1. An EPA web based mapping tool for Environmental Justice screening
EJSCREEN
An EPA web based mapping tool for Environmental Justice screening
Good morning, for those of you I have not met, I am Jean Belille, with the EPA Region 8 Environmental Justice program. I am here today to provide some background and preview EPA’s EJ Screening tool. We will get the chance to look at some places in EAGLE County during the demonstration.
Jean Belille
Environmental Justice
Region 8
May 15, 2018

2. Agenda Screening for EJ background EJSCREEN Tool introduction
Viewing the tool
Wrap up
So, first, I will provide you some background for why EPA is screening for Environmental Justice, introduce you the tool and demo the tool.

3. Executive Order on EJ 1994 E.O. 12898 requires federal agencies to
“collect, maintain and analyze information on the race, national origin, income level…for areas surrounding [certain types of] facilities or sites”
identify and address “disproportionately high and adverse …effects of its programs, policies, and activities”
Our driving guidance is from the Executive Order on Environmental Justice. The EO requires us to…
Executive Order “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations”
“identify and address “disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations”
“each federal agency, whenever practicable and appropriate, shall collect, maintain, and analyze information assessing and comparing environmental and human health risks borne by populations identified by race, national origin, or income. To the extent practical and appropriate, Federal agencies shall use this information to determine whether their programs, policies, and activities have disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority populations and low-income populations ” …
“each Federal agency, whenever practicable and appropriate, shall collect, maintain and analyze information on the race, national origin, income level, and other readily accessible and appropriate information for areas surrounding facilities or sites expected to have substantial environmental, human health, or economic effect on the surrounding populations, when such facilities or sites become the subject of a substantial Federal environmental administrative or judicial action. Such information shall be made available to the public unless prohibited by law “

4. Screening for Environmental Justice
EO12898 calls for federal agencies to make EJ part of its mission by
Identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations
EPA is lead federal agency for EJ
I did want to point out here, that we are required to look at both minority AND low-income, not necessarily in combination.

5. Why EJ?
communities and demographic groups vary widely in environment, susceptibility, and health status.
We want to find
Areas with higher exposures
Areas with sensitive/ vulnerable populations
Areas with both
CDC and others have documented clear disparities in health between income groups and race/ethnic groups
The National Environmental Justice Advisory Counil
The NEJAC has frequently observed over the years that the legacy of racial and ethnic discrimination has real impacts in terms of communities’ health and welfare, as well as their vulnerability to environmental stressors. Empirical data reveal a strong correlation between race and environmental stressors, such as proximity to polluting facilities and exposures to certain chemicals. Other studies reveal racial correlations to actual health effects, such as high blood lead levels and asthma. Thus, this is a reliable indicator whose weight should not be diluted by including less important or indeed in some cases erroneous, variables within the overall EJSEAT score.
EPA ought to obtain better data on other health indicators associated with environmental exposures such as incidence of cancer, lead poisoning, asthma and other respiratory diseases. The EPA should attempt to obtain these data at the census tract level so that the data can be incorporated into EJSEAT in a methodologically consistent manner.

6. Screening for Environmental Justice
EPA has previously developed tools for EJ Screening
EJSEAT (Environmental Justice Strategic Enforcement Assessment Tool)
OECA tool that uses 18 different factors
Tool has not been updated
EPA sunsetted this tool
EJView
Publicly available tool that provides readily available EPA, census, and boundary data
Social Vulnerability index – Region 9
CenRank – Office of Air and Radiation
Regions and national program offices have also created tools that incorporate EJ. There are many different approaches nationwide. EPA has decided that program offices and regions need a nationally consistent approach. The EJSCREEN tool provides a basic amount of consistent information at the census blockgroup level.
The development of EJSCREEN was informed by past experience in developing EJ screening tools, such as EPA’s former EJ enforcement screening tool, EJSEAT, the comprehensive review of EJSEAT provided by the subcommittee of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC), and input from EPA Regions and Headquarters offices that have experience using their own screening tools.

