Environmental Remediation Program fact sheet
Division of Environmental Quality Director: Kyra Moore
PUB2616

Purpose of the Map and Data Layers

To help prevent accidental exposure to contaminated sites throughout the state, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources offers the Missouri Environmental Site Tracking and Research Tool (E-Start) and downloadable data sets for Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Thousands of sites have been remediated under risk-based remediation programs, sometimes leaving residual contaminants in place requiring long-term management. Many sites have land use restrictions (Activity and Use Limitations or AULs). These may include non-residential use only, excavation restrictions where subsurface contamination remains, or groundwater use restrictions. In these cases, the sites are safe for their intended uses as long as applicable limitations are followed. 

The department is offering site information freely in order to minimize the potential for accidental exposures at these sites. Prevention begins with timely and accurate information. We encourage entities with their own GIS systems to incorporate the downloadable site data. Anticipated users include:

  • Planning and Zoning, Development and Building Permit Offices
  • Public Works: Streets and Roads, Water and Sewer
  • Underground Utilities such as Gas and Electric

Downloading Instructions

Keyhole Markup Language Zipped (KMZ) File

  1. Open the Missouri Environmental Site Tracking and Research Tool webpage in your web browser.
  2. Click on the Download Data and Reference Guide button located at the bottom of the webpage.
  3. Locate and click KMZ file link under Google Earth Data Download.
  4. Locate the compressed Hazardous_Waste_KMZ.zip file in your download folder.
  5. Extract the compressed data using WinZip or a similar Zip program.
  6. Drag and drop the four KMZ files (Area_Use_Limitations.kmz, Haz_Waste_Site_Area.kmz, Haz_Waste_Site_Point_data.kmz, Legend.kmz) onto the Google Earth Map.

ESRI ArcMap Layer Package

  1. Open the Missouri Environmental Site Tracking and Research Tool webpage in your web browser.
  2. Click on the Download Data and Reference Guide button located at the bottom of the webpage.
  3. Locate and click Layer Package link under ESRI Data Download.
  4. Locate the compressed Hazardous_Waste_LPK.zip file in your download folder.
  5. Extract the compressed data using WinZip or a similar Zip program.
  6. Drag and drop the three LPK files (Area_Use_Limitation.lpk, Haz_Waste_Site_LPK, Haz_Waste_Site_Point_data.lpk) into ArcGIS (ArcMap).

Comma Separated Value (CSV) File

  1. OOpen the Missouri Environmental Site Tracking and Research Tool webpage in your web browser.
  2. Click on the Download Data and Reference Guide button located at the bottom of the webpage.
  3. Locate and click CSV link under CSV Format Data Download.
  4. Locate the Hazardous_Waste_Sites.csv file in your download folder.
  5. Use the Data in the CSV file or import to another file format in order to use the data.  Note that data columns may need to be resized and column field names may be shortened when using the CSV format.

Data Information

Projection: Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), Zone 15 in meters
Datum: NAD83
Scale:  1:24000
Available Formats: KMZ, ESRI layer package (ArcMap 9.3 and higher), CSV file
Update Frequency:  Monthly

Description of Data Layers

The data sets provide the following information for both active and completed remediation sites in Missouri: 

  • Locational data (points for all sites and boundaries for some sites), site name and address
  • Site status (active investigation/cleanup, clean closure or closure with restrictions)
  • Remaining contaminants
  • Land Use Restrictions such as non-residential use, no drilling or use of groundwater, excavation restrictions, building restrictions and more
  • Site history and cleanup summary
  • Lead regulatory program for the site Superfund, Federal Facilities, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Permits, Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program or United States Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)
  • Summary page

