Use this EPA EJScreen mapping tool to help identify environmental issues and areas that are disproportionately affected.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZp3AWDJt5A
Launch the EJScreen tool https://ejscreen.epa.gov/mapper/
The map includes 13 Environmental Burden indicators on air quality or proximity to pollution sources.
Under the Socioeconomic indicators tab, the first indicator is the Demographic index which includes two factors: low income and people of color. The second is Supplemental Demographic index, which includes low income, person with disabilities, education less than high school, limited English speaking, and low life expectancy. There are other Socioeconomic indicators such as, under age 5 and over age 64.
Looking at the Socioeconomic indicators together or individually will help identify socioeconomic issues the community might already be experiencing, and how susceptible the community might be to the environmental burdens.
There are supplemental indexes which combine the environmental and socioeconomic indicators; the intention of these indexes is to show where both environmental and socioeconomic conditions are disproportionately high. There are also indexes that show health disparities, climate related burdens, and, critical service gaps.
The map and indexes can be printed or shared in a pdf report.
Such reports could help decision makers better protect public health, safety, wellbeing, and quality of life in the communities they represent.
As an example:
In St Bernard Parish, the residential district around the Will Smith, Jr Elementary School, has a high national percentile of both the population under age 5 and the population over age 64.
Residents in Violet, Louisiana already experience low life expectancy, as indicated by the 90 to 95 national percentile.
Currently, this residential district is subjected to diesel exhaust (NATA diesel PM) and PM2.5 particulate matter pollution above the national percentile 80 to 90 percent; some areas are exposed to these pollutants at the 90 to 95 national percentile. Each of these pollutants, diesel exhaust and PM2.5 particulate matter, are known lung carcinogens. Diesel exhaust and PM2.5 reduce lung function growth in children, are linked to premature death, and are linked higher risk to other cancers, including breast, liver, and lymphohematopoietic malignancies.
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