Constructing Valid Geospatial Tools for Environmental Justice (2024)
Chapter: Appendix C: Screening Tools Examined by the Committee
Appendix C
Screening Tools Examined by the Committee
The White House Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)1 was designed to screen for communities that qualify for extra consideration for investment under the Justice40 Initiative. On the basis of surveys, information gathered during committee meetings, and the knowledge from members of the committee, the committee chose a subset of 12 tools from which to highlight key features of geographically based EJ tools. To facilitate comparison of the tools, the committee created a matrix to summarize information about each tool (e.g., purpose of tool; geographic resolution; methodology employed to rank, compare, or score the index; categories or themes with corresponding indicators used; and data sources.)
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1 See the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) at https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/ (accessed December 15, 2023).
TABLE C.1 Properties of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Climate and Economic Screening Tool (December 2022, Version 1.0)
| Purpose | |
| Used by federal agencies to help them identify disadvantaged communities that can benefit from the Justice40 Initiative. | |
| Geography | |
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2010 Census Tracts. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Data chosen based on availability for 50 states + DC, alternative data selected for territories when needed. |
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| Method | |
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Threshold Approach-Iterative Tool An area is considered burdened: If a census tract meets the criteria of burdened for one category, then it is considered burdened. Tracts that meet the criteria in multiple categories are denoted. If a tract is not considered burdened by the above criteria but is at or above the 50th percentile for low income AND is completely surrounded by burdened tracts, then it is considered burdened. If the tract is 99.5% covered by federally recognized tribal land. |
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| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Climate Change |
Expected agriculture loss rate ≥ 90th percentile OR Expected building loss rate ≥ 90th percentile OR Expected population loss rate ≥ 90th percentile OR Projected flood risk ≥ 90th percentile OR Projected wildfire risk ≥ 90th percentile |
| Energy |
Energy cost ≥ 90th percentile OR PM2.5 in the air ≥ 90th percentile |
| Health |
Asthma ≥ 90th percentile OR, Diabetes ≥ 90th percentile OR, Heart disease ≥ 90th percentile OR, Low life expectancy ≥ 90th percentile |
| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Housing |
Historic underinvestment = Yes OR, Housing cost ≥ 90th percentile OR, Lack of green space ≥ 90th percentile OR, Lack of indoor plumbing ≥ 90th percentile OR, Lead paint ≥ 90th percentile |
| Legacy Pollution |
Abandoned mine land present = Yes OR Formerly used defense site present = Yes OR Proximity to hazardous waste facilities ≥ 90th percentile (treatment, storage and disposal facilities) OR, Proximity to Superfund or National Priorities List sites ≥ 90th percentile OR, Proximity to Risk Management Plan sites ≥ 90th percentile. |
| Transportation |
Diesel particulate matter ≥ 90th percentile OR, Transportation barriers ≥ 90th percentile OR, Traffic proximity and volume ≥ 90th percentile. |
| Water and Wastewater |
Underground storage tanks and releases ≥ 90th percentile OR, Wastewater discharge ≥ 90th percentile. |
| Workforce Development |
Linguistic isolation ≥ 90th percentile OR, Low median income ≥ 90th percentile OR, Poverty ≥ 90th percentile OR, Unemployment ≥ 90th percentile |
| Socioeconomic |
Low income ≥ 65th percentile (coupled with all but the workforce development indicators) High school education < 90th percentile (coupled with the workforce development indicators). |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.2 Properties of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Social Vulnerability Index (2020 Version)
| Purpose | |
| To assist public health officials and emergency response planners in identifying and mapping the communities that are most likely to require support before, during, and after a hazardous event. | |
| Geography | |
| U.S. Census Tracts | |
| Method | |
| Percentile-Based Ranking. The SVI ranks tracts based on 16 social factors, including unemployment, racial and ethnic minority status, and disability. These tracts are further categorized into four related themes. As a result, each tract is assigned a ranking for each Census variable and for each of the four themes, along with an overall ranking. In addition to tract-level rankings, SVI 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 also provide corresponding rankings at the county level. Tract rankings are determined by percentiles, with values ranging from 0 to 1, where higher values indicate greater vulnerability. For each tract, we calculated its percentile rank among all tracts for (1) the 16 individual variables, (2) the four themes, and (3) its overall position. |
| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Socioeconomic Status |
Below 150% poverty Unemployed Housing cost burden No high school diploma No health insurance |
| Household Characteristics |
Ages 65 & older Ages 17 & younger Civilian with a disability Single-parent households English language proficiency. |
| Racial & Ethnic Minority Status |
Hispanic or Latino (of any race); Black and African American, not Hispanic or Latino; American Indian and Alaska Native, not Hispanic or Latino; Asian, not Hispanic or Latino; Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, not Hispanic or Latino; Two or more races, not Hispanic or Latino; Other races, not Hispanic or Latino |
