  Operating permits are legally enforceable documents that permitting authorities issue to air pollution sources after the source has begun to operate. This Web site discusses the kind of operating permit (called a title V operating permit) that most large sources and some smaller sources of air pollution are required to obtain. This requirement comes from Title V of the Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990.
   
• Environmental Quality, Status, and Trends
  Find information on all environmental issues from this index.
   
• EPA Environmental Protection Agency
  The Environmental Protection Agency provides the governance of protecting our environmental resources. These include taking action on climate change, improving air quality, assuring the safety of chemicals, cleaning up our communities, protecting America's waters, expanding conservation, working for environmental justice, and building strong state and tribal partnerships.
   
• Focus The Nation
  Focus the Nation is the country's leading clean energy youth empowerment organization. Since 2008, we have helped more than 300,000 young people embrace the challenges, excitement and realities of moving their communities toward clean energy solutions.
   
• Global Warming - EPA
  Learn more about how our climate is changing. EPA's updated Climate Change Indicators in the United States report presents evidence that climate change is already affecting our atmosphere, weather, oceans, ecosystems, and society.
   
• NASAs Global Change Master Directory
  Find out about Global Changes in agriculture, the atmosphere, biosphere, biological classifications, climate indicators, cryosphere, human dimensions, land surface, ocieasn, paleoclimate, solid earth, spectral sensing, Sun-Earth interactions, and terrestrial hydrosphere.
   
• National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
  Information on availability and ordering EPA publications and documents.
   
• Ozone Depletion (Hotline: 1-800-296-1996)
  Ozone is a gas that occurs both in the Earth's upper atmosphere and at ground level. Ozone can be "good" or "bad" for people's health and for the environment, depending on its location in the atmosphere. In the troposphere, the air closest to the Earth's surface, ground-level or "bad" ozone is a pollutant that is a significant health risk, especially for children with asthma. It also damages crops, trees and other vegetation. It is a main ingredient of urban smog.The stratosphere, or "good" ozone layer extends upward from about 6 to 30 miles and protects life on Earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. This natural shield has been gradually depleted by man-made chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). A depleted ozone shield allows more UV radiation to reach the ground, leading to more cases of skin cancer, cataracts, and other health and environmental problems.
   

General Public Services^ 

• Clark County Smart Commuter
  RideshareOnline.com is a convenient and easy-to-use tool for the traveling public to help reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and sustain the quality of living in our region. Employers, commuters, event-goers and parents of school-aged children will all benefit from this "best in class" service. RideshareOnline.com is the gateway to free information on travel options and incentive programs for commute and non-commute trips. It also offers tools for employers to implement effective commute reduction programs.
   
• Clean Air Technology Center
  Provides information on criteria pollutants, hazardous air pollutants, and greenhouse gases.
   
• Collision Repair Campaign
  EPA developed the Collision Repair Campaign to focus on meaningful risk reduction in the Collision Repair source sector to complement our ongoing community air toxics work and attain reductions at a faster rate. The Campaign will also serve as an opportunity for shops to work towards early compliance with the Auto Body Rule.
   
• C-Tran
  Clark County Transportation provides transportation services to Clark County. This web site has bus schedules and routes as well as information on alternative forms of transportation.
   
• Drive Less, Save More
  Driving resources for Oregon and SW Washington.
   
• Energy Savers Guide: Tips on Saving Money and Energy at Home
  An energy-efficient home will keep your family comfortable while saving you money. Whether you take simple steps or make larger investments to make your home more efficient, you'll see lower energy bills. Over time, those savings will typically pay for the cost of improvements and put money back in your pocket. Your home may also be more attractive to buyers when you sell.
   
• Longview/Kelso River Cities Transit
  Stops and service times that fit your lifestyle. Student special rates. Improved routes nad service get you where you want to be-even on weekends. The transit system is an excellent alernative to taking your own automobile to work. Real-time bus tracking on any mobile device. Serving the Longview and Kelso Washington area.
   
• National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
  Information on availability and ordering EPA publications and documents.
   
• National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
  The National Technical Information Service seeks to promote American innovation and economic growth by collecting and disseminating scientific, technical and engineering information to the public and industry, by providing information management solutions to other federal agencies, and by doing all without appropriated funding.
   
• Purpose and Pros of Energy Star Appliances
  Every appliance comes with two price tags: what it costs to take it home and what it costs to operate and maintain it each month. ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies and use 10 to 50 percent less energy than standard appliances. From refrigerators to clothes washers, ENERGY STAR qualified appliances save energy, save money, and help reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants at the source.
   
• Twin Transit - Centralia and Chehalis Transit
  Twin Transit is the public transportation provider for the cities of Centralia and Chehalis in Washington State. Twin Transit offers six fixed routes throughout the community and provides hourly bus service to many neighborhoods, shopping centers, governmental and medical offices. Each year over 200,000 rides are taken on buses operated by Twin Transit.
   
