Approved Exchange Network Data Standards

The following data standards were developed by standards teams made up of states, tribes, and U.S. EPA. They were approved under the auspices of the now inactive Environmental Data Standards Council and the Exchange Network Leadership Council.  

Attached Binary Object [EX000006.1] – The Attached Binary Object Data Standard provides the elements to identify the characteristics and/or catalog an attached digital data item or object. It can be used to reference documents, images, photos, GIS data layers, laboratory materials, and other electronic objects attached within the data exchange, as well as information used to describe those objects.

Bibliographic Reference [EX000007.1] – The Bibliographic Reference Data Standard specifies data groupings that may be used to identify characteristics and/or catalog referenced digital data items or objects. It provides a group of data elements that are used to describe reference-related materials.

Biological Taxonomy [EX000018.2] – The Biological Taxonomy Data Standard provides a group of data elements to be used for identification of biological organisms or groups and offers a common and consistent way to represent living things. It is based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), but also includes additional identification elements to handle things not contained in ITIS. This standard assumes that a central record of living things of environmental interest will be maintained.

Chemical Identification [EX000016.2] – The Chemical Identification Data Standard provides for the use of common identifiers for all chemical substances regulated or monitored by environmental programs and specifies the key data elements necessary to constitute a viable chemical substance record. It is based on the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry numbering standard but also includes additional identification.

Compositing Activity [EX000008.1] – The Compositing Activity Data Standard describes data elements and data groupings that are used to describe and exchange Compositing Activity data and information. It is only intended to be used in conjunction with the Environmental Sampling, Analysis and Results: Field Activity Data Standard.

Contact Information [EX000019.2] – The Contact Information Data Standard includes information to describe a point of contact, address, and communication information and the basic information needed to contact an individual or organization.

Enforcement/Compliance [EX000026.2] – The Enforcement/Compliance Data Standard is a set of commonly used data elements for enforcement and compliance related information subject to U.S. EPA/State/Tribal exchange. It provides a common vocabulary or lexicon, so that functionally similar activities and/or instruments can be shared. The Enforcement/Compliance data elements are based on the standard terminology used in official documents, such as warning or notification letters, enforcement and legal documents, case details, and compliance evaluations such as inspection surveillance and record reviews.

Environmental Sampling, Analysis and Results Data Standards: Overview of Component Data Standards [EX000001.1] – The Environmental Sampling, Analysis, and Results (ESAR) Data Standards follow the business processes used to collect, analyze, and report environmental data. The Overview describes the primary and supporting data standards that may be used in the exchange of environmental sampling, analysis, and results data. It explains how the components can be combined and reused.

Environmental Sampling, Analysis, and Results: Analysis and Results [EX000005.1] – The Analysis and Results Data Standard includes the data groupings and elements required for describing the information resulting from the analyses that are performed on environmental samples and the details about those analyses; including information about the laboratory, laboratory batch receipt, laboratory sample receipt, the sample preparation, the laboratory analysis and quality control.

Environmental Sampling, Analysis and Results (ESAR) Toxicity and Populations Revisions[EX000005.2].

Environmental Sampling, Analysis and Results: Field Activity [EX000004.1] – The Field Activity Data Standard provides a group of data elements that are used to exchange information about field activities including contacts, collection method, sample identification, collection date/time, depth/altitude, batch and shipping activities, observation notes, and sample characteristics associated with a sample or observation.

Environmental Sampling, Analysis and Results: Monitoring Location [EX000003.1] – The Monitoring Location Data Standard identifies and describes the elements required for describing monitoring location information, including information about the contact, location, and other information associated with a monitoring location.

Environmental Sampling, Analysis, and Results: Project [EX00002.1] – The Project Data Standard describes data groupings that are used to exchange data related to environmental projects including information about the identification, contacts, dates, study areas, objectives, and quality constraints of project data. It sets the overall purpose and context for a series of environmental samples and results; and represents the highest tier of information in the ESAR suite of standards.

Equipment [EX000009.1] – The Equipment Data Standard identifies and describes an apparatus or instrument used for sample collection, processing, and/or analysis associated with an environmental monitoring and/or laboratory result.

Facility Site Identification [EX000020.2] – The Facility Site Identification Data Standard consists of core data elements that properly identify the location, the affiliated organizations, individual business activities, and the environmental interest of a facility site.

Institutional Control [EX000015.1] – The Institutional Control Data Standard defines the elements required for describing institutional control (IC) defined by the U.S. EPA as non-engineering measures, such as administrative and legal controls, that help to minimize the potential for human exposure to site contamination and protect the integrity of a remedy by limiting land or resource use.

Latitude/Longitude [EX000017.2] – The Latitude/Longitude Data Standard is a set of data elements that can be used to define a point on the earth. It includes data elements for recording horizontal and vertical coordinates and associated metadata.

Measure [EX000010.1] – The Measure Data Standard focuses on data elements used to identify and describe recorded measurements and analytical results.

Method [EX000011.1] – The Method Data Standard identifies and references, the methods, procedures, and techniques for performing an activity in the field or laboratory such as sampling, chemical analysis, and quantification.

Permitting Information [EX000021.2] – The Permitting Information Data Standard provides a comprehensive set of data elements for identification and tracking data that pertains to permitting or permitting related process information. It includes elements for identifying and tracking data universally applicable to most programs that have a permitting process or that are interested in permit-related information and information of common interest to multiple programs e.g., Facility/Feature Characteristics, Permit Condition, Reporting Condition, Monitoring Condition, and Control Methodology.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control [EX000012.1] – The Quality Assurance and Quality Control Data Standard identifies quantitative statistics and qualitative descriptors that are used to interpret the degree of acceptability or utility of data to the user. It provides a common set of data components and data elements to specify Quality Control elements that may be acquired during field or laboratory analysis. These data components and data elements provide a reusable template for Quality Control Information.

Representation of Date and Time [EX000013.1] – The Representation of Date and Time Data Standard provides and describes data groupings that are used to exchange date and time information.

Sample Handling [EX000014.1] – The Sample Handling Data Standard identifies descriptors for sample treatment and preservation in the laboratory and/or field. It is applicable to all environmental media samples.

SIC/NAICS [EX000022.2] – The SIC/NAICS Data Standard provides data elements for displaying:

  • Standard Industrial Classifications (SIC) – a system for classifying economic activities of business establishments, based on the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification for Establishments.
  • North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) – a system for classifying economic activities of a business establishment, adopted by Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. in 1997.

Tribal Identifier [EX000023.2.4] – The Tribal Identifier Data Standard provides data elements for the use of common names and codes to identify Federally recognized Tribes.

Well Information [EX000025.1] – The Well Information Data Standard describes data elements and data groupings that are used to exchange information about wells including information about well ownership, location, use, and constructions.