| Housing Type & Transportation |
Multiunit structures Mobile homes Crowding No vehicle Group quarters |
| Adjunct Variables |
An estimate of daytime population derived from LandScan 2020 estimates 2016–2020 ACS estimates for households without a computer with a broadband Internet subscription 2016–2020 ACS estimates for Hispanic/Latino persons, not Hispanic or Latino Black/African American persons, not Hispanic or Latino Asian persons, not Hispanic or Latino American Indian and Alaska Native persons, not Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander persons, not Hispanic or Latino persons of two or more races, and not Hispanic or Latino persons of some other race |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.3 Properties of FEMA National Risk Index (March 2023 Release)
| Purpose | |
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Designed to depict the communities in the United States and territories that are most vulnerable to 18 different natural hazards. These hazards encompass: Avalanche, Coastal Flooding, Cold Wave, Drought, Earthquake, Hail, Heat Wave, Hurricane, Ice Storm, Landslide, Lightning, Riverine Flooding, Strong Wind, Tornado, Tsunami, Volcanic Activity, Wildfire, and Winter Weather. The National Risk Index offers Risk Index values, scores, and ratings derived from data related to Expected Annual Loss caused by natural hazards, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience. Additionally, distinct values, scores, and ratings are available for Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience. Both the Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss encompass the option to view composite scores for all hazards collectively, or separately for each of the 18 hazard types. |
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| Geography | |
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U.S. Census Tracts/County |
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| Method | |
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Definitions Risk: The National Risk Index defines risk as the possibility of negative outcomes due to natural hazards. Risk Components: The risk equation in the National Risk Index has three main parts: natural hazards risk, consequence enhancement, and consequence reduction. Natural Hazards Risk (EAL): This component calculates the expected loss each year in terms of building, population, and agriculture value caused by natural hazards. Consequence Enhancement (Social Vulnerability): This factor analyzes demographic characteristics to measure how susceptible different social groups are to the negative effects of natural hazards. Consequence Reduction (Community Resilience): This factor uses demographic attributes to gauge a community’s ability to prepare for, adapt to, withstand, and recover from the impacts of natural hazards. Combination: Social Vulnerability and Community Resilience are combined into a single factor called Community Risk Factor (CRF). Final Risk Calculation: The CRF is multiplied by the Expected Annual Loss (EAL) to calculate the overall risk score. |
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| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Expected Annual Loss | The EAL for each census tract or county is the average economic loss in dollars resulting from natural hazards each year. EAL is quantified—in dollar amounts—for each of the 18 hazard types |
| Social Vulnerability | Below 150% poverty Unemployed Housing cost burden No high school diploma No health insurance Ages 65 & older Ages 17 & younger Civilian with a disability Racial & ethnic minority status Multiunit structures Mobile homes Crowding No vehicle Group quarters Single-parent households English language proficiency. |
| Community Resilience | This is derived from the University of South Carolina’s Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute’s (HVRI) Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC). The HVRI BRIC dataset includes a set of 49 indicators that represent six types of resilience: social, economic, community capital, institutional capacity, housing/infrastructure, and environmental. |
| Data Sources | |
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| Data Sources | |
Agriculture values are based on the USDA 2017 Census of Agriculture. |
TABLE C.4 Properties of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool (EJSCREEN) (2019 Version)
| Purpose | |
| EPA characterizes EJSCREEN as a pre-decisional screening tool not designed for decision making or determinations regarding the existence or absence of environmental justice concerns. | |
| Geography | |
|
2011–2017 American Community Survey Block Groups 50 States + District of Columbia, Puerto Rico. Does not include Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam |
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| Method | |
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Multiple Indexes. No single score Demographic Index = (% minority + % low-income)/2 EJ Index. Users can construct their own environmental justice index by combining a single environmental indicator with the demographic index) EJ Index = (Environmental Indicator) × (Demographic Index for Block Group –Demographic Index for U.S.) × (Population Count for Block Group) |
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| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Environmental indicators Air Pollution Traffic Proximity Lead Paint Waste/Hazardous Materials Proximity Wastewater Discharge |