Description of CSV Data Fields

  • ADDRESS  Street address of facility
  • AULID  (Activity and Use Limitations Identification Number) A number assigned to sites with AULs for tracking purposes
  • CITY
  • CLEANUPSUM (Site Cleanup Summary)  Narrative summary of cleanup activities
  • CONTAMINS (Contaminants of Concern)  Chemicals of concern (COCs) in soil, groundwater or other media at the site
  • COUNTY
  • DNRPROGRAM  Lead regulatory program for the site
  • FEDERALID  The Federal Identification Number assigned and maintained by the EPA's Facility Registry Services (FRS)
  • HACCURACY (Horizontal Accuracy Estimate)  The estimated accuracy of the coordinates in meters
  • HACCURUOM (Horizontal Accuracy Units of Measure)  Measurement units used for the horizontal accuracy estimate
  • Hcollcode (Horizontal Collection Method Code)  Describes the method used to determine the coordinates for the site or facility
    • G3   Readings are taken and stored by Global Positioning System (GPS) unit then corrected using differential post processing software
    • G5   Readings are taken with GPS unit configured to collect data for a specific amount of time. Readings were taken after Selective Availability was stopped on May 1, 2000.
    • I1    Map Interpolation from topographic map
    • I2    Map Interpolation from aerial photography
  • HDATUMNAME (Horizontal Reference Datum)  Coordinate system grid used to compile the northing and easting data
  • OUID (Operable Unit [OU] Identification Number) A number assigned to sites for tracking purposes
  • PDOP (Position Dilution of Precision)  An indicator of the predicted error in a GPS position as determined by satellite geometry
  • SMARSID (Site Management and Reporting System [SMARS] database Identification number) A number assigned to sites for tracking purposes
  • SITEALIAS  Alternate or former names of the site or facility
  • SITEHIST (Site Background/History)  Narrative summary of the history of the site or facility
  • SITENAME  Site or Facility Name
  • SITESTAT (Site Status)
    • Active sites are sites where investigation or remedial action has not yet been performed or is currently in progress but not complete.
    • Long-Term Stewardship sites are sites where remedial action has been taken to address known risks to human health, public welfare and the environment. The department has also issued a letter indicating that the site is suitable for certain land uses and that further investigation and remedial action is not required. These sites typically have AULs.
    • Completed sites are sites where previous concerns about contamination should no longer be an issue because of removal of waste and contamination to levels suitable for unrestricted use of the property, or investigation results demonstrated that contamination was below those levels and no remediation was required. These sites are considered suitable for unrestricted use.
    • Environmental Notice sites are sites where investigation documented the presence of hazardous substances at concentrations above health-based screening levels, but where a cleanup was not required under state or federal statute. However, a public advisory regarding environmental conditions is warranted.
    • Brownfield Assessment Sites where preliminary review for environmental conditions was conducted. The department has no plans for further action for these sites other than maintaining existing records and display for public record.
    • Inactive VCP (Terminated/Withdrew) Sites that withdrew from the Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP), were terminated from VCP, were referred to another program or represent archived sites that have limited documentation.
  • SOURCESCAL (Source Map Scale)  Scale of the map used for interpolation of the point (i.e., 1:24000)
  • URL The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for site webpages on department main webpage. (i.e., Missouri Registry Annual Report)
  • USELIMITS (Activity and Use Limitations) Specific AULs applied to a site to prevent unacceptable exposure to COCs remaining on the site. [See below for definitions of specific AULs] 
  • UTMEASTING  Easting coordinate in meters based on the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) grid system, Zone 15 North.
  • UTMNORTHNG  Northing coordinate in meters based on the UTM grid system, Zone 15 North.
  • ZIP

Activity and Use Limitations

AULs are typically applied through documents filed in the property chain of title to control future land use. These may include restrictive or environmental covenants, deed restrictions, deed notices, Operation and Maintenance Plans and others. Various AULs have been applied to sites in different state remediation programs for a number of years. As a result, similar but different names may be used for the same general type of restriction. Details of the restrictions will vary, and site-specific documents should be consulted.