7. EJSCREEN Training Module 1 of 2
Background
7/29/2014
EPA’s new tool for EJ screening and mapping
Web-based GIS tool and data for EPA and the public
Plan EJ 2014 announced EPA’s plan to create a new, nationally consistent EJ screening tool
Builds upon NEJAC report on EJ screening, and prior work across EPA programs and Regions
Incorporates comments from peer letter reviews by experts on geospatial tools and EJ
EJSCREEN is EPA’s new tool that provides consistent data and methods for EJ screening and mapping.
The tool was created to help EPA consider environmental justice issues in all of EPA’s work. It was also created to provide transparent data and tools to anyone who is interested, and it will be made available to the general public in late 2014.
It is a web-based tool provided via a website, so you just need a web browser – you don’t have to install special software to use it.
It is a geospatial information or “GIS” tool and covers the entire US.
EPA developed the tool as one of several commitments EPA made under Plan EJ Plan EJ 2014 is a roadmap that has helped integrate environmental justice considerations into the agency’s programs, policies and activities.
EJSCREEN draws upon a great deal of prior research, analysis, and public involvement in the development of very closely related screening efforts.
EPA is conducted an expert letter review of EJSCREEN to provide feedback about the tool’s utility and other design aspects. The letter review involved experts on geospatial data tools and EJ, and feedback was provided to help modify EJSCREEN to more efficiently and accurately screen areas for potential EJ concerns.
Plan EJ 2014 progress report:
From the report:
“In October 2012, the EPA issued EJSCREEN for use internally by Agency managers and staff. EJSCREEN is a screening tool that provides nationally consistent data and methods for screening areas of potential EJ concern that may warrant further consideration, analysis or outreach. It employs 12 environmental indicators plus race and income. The development of EJSCREEN is a major step forward for integrating EJ into the Agency’s programs, policies and activities. This will help EPA managers and staff incorporate EJ principles into the Agency’s activities in a more accurate, efficient and consistent manner.”
Draft - Do not cite or distribute.

8. EJSCREEN
EPA Tool
Used internally for ~2 years
Publicly available by end of 2014
Nationally consistent data and methods for screening areas of potential EJ concern
Data at census blockgroup level
Environmental and demographic data is nationally available
11 environmental indicators
6 demographic factors
Primary EJ Index = Environmental factor x demographics

9. Combines environmental & demographic data
EJSCREEN provides: 1. Environmental indicators 2. Demographic indicators (predictors of health status and of potential vulnerability to environmental threats) and combines them as an index… 3. “EJ index” for each environmental factor, in each location.
EJSCREEN provides both summary and detailed information to address questions about the environmental, demographic and EJ characteristics of a block group or buffer area. It produces detailed reports for each selected area of study, for both environmental and demographic data.
The demographics can be seen as predictors of health status, and of potential vulnerability to environmental threats.
EJSCREEN presents multiple “EJ indexes” for each place. An EJ index is a way of combining the environmental indicator and the demographic information for a block group or buffer area.
So EJSCREEN highlights the extent to which a location may have a greater combination of environmental and vulnerability factors.
A separate EJ index is provided for each environmental indicator in EJSCREEN, because combining these 11 very different indicators is not so simple – there are scientific and policy considerations involved in how to weigh fine particulate matter or PM2.5 levels versus living near a Superfund site, for example.

10. Key Features
11 different environmental factors, including several new or improved metrics (e.g., traffic score)
Updated demographics – every 1 year, not every 10 years
A consistent, quantified approach to EJ, not just “overlays” – numerical indexes that combine environmental and demographic indicators
Accessible and transparent to anyone with a web browser
Standard printable reports and bar graphs
Higher resolution maps – 3 times as many data points (blockgroups vs tracts)
A wealth of additional data maps; can add more from the Web
Raw data downloads are also available
There are several ways EJSCREEN represents progress relative to prior efforts.
It contains 11 nationally consistent high resolution datasets for environmental indicators that span across different pollution impacts.
ACS 5 year data, not decennial census.
EJSCREEN will update the demographic data every year to ensure that the data is relevant and timely.
Rather than just displaying maps, EJSCREEN makes a wealth of data available to users for any user-defined area.
It will be available from a webpage and doesn’t require users to download the tool or its data.
Older tools used tracts, not block groups. There are about 3 times as many block groups (almost 218,000) as tracts (about 73,000) in the US.
And EPA is making the data available to the everyone accompanying the public release so the tool can be modified or supplemented to meet stakeholders needs.