National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) Air Toxics Cancer Risk—Lifetime inhalation cancer risk NATA Respiratory Hazard Index—Ratio of exposure concentration to reference concentration NATA diesel particulate matter Particulate matter (PM2.5) Ozone (summer seasonal 8-hour max average) Lead paint (% housing units built before 1960) Traffic proximity and volume (count of vehicles at major roads within 500 m) Proximity to Risk Management Plan (RMP) sites (count of facilities within 5 km) Proximity to treatment, storage and disposal facilities (count of facilities within 5 km) Proximity to National Priorities List sites (count of facilities within 5 km) Wastewater discharge (toxicity weighted stream concentrations) |
| Social Indicators (A&B are used for index development, other indicators are included though) Low Income Minority |
Low income Minority Less than high school education Linguistic isolation Individuals under 5 years Individuals over 64 years |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.5 Properties of the Department of Transportation’s Data on Transportation Disadvantaged Communities (2022 Data)
| Purpose | |
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Created a mapping tool to help grant applicants understand if their community is disadvantaged. |
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| Geography | |
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Census tracts (year not denoted) Includes geographies not denoted in methodology, but provides shapefile; includes 50 states + District of Columbia Geography of territories in shapefile but no data provided (listed as 0) |
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| Method | |
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Index. Percentile rank of all 22 indicators, 99th percentile = “most disadvantaged.” For each category: if average of percentile of indicators = 50th percentile, then the census tract is considered disadvantaged for that tract (except resilience category = 75th percentile).
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| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Transportation Access Disadvantage Health Disadvantage Environmental Disadvantage Economic Disadvantage Resilience Disadvantage, Equity Disadvantage |
30 min commute No vehicle Walkability Transportation burden Population 65+ Uninsured Disability Homes built before 1960 Diesel Cancer Traffic proximity PM2.5 Ozone Less high school education Renters Unemployment Gini Index (endemic inequality), Low income Poverty Housing costs Climate hazards Linguistic isolation |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.6 Properties of the Department of Health and Human Services Environmental Justice Index (EJI) (influenced by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
| Purpose | |
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A national, place-based tool designed to measure the cumulative impacts of environmental burden through the lens of human health and health equity. The EJI delivers a single score for each community so that public health officials can identify and map areas most at risk for the health impacts of environmental burden. |
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| Geography | |
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Census tracts (year not denoted) EJI 2022 includes only the continental United States (48 states plus the District of Columbia) Does not include Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. territories and dependencies due to a lack of data for these states/territories. |
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| Method | |
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Index Groups 36 indicators into environmental, social, and health “modules.” Overall EJI score = sum of three modules (percentile ranked)
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| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Social Vulnerability Module | Minority status poverty No high school diploma Unemployment Housing tenure Housing-burdened-lower income house household Lack of health insurance, Broadband access Age 65+ Age 17 under Disability Speaks English less than well Mobile homes Group quarters. |
| Health Vulnerability Module | High blood pressure Asthma Cancer Poor mental health Diabetes |
| Environmental Burden Module | Ozone PM2.5 Diesel particulate matter Air toxics cancer risk National Priority List sites Toxic release inventory sites Treatment, storage, disposal sites Risk Management Plan sites Coal mines Lead mines Lack of recreational parks Houses built pre-1980 Walkability High-volume roads Railways, airports Impaired surface water |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.7 Properties of the Department of Energy’s Justice40 Disadvantaged Communities Energy Justice Mapping Tool (2022 Data)
| Purpose | |
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Data used to define the U.S. Department of Energy’s working definition of disadvantaged communities (DACs) as pertaining to Executive Order 14008, or the Justice40 Initiative. The dataset provides the 36 inputs to the index at the census-tract level as well as the classification of each census tract as disadvantaged or not disadvantaged. |
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| Geography | |
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Census tracts (year not denoted) Documentation does not describe what geographies are included. 50 states + District of Columbia Shapefile includes Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands, but no data. |
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| Method | |
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Percentile values of each “indicator of burden” are calculated for each census tract and then summed. Equal weighting. Final scores range from 0 to 36, with 36 being the most disadvantaged. The top 20% of census tracts for each state was selected to be representative. Tracts are excluded if do not have 30% or more of households within the tract at or below 200% of the federal poverty line and/or considered below low-income households as defined by Housing and Urban Development (HUD). All tribal lands are included, per the Office of Management and Budget interim guidance. (This is not defined.) |