  • General Land Use Restrictions
    • Non-Residential Use -- The “Non-Residential Use” restriction may appear by itself or in combination with other restrictions for soil and groundwater. It may prohibit all residential uses, and may also prohibit uses that are not strictly residential but may pose increased risk to children, such as schools and child-care centers. 
    • Restricted Residential -- The “Restricted Residential” restriction is a special category that allows a site with contamination above residential target levels to be used for apartments, condominiums or similar residential uses when it is safe to do so. Usually the site has contamination that can be encapsulated under a parking lot or building as an exposure barrier, and the site owner is responsible for maintaining the exposure barrier.
    • Construction Restrictions -- The “Construction Restrictions” category prohibits the construction of enclosed buildings without the department’s written approval, and is usually used when vapor intrusion from contaminated soil or groundwater would be expected to make such a building unsafe. 
  • Soil Restrictions -- These restrictions prohibit all disturbance of soil in a specified area and depth on the property.  In some cases a Soil Management Plan is attached to the environmental covenant. The plan would specify department approval and documentation requirements for soil disturbance. This is typically used when contaminants exceed a target level such as non-residential and are capped by an engineered cap or are located at depth with suitable fill on top, and pose a risk only if excavated without proper precautions. Examples of soil restrictions include:
    • No Disturbance of Soil
    • Soil Management Plan
    • No Excavation Without Approval
  • Construction Worker Notice, Construction Worker Advisory -- These are used when soil at the site (or in a specific area) exceeds target levels appropriate for construction worker exposure. Note a site may have soil exceeding other target levels such as residential or non-residential use, but the soil may not exceed construction worker limits due to much more limited exposure time compared to living or working on the site. Note the department will not approve, and the covenant need not specifically describe, what those worker safety protective measures should be. It is the responsibility of those proposing to disturb contaminated soils to make certain appropriate worker safety protective measures are taken in accordance with applicable health and safety laws and regulations.
  • Engineered Controls for Soil, Inspection and Maintenance of Engineered Controls -- These are used to guarantee physical barriers or other systems designed to prevent exposure to contaminated soil are properly inspected and maintained, and are not disturbed, removed or inactivated. The most common examples are placing a cap over any soil contaminated above levels that are protective of potential uses or installing vapor barriers or passive or active venting systems under buildings to prevent infiltration of volatile contaminants. A Management Plan can be included as an exhibit to guide future site activities, such as inspection, maintenance and repair of the control, utility trenching and repair, installation of fence or sign posts, modification or construction of buildings or any other anticipated activities as appropriate. Such a plan may provide for any record keeping, department notification and/or department approval of various activities. Self-inspection items and reporting schedule requirements may also be included in the plan.
  • Groundwater
    • No Drilling or Use of Groundwater -- The “No Drilling or Use of Groundwater” restriction prohibits the use of contaminated groundwater beneath the site. It also prohibits drilling for other purposes that could spread the contamination to deeper aquifers. Certain activities would be allowed under plans approved by the department, such as the installation of monitoring wells, withdrawal of samples for analysis or drilling of wells or withdrawal of water for remediation purposes. Examples of groundwater restrictions include:
      • No Drilling or Use of Groundwater
      • No Domestic Use of Groundwater
      • No Industrial Use of Ground Water
      • Public Water Hookup Required
      • Well Construction Requirements
    • Engineered Controls for Groundwater, Inspection and Maintenance of Engineered Controls -- The “Engineered Controls for Groundwater” restriction is used to make certain physical barriers or other systems designed to prevent exposure to contaminated groundwater are properly inspected and maintained. A management plan can be included as an exhibit to guide future site activities, such as inspection, maintenance and repair of the control, utility trenching and repair, installation of fencing or sign posts, modification or construction of buildings or any other anticipated activities as appropriate. Such plan may provide for any record keeping, department notification and/or department approval of various activities. Self-inspection items and reporting schedule requirements may also be included in the plan. Examples of engineered controls for groundwater include: 
      • Passive or active underground systems, such as a pumping system or bentonite slurry wall, designed to control the movement of groundwater
      • Systems, such as flow-through chemical or bio-filters, designed to passively or actively treat groundwater 
      • Vapor barriers and passive or active venting systems under buildings to prevent infiltration of volatile contaminants emanating from a groundwater plume
    • No Construction Worker Exposure to Groundwater -- The “No Construction Worker Exposure to Groundwater” and “Construction Worker Advisory” restrictions are used when groundwater at the site (typically shallow groundwater that would be encountered in an excavation) exceeds target levels appropriate for construction worker exposure. They are not used at all sites with soil or groundwater restrictions, since safe levels of contaminants for construction worker exposure differ from those for residents and non-residents. For many sites, groundwater use pathways are eliminated during the risk assessment, so there is no use restriction in the covenant. This separate restriction can be used when contaminant levels exceed construction worker target levels. Note the department does not review and approve Worker Health and Safety Plans. It is the responsibility of those proposing to disturb contaminated soils to take appropriate worker safety protective measures in accordance with applicable health and safety laws and regulations.
  • Notifications
    • Registry Use Restrictions -- The “Registry Use Restrictions” category advises the public the site is on the Registry of Confirmed Abandoned or Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites in Missouri (Registry). These sites contain restrictions such as deed notification of contamination, annual inspection requirements, required disclosure to prospective purchasers of the property, required notification of the department for changes in ownership and prior approval required for changes to the use of the property. Such properties may also have other site-specific restrictions. Note the Registry Law is primarily an information and disclosure law, not a cleanup program. More information regarding the Registry can be found in sections 260.440-260.470 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri. 

Several other limitation categories exist. These limitations can include site-specific restrictions designed to guarantee the long-term safety of the site. 

Limitations and Disclaimers

  • Although all data in this data set have been compiled by the department, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the department as to the accuracy or completeness of the data and related materials. The map and file downloads are provided as a public service. Site locations and conditions should be verified prior to conducting activities at or near these sites.
  • Downloadable PDF documents, such as environmental covenants, deed notices and completion letters, are accessible on the Web-based version of the map. Presently, the data downloads do not include active links to those documents. Download users must use the Missouri Environmental Site Tracking and Research Tool web-based map, hosted by the department, to retrieve documents. 
  • Regulated petroleum or hazardous substance storage tank facilities are available for download separately.

For more information about a site

The data layers offer critical but limited information about sites with which the department has been involved. If you require more detailed information about a site, please contact the department's Long-Term Stewardship Unit by telephone at 800-361-4827 or 573-526-8913, or by email. Our technical staff will be more than happy to provide you with further information. Complete files are maintained by the department and the files are public records, available for review and copying under the Missouri Sunshine Law. 


Nothing in this document may be used to implement any enforcement action or levy any penalty unless promulgated by rule under chapter 536 or authorized by statute.


For more information