How to Use the EPA Envirofacts (Environmental Data) MCP in Claude

Q: What's the difference between graphqlquery and restquery in the EPA Envirofacts (Environmental Data) MCP Server for Claude Desktop?

graphqlquery is for making specific, targeted requests for modern data sets like facility information. restquery is a direct line to other EPA data tables, which you access by name, like tri.trifacility.

Get live EPA data right in your Claude Desktop chat. Check UV forecasts or pull facility reports without leaving your conversation.

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Connect EPA Envirofacts (Environmental Data) MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect EPA Envirofacts (Environmental Data) to Claude Desktop and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup EPA Envirofacts (Environmental Data) with Claude Desktop

Ask AI about this MCP

ChatGPT

Claude

Perplexity

Check Local UV Forecasts

Ask Claude, "What's the UV index in Miami today?" and it uses `uv_daily_city_state` to give you the real forecast from the EPA. You don't have to open another browser tab or app. It's just a straight answer. You can get specific. Plan your afternoon with `uv_hourly_zip` to see exactly when the sun is strongest in your neighborhood. This isn't a summary; it's raw EPA data, pulled by your agent and delivered right into your chat.

Investigate Environmental Reports

This is for digging deeper. Use the `graphql_query` tool to ask complex questions about industrial facilities or toxic release inventories in a specific area. Claude can help you structure the query and then analyze the results. If you need to pull data from older EPA systems, the `rest_query` tool gives you direct access. You can get structured data tables on things like `tri.tri_facility` and have Claude sort through the raw information for you.

Your Data, Your Claude Desktop

Whether you're using the native app or claude.ai, you connect this MCP server once and you're done. In the desktop app, it can run as a local process. On the web, you just paste the Vinkius URL into your settings. The point is to have this data on tap. You're not building an integration, you're just asking questions. Claude handles the tool calls to the EPA and brings back the answers, so you can keep your focus.

Setup guide

Set up EPA Envirofacts (Environmental Data) MCP in Claude Web or Desktop

1

Open Claude Settings

Go to claude.ai, click your profile icon, then navigate to Customize → Connectors.
2

Add Custom Connector

Click the "+" button and select Add custom connector. Paste your Vinkius endpoint URL: https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. For OAuth-protected servers, expand Advanced settings to add credentials.
3

Start a conversation

Open a new chat. The EPA Envirofacts (Environmental Data) MCP tools are available immediately — no restart needed.

Endpoint URL

https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

No configuration file needed — paste the URL directly in the Claude web interface.

Available on Free (1 connector), Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop installed (macOS or Windows)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open Claude Desktop Settings

Click the menu icon at the top-left corner, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.
2

Paste the EPA Envirofacts (Environmental Data) MCP configuration

Copy the JSON snippet on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen the application. Claude needs a full restart to load new MCPs — refreshing a conversation is not enough.
4

Verify the connection

Open a new conversation. Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the message input. You should see tools listed under epa-envirofacts-environmental-data-mcp.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "epa-envirofacts-environmental-data-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by EPA Envirofacts. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about EPA Envirofacts (Environmental Data) MCP in Claude Desktop

Connect it by pasting the server URL into the Custom Connectors section of your claude.ai settings. Your agent can then use tools like `uv_daily_zip` to answer questions about environmental data directly in chat.

Yes. Ask your agent for the hourly UV forecast for your location. It will use the `uv_hourly_city_state` or `uv_hourly_zip` tools to pull the latest data directly from the EPA.

`graphql_query` is for making specific, targeted requests for modern data sets like facility information. `rest_query` is a direct line to other EPA data tables, which you access by name, like `tri.tri_facility`.

This MCP server requires its own Vinkius subscription. Once you're subscribed, you can connect it to any Claude plan you have—Free, Pro, or Team—without any extra charges from Claude.

Your requests for UV data, like a city or ZIP code, are sent through the Vinkius server to the EPA's public API. Vinkius doesn't log or store your specific location queries; they're passed through ephemerally to get the forecast.

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