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| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Energy Burden | Energy burden (energy housing costs) Non-grid-connected heating fuel Outage duration Outage events Transportation costs |
| Environmental and Climate Hazards | Cancer risk Climate hazard loss of life estimates Diesel Homes built before 1960 National Priority List proximity PM2.5 Risk Management Plan site proximity Traffic proximity Treatment, storage and disposal facilities proximity Water discharge |
| Socioeconomic Vulnerabilities | 30-minute commute Disabled population Food desert Homelessness |
| Housing costs Incomplete plumbing Internet access Job access Less high school education Linguistic isolation Low-income population Mobile homes No vehicle Parks Population 65+ years Renters Single parent Unemployed Uninsured |
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| Fossil Dependence | Coal employment Fossil energy employment |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.8 Properties of the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s California EnviroScreen 4.0
| Purpose | |
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The tool analyzes the cumulative effects of pollution burden and additional socioeconomic and health factors to identify which communities might need policy, investment, or programmatic interventions. CalEnviroScreen is a screening tool used to help identify communities disproportionately burdened by multiple sources of pollution and with population characteristics that make them more sensitive to pollution. |
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| Geography | |
| Census tracts (California) | |
| Method | |
|
Index showing overall percentile ranks. Assigns scores for 21 indicators in each geographic area. Percentiles are averaged for each of the four subcomponents. More weight is given to exposure factors. CalEnviroScreen Score is a product of pollution subcomponent multiplied by population characteristics. Model’s components that contribute to cumulative impacts include Pollution Burden with subcomponents Exposures, Environmental Impacts; Population Characteristics with subcomponents Sensitive Populations and Socioeconomic Factors. |
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| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Exposure | Ozone concentration in air, PM2.5 concentration in air, diesel particulate matter in air, drinking water contaminants, children’s lead risk from housing, use of high-hazard, high-volatility pesticides, toxic releases from facilities |
| Environmental Impacts; Population Characteristics with Subcomponents | Toxic cleanup sites, groundwater threats from leaving underground storage sites and cleanup sites, hazardous waste facilities and generators, impaired water bodies, solid waste sites and facilities |
| Sensitive Populations | Asthma emergency department visits, cardiovascular diseases (emergency department visits for heart attacks), low-birth-weight infants. |
| Socioeconomic Factors | Educational attainment, housing-burdened low-income households, linguistic isolation, poverty, unemployment |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.9 New Jersey EJMap (Beta) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 2020 version)
| Purpose | |
| Facilities seeking permits/renewals in an overburdened community (OBC) must analyze their potential contribution to environmental and public health stressors. The department (1) identified justifiable and quantifiable environmental and public health stressors in overburdened communities, (2) designated a geographic unit of analysis for comparison, and (3) developed a methodology for determining whether an OBC is currently subject to adverse cumulative stressors. | |
| Geography | |
| 2020–Block groups | |
| Method | |
| Creates two summary maps: OBC & Environmental Stressors. Defines overburdened communities as block groups that meet at least one of the following: (1) at least 35% low-income households; (2) at least 40% of the residents identify as minority or as members of a state-recognized tribal community; and/or (3) at least 40% of the households have limited English proficiency. Additional label “adjacent” provided to describe block groups next to an OBC, or a block group with 0 population. Identifies Core Environmental and Social Stressors (stressors) by including 26 stressors. |
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| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Concentrated Areas of Air Pollution |
Ground-level ozone |
| Mobile Sources of Air Pollution |
Traffic—cars, light- and medium-duty trucks |
| Contaminated Sites |
Known contaminated sites |
| Transfer Stations |
Solid waste facilities |
| Point Sources of Water Pollution |
Surface water |
| Factors with Potential to Cause Public Health Issues |
Drinking water |
| Density/Proximity Stressors |
Emergency planning sites |
| Social Determinants of Health |
Unemployment |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.10 Properties of the Census Community Resilience Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 Estimates, updated August 10, 2021)
| Purpose | |
| Community resilience refers to a community’s ability to handle the pressures of a disaster. The 2019 Community Resilience Estimates (CRE) are created using data from the 2019 American Community Survey and the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program about individuals and households. Local leaders, policy makers, public health authorities, and community members can utilize these estimates to evaluate how well communities might cope with challenges and to devise strategies for lessening the impact and facilitating recovery. | |
| Geography | |
| Census tract | |
| Method | |
