What's In My Neighborhood: Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of information are included in "What's In My Neighborhood?"

This Web site includes information about environmental permits issued by the MPCA, registrations and notifications required by the MPCA, and investigations of potentially contaminated properties undertaken by the MPCA or its partners. Available information is listed in this fact sheet:

• What’s in My Neighborhood? Programs and activities (gp2-02)

What is the difference between the two search options, "map" and "text"?

Both searches use the same data. However, there are some differences in what they can search for.

The text search allows you to use one or more search terms to query the database. For example, you can search for all feedlots in Becker County, or search for all Federal and State Superfund projects in the St. Louis River watershed. You may prefer the text search if you have a slower internet connection, or if you are interested in downloading lists of specific types of sites.

The map allows you to see data in geographic context. For example, you can see what kinds of projects or environmental permits are near your home, or, using graphical search tools, you can draw a boundary around an area that you are interested in and see a list of all of the projects and permits within that boundary. One limitation to the map search is that we can only display environmental permits or projects on the map if we have geographic coordinates for the site. Thus, there are some sites that are not on the map, and can only be found through the text search.

Both map and text searches lead you to site pages, which provide detailed data about each individual project, permit or registration.

Why do I get unexpected search results in the text search?

When you use the text search to search by name, you are actually searching current, former and alternate names for each environmental permit or project at a site. For instance, when you search for "Koch" your search results will include records for Flint Hills Resources, because Koch Industries was a previous name for that company. Similarly, when you search by ID, you are actually searching current, former and alternate IDs for each environmental permit or project at a site. You can see a list of alternate names and IDs for each site on the Alternate Names tab of the site page.

How often are data updated?

Although data are updated every night, it may take a day or two for that update to be reflected on the Web site.

Note that we also link to data on other Web sites through the data tab on the site page. The data on these Web sites may not be updated as frequently as is "What's in My Neighborhood?" data.

How can I download data?

This data set includes site names and addresses for all of the points on our map, along with links to the site pages where you can find detailed information. The shapefile download includes files which work together to display information on a map. You need Geographic Information System (GIS) software in order to use the shapefile to make maps or perform other geographic-based functions. However, if you just want to look at the data in a table, save the file called wimn_sites_mpca.dbf from the shapefile download, and open it with any standard spreadsheet program. The file called wimn_sites_mpca.html describes the data in that table.

To download more specific site lists, use the text search. For example, you might use this to find and download a list of all construction stormwater permits in Rochester. After the search, you can select records from the search results and download summary information about them. Look for the Data Download options in the lower left of the search results screen.

On the map search, use you can use the Radius Query (look for this icon under Tools) to select sites within a specific distance from a point, and download the list of those sites. You might use this tool to find environmental permits and projects within one mile of your home.

To download all information about a particular site, go to its site page. Buttons at the top of the page allow you to either print a report (look for this icon at the top of the page) that includes everything on all tabs of the site page, or create a pdf (look for this icon at the top of the page) with that information.

Can I get "What's In My Neighborhood?" data through a Web Map Service (WMS)?

Yes, you can use the "What's in My Neighborhood?" WMS to incorporate MPCA's online site data from into your own map or application.

When you use the WMS, you are accessing data hosted on our server. Two advantages to this are (1) the data that you are displaying will stay up-to-date with the data in our databases, and (2) you don't have to download big files. Our WMS supports "getFeatureInfo" or "identity" requests where you can click on a feature and get information about that feature. A drawback of our WMS is that you will not have the same query flexibility or the ability to change the symbology and labeling that you would have if you downloaded the shapefile. Learn more about the WMS:

• WMS getCapabilities document
• WMS sample data request

You can use any WMS client to view the data.

• To use the WMS in ESRI ArcMap, go to "File" and select "Add Data." In the "Look in" drop-down, select "GIS Servers." Double-click on "Add WMS Server." In the URL box, enter http://pca-gis02.pca.state.mn.us/ArcGIS/services/sites/MapServer/WMSServer?. Then you should be able to add the data to your map.
• You can also use an OpenSource desktop GIS to view the data, such as Quantum GIS: Quantum GIS

Who do I contact for help?

There are a number of ways to contact MPCA staff for help.

• You can use the feedback form to send us your comments or suggestions for the "What's in My Neighborhood?" application.
• If you have a question about a specific permit or project, look at the site page. Each site page includes a list of MPCA staff responsible for that site, including file managers, inspectors, engineers, permit writers, and/or project leaders.
• For technical assistance, contact Sara Mueller: Sara.Mueller@state.mn.us or 651-757-2593.
• For other questions, go to the Who To Call page.

Why are there sites on the map that are in the wrong place? Are all of the sites on the map?

A variety of methods of varying accuracy are used to determine where a site is placed on the map. The most accurate locations are obtained by using a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit to determine the coordinates of the site. When that information is not available, computer programs may be used to derive coordinates based on the site's street address or zip code. The coordinate collection method for the site is listed on the site page, and the glossary contains definitions for each method.

There are also sites not on the map at all, because we have no coordinates for them. You can find them using the text search. We continue to work on improving the data completeness and quality of our site location data.

Use the feedback form to provide details that will help us improve the location information of a site.

What is the time period for the information on this website? Does it show all available information?

Although the data available on What's in My Neighborhood cannot be considered a complete historical record of MPCA activities, it is a fairly good representation of the current and recent activities of many of our programs.

What's in My Neighborhood primarily displays information from the MPCA's core database, Delta. This database has been the central repository for MPCA activity information since 1996. By 2003, most programs used this database to store information about new and/or active permits, registrations, projects, etc. Other information (for example, an inactive permit at a facility closed before 2003) may not have been added to the database, and resides primarily in paper documents.

Not all recent enforcement actions are shown on What's in My Neighborhood. There are two reasons for this. First, active enforcement cases are by law not public information and may not be included. Second, not all enforcement actions are connected to permits in the database at this time. We are working on improvements to make more information available on this Web site.

For more information about a particular site, contact MPCA staff. The contacts tab on each site page gives a list of staff familiar with the site. To get access to MPCA paper files, contact an MPCA file manager. For other questions about sites, call one of the program contacts listed on that tab.

I see businesses on the map that are no longer operating. Why are they showing up?

What's In My Neighborhood displays both active and inactive sites. The site page indicates whether each activity is active or inactive. The term "active" means that it is an ongoing activity in which the MPCA has an interest (for example, an ongoing investigation at a potentially contaminated site or a permit that is in effect). The term "inactive" means that the activity in which the MPCA had an interest no longer exists (for example, a closed leak site investigation or a permit no longer in force).

Information about inactive sites can be useful for those who want to know the history of a property. The information may be used to create historical models of pollutants discharged into rivers, to seek past sources of soil contamination, or to learn the history of a property before purchasing it.

Why does the map look squished?

The Earth is roughly spherical. When you create a map of the earth that is two-dimensional, it will always be distorted. There are a number of ways this is done, called map projections. You can see this distortion on the What's in My Neighborhood map if you use the Radius Query tool. It draws a circle on the map based on a radius you choose. However, this circle looks like an oval because of the distortion created by the map projection. If this oval were drawn on a round globe, it would be a perfect circle.