Before I dive into the 'dirtydetails' of environmental soils data in Phase II Environmental SiteAssessments, let me firstexplain Metadata. Metadata, or dataabout data, is used to describe the thought process and meaningbehind raw information. Simply, it is often nothing more thanexplanatory text. For example, a database may hold a set ofcoordinates for a point on the earth's surface. Maybe thepoint represents the location of your favorite downtown restaurant. The metadata text will tell you how the coordinate data wascollected, in what geographic coordinate system, and by whom. (Unfortunately though, it probably won't tell you that the serviceis terrible on Friday nights and that they pour the cheap stuff inyour top-shelf martini – you're on your own there.)

Environmental data in Phase IIESAs

And in the environmental realm, we collect lots of data. Dissolved oxygen concentrations in a fly fishingstream. Site Characterization soil gas data from acontaminated property. The number of endangered Hawaiianhoary bats hanging in Honolulu. The environmental data set isvast.