| An index is generated that produces aggregate-level (tract, county, and state) small-area estimates: the CRE. The CRE provide an estimate of the number of people with a specific number of risks. In its current data file layout form, the estimates are categorized into three groups: zero risks, 1–2 risks, and 3+ risks. | |
| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| No broad categories/themes. There are 10 risk factors (RFs) for households and individuals. |
RF 1: Income-to-poverty ratio (IPR) < 130% percent (HH). RF 2: Single- or zero-caregiver household—only one or no individuals living in the household who are 18–64 years (HH). RF 3: Unit-level crowding defined as >0.75 persons per room (HH) RF 4: Communication barrier defined as either
RF 5: No one in the household is employed full time, year-round. The flag is not applied if all residents of the household are ages 65 years or older (HH). RF 6: Disability posing constraint to significant life activity. Persons who report having any one of the six disability types (I): hearing difficulty, vision difficulty, cognitive difficulty, ambulatory difficulty, self-care difficulty, and independent living difficulty. RF 7: No health insurance coverage (I) RF 8: Being age 65 years or older (I) RF 9: Households without a vehicle (HH) RF 10: Households without broadband Internet access (HH) |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.11 Properties of the Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Department of the Interior, August 2022)
| Purpose | |
| The CMRA Assessment Tool offers condensed overviews of reliable datasets for counties, census tracts, and tribal lands. These overviews offer a uniform perspective on diverse spatial data, enabling users to explore the convergence of climate data with other federal informational resources such as the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool and the Tracking of Building Code Adoption. | |
| Geography | |
| Census tract/county | |
| Method | |
| N/A | |
| Categories/Themes | Components of Mapping Tool |
| Climate Data Summaries, Climate and Economic | Drought |
| Justice Screening Tool, FEMA’s Nationwide | Inland flooding |
| Building Code Adoption Tracking, Coastal | Coastal flooding |
| Inundation, Current Flooding Hazards, Census | Extreme heat |
| TIGER/Lines | Wildfire Coastal inundation Demographics |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.12 Properties of the U.S. Department of Transportation Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer (2023)
| Purpose | |
| The USDOT’s ETC Explorer is intended to enhance the capabilities of the Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). The aim of the ETC Explorer is to offer users a more comprehensive insight into a community’s exposure to transportation challenges. This understanding helps ensure that investments effectively target the transportation-related issues causing disadvantage, thereby ensuring that the benefits are appropriately addressing these concerns. | |
| Geography | |
| Census tract | |
| Method | |
| Composite index Percentile-based ranking Measures cumulative burden |
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| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| Environmental Burdens | Ozone PM2.5 Diesel particulate matter Air toxics cancer risk Hazardous site proximity Toxic release site proximity Treatment and disposal proximity Risk management plan sites Coal mine proximity Lead mine proximity Impaired surface water High-volume road proximity Railway proximity Airport proximity Port proximity Pre-1980 housing Percent over 65 years Percent under 17 years Percent disabled Limited English proficiency Percent mobile homes 200% poverty line High school graduation status Unemployment House tenure Housing cost burden Percent uninsured |
| Social Vulnerabilities | Percent lacking Internet Endemic inequality |
| Climate and Disaster Risk | Annualized hazard losses Impervious surfaces Future extreme weather risk |
| Health Vulnerabilities | Asthma Cancer High blood pressure Diabetes Low mental health |
| Transportation Insecurity | Transportation access Transportation cost burden Fatalities per 100,000 people |
| Data Sources | |
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TABLE C.13 Properties of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Environmental Justice Tool (Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs)
| Purpose | |
| The purpose of the MA-DPH-EJ Tool is to support the application of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs environmental justice policy, improve inclusive community planning for environmental assessment, and provide insights for various tasks such as siting, permitting, Brownfields cleanup, Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act review, grant applications, transportation projects, and evaluations of community, health, or climate impacts. | |
| Geography | |
| Census block group | |
| Method | |
| Environmental justice communities refer to Census block groups that fulfill one or more EJ criteria. Vulnerable Health EJ Criteria indicate communities that satisfy a minimum of 1 EJ criterion AND at least 1 health indicator criterion. | |
| Categories/Themes | Indicators |
| State-Designated Environmental Justice Categories | The annual median household income is 65% or less of the statewide annual median household income, OR Minorities make up 40% or more of the population, OR 25% or more of households identify as speaking English less than “very well,” OR Minorities make up 25% or more of the population and the annual median household income of the municipality in which the neighborhood is located does not exceed 150% of the statewide annual median household income |
| Vulnerable Health Environmental Justice Criteria | Heart attack Childhood blood lead level ≥5 µg/dL Low birth weight Asthma |
| Data Sources | |
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