The ways environmental data are reported, collected, recorded, stored, managed, and shared are just as important as what data are gathered. While most people agree that collecting and reporting these data are essential for good policy and decision-making, they are now learning that many on-the-ground environmental effects and consequences depend on how agencies manage those data and share them among themselves, the regulated community, legislators, citizen groups, and the general public. Over the past 30 years, agency data on regulated facilities have been highly fragmented and incomplete. EPA and each state environmental agency-as well as each program office (such as air, water, and waste) within those agencies- separately collect, record, and maintain both the specific data needed for each set of regulations and the core information to identify each facility by name, address, geographic location, owner, etc.