• Used Oil Heaters
  Used Oil is a recyclable commodity and waste oil must be handled in accordance with the Dangerous Waste Regulations. Used Oil is not counted as a waste, while contaminated waste oil must be handled by a permitted treatment, storage, and disposal facility. Used oil may be used as a fuel.
   

Health and Air Quality^ 

• Air Quality Telemetry Network
  This web site contains information about Washington's air monitoring network, and offers real-time air monitoring data in many areas of the state. Ecology uses the Washington Air Quality Advisory, or WAQA, to tell people when air quality is healthy or unhealthy.
   
• AirData: Access to Air Pollution Data from EPA
  The AirData website gives you access to air quality data collected at outdoor monitors across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. The data comes primarily from the AQS (Air Quality System) database. AirData assists a wide range of people, from the concerned citizen who wants to know how many unhealthy air quality days there were in his county last year to air quality analysts in the regulatory, academic, and health research communities who need raw data.
   
• AIRNOW
  The Air Quality Index (AQI) is an index for reporting daily air quality. It tells you how clean or polluted your outdoor air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you. The AQI focuses on health effects you may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. EPA calculates the AQI for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. For each of these pollutants, EPA has established national air quality standards to protect public health.
   
• Airwatch Northwest
  This site is a portal to air quality management agencies in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia. These agencies monitor air quality in their regions and manage programs to protect and improve air quality so Northwesterners can breathe clean, healthy air. The site also provides links to all the Air Quality agencies throughout the Pacific Northwest, as well as details on the educational and outreach programs jointly managed by those agencies.
   
• Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention
  Businesses often must comply with EPA regulations to help prevent, prepare for, and respond to environmental emergencies, including chemical releases and oil spills.This site provides information on emergency management regulations and procedures.
   
• Pollution Prevention P2 in Washington State
  Pollution prevention (P2), source reduction, sustainable production—these all describe methods to increase business efficiency through safer processes. Practitioners of P2 substitute less-toxic materials for hazardous ones, and reduce or eliminate hazardous substances by improving processes. P2 protects human health, saves money and preserves the environment.
   
• Support Center for Regulatory Air Models
  This website is maintained by EPA's Air Quality Modeling Group (AQMG). The AQMG conducts modeling analyses to support policy and regulatory decisions in the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) and provides leadership and direction on the full range of air quality models and other mathematical simulation techniques used in assessing control strategies and source impacts. Documentation and guidance for these air quality models can be found on this website, including downloadable computer code, input data, and model processors.
   
• Washington State Department of Health
  The Washington State Department of Health is concerned about you and your family, the community and evnvironment, data and statistical reporting, emergencies, licensing, and the general public health and healthcare providers.
   

Toxics Air-born^ 

• Air Toxics
  Information on Air Toxics includes rules and regulations, air toxics assessment, urban and regional programs, and education and outreach partnerships.
   
• ATSDR's Hazardous Substance Release/Health Effects Database
  The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), based in Atlanta, Georgia, is a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ATSDR serves the public by using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health information to prevent harmful exposures and diseases related to toxic substances.
   
• EPA Radon information
  Exposure to radon in the home is responsible for an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Radon is a health hazard with a simple solution. Information on Radon gas is provided to the general public on this site.
   
• Hazardous Waste Clean Up Information
  Contaminated site clean-up information is available on this web site. It covers technology, education, publications, site remediation, and news on site cleanup.
   

Federal Government^ 

• Dept. of Energy Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer
  The Office of Science plans, develops, manages, and implements a central management policy support program that utilizes customer service and quality assurance principles to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the Office of Science (SC). These areas include program direction and analysis management; financial management; corporate business management; management analyses; acquisition and financial assistance management; human resources operations; human capital planning; information technology services; grants and contracts management; business and administrative services and scientific and technical information management for the entire Department of Energy.
   
• EPA RACT/BACT/LAER Clearinghouse
  Under EPA's "New Source Review" (NSR) program, if a company is planning to build a new plant or modify an existing plant such that air pollution emissions will increase by a large amount, then the company must obtain an NSR permit. The NSR permit is a construction permit which requires the company to minimize air pollution emissions by changing the process to prevent air pollution and/or installing air pollution control equipment.
   
• EPA Technology Transfer Network
  The Technology Transfer Network (TTN) is a collection of technical web sites containing information about many areas of air pollution science, technology, regulation, measurement, and prevention.
   
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  With the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act of 1970, Congress created OSHA to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women but setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, education and assistance. This site provides comprehensive information for workers, employers, regulations, enforcement, data and statistics, training, publications and the latest safety news.
   

State Government^ 

• Washington State Home Page
  Access to the State of Washington services, news, and government agencies.
   
• Washington State Legislature Gopher
  Information and resources about the Washington State Legislature.
   

EPA Email Distribution Lists^ 

EPA LISTSERVs: to get on one of the following email distribution/discussion lists, send an email to listservs@unixmail.rtpnc.epa.gov, leave the subject line blank and include in the message: SUBSCRIBE ListservName YourFirstname YourLastname.