11. Using EJSCREEN A tool for everyone “Look back” reports
Available to all EJ stakeholders and general public
but no requirement that state/tribal/stakeholders use it
Basis for further dialogue
“Look back” reports
Permitting, community inquiries, etc.
Identifying candidates for a closer look, where to start (e.g., outreach, enforcement, etc.)
Methods are different when targeting vs. starting with a point location or place
EJSCREEN was released to the general public around the end of 2014.
EPA hopes EJSCREEN will provide a basis for communication that can further the dialogue on environmental justice issues.
As computer mapping technology has advanced and EPA’s focus on environmental justice has sharpened, EPA has recognized the opportunity and the need to develop a single, nationally consistent, tool that can be used both inside and outside of the agency. Thus, EPA has devoted resources to developing EJSCREEN and making it available to everyone.
Anyone is free to use or not use EJSCREEN. It is important to note that there is no mandate or guidance expressed or implied by EPA that state governments or others “should” use the tool or its underlying data. It is up to state and local permitting, enforcement, and other officials to choose whether EJSCREEN’s outputs or information are relevant and useful to them.
To the extent possible, EPA will work together with partners and stakeholders who are interested in using EJSCREEN, and encourages states and others to provide feedback to the agency in regards to their needs and concerns.
EPA uses EJSCREEN for a variety of purposes.
EJSCREEN is intended for screening purposes, to highlight areas that may be candidates for further review, such as additional consideration, analysis, or outreach. It can suggest where to take a closer look, where to start.
EPA may use the tool as the agency develops programs, policies and activities in communities. In the past, the agency has employed EJ screening tools in a wide variety of circumstances. A few examples of what EJSCREEN supports across the agency include: EPA has used existing internal EJ screening tools to help highlight areas that may warrant additional consideration, analysis, or outreach in aspects of enforcement, compliance, Superfund removal actions, permitting, and voluntary programs. Screening tools have been used in developing retrospective reports of EPA work, and to enhance geographically based initiatives. EJSCREEN will be able to support a similarly wide variety of uses.
Lastly, it is important to note EPA is releasing EJSCREEN to the public in part to be more transparent about how the agency considers environmental justice in its work. There is no mandate or guidance expressed or implied that state governments or other entities should use the tool or its underlying data. It is up to state and local permitting, enforcement, and other officials to choose whether EJSCREEN’s outputs or information are relevant and useful to them in understanding environmental burdens and vulnerabilities in their localities. To the extent possible, EPA will work together with partners and stakeholders who are interested in using EJSCREEN, and encourages states to provide feedback to the agency in regards to their needs and concerns.

12. Screening, not conclusions
Pre-decisional tool: Does not direct outcomes
EJSCREEN CANNOT be used as:
A way to label an area as an “EJ community” or “EJ area”
A risk assessment
The basis for EPA decision-making (it is “pre-decisional”)
Not cumulative measurement
A baseline screening tool, to be supplemented with additional information and local experience
There is a continuum, not a bright line cutoff
Screening tools can be misused or misinterpreted if you are not careful to understand their limitations.
EJSCREEN is “pre-decisional” and therefore it does not direct final outcomes

13. Environmental factors (11 factors)
Environmental Indicator Raw Data Type (Units)
Raw Data Description
Indicator Descriptor
Particulate Matter (PM2.5) in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3)
PM2.5 levels in air, µg/m3 annual average
Potential Exposure
Ozone in parts per billion (ppb)
Ozone summer seasonal average
of daily maximum 8-hour concentration in air in parts per billion
National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) Diesel PM in (µg/m3)
Diesel particulate matter (PM) level in air, µg/m3
NATA Air Toxics Cancer Risk (risk per million people)
Excess lifetime cancer risk from inhalation of air toxics
Hazard/Risk
NATA Respiratory Hazard Index
Air toxics respiratory hazard index (ratio of exposure concentration to health-based reference concentration)
Environmental factors are viewed one-at-a-time,
The table on this slide shows the types of “raw data” that support the first 6 of the environmental indicators.
Each reflects estimates that have been made for (almost) all census block groups in the U.S.
Notice that the first 3 of these are really indicators of potential exposure, so they don’t try to estimate actual risk. They are estimates of PM2.5, ozone, and diesel PM levels in air.
The other 3 here are indicators of hazard or risk. The Technical Documentation has more details on what these are and how they were derived.

14. Environmental factors (11 factors)
Environmental Indicator Raw Data Type (Units)
Raw Data Description
Indicator Descriptor
Lead Paint Indicator (% pre-1960s Housing)
Percent of housing units built before 1960, as indicator of potential exposure to lead-based paint
Potential Exposure
Traffic Proximity (daily traffic count/distance to road)
Count of vehicles (average annual daily traffic) at major roads within 500 meters, divided by distance in kilometers (km)
Proximity
Proximity to National Priority List (NPL) sites (count/km distance)
Count of NPL (Superfund) facilities within 5 km (or nearest one beyond 5 km), divided by distance in km
Proximity to Risk Management Plan (RMP) facilities (count/km distance)
Count of RMP (potential chemical accident management plan) facilities within 5 km (or nearest one beyond 5 km), divided by distance in km
Proximity to Toxic Storage Disposal Facilities (TSDF) (count/km distance)
Count of TSDFs (hazardous waste management facilities) within 5 km (or nearest one beyond 5 km), divided by distance in km
Proximity to Major Direct Dischargers (count/km distance)
Count of NPDES major direct water discharger facilities within 5 km (or nearest one beyond 5 km), each divided by distance in km
The table above shows the raw data that support the other 6 environmental indicators. Again, each type of data reflect estimates that have been made in essentially all 217,000 census block groups in the U.S.
Note that the proximity metrics are just rough indicators of the potential for exposure, but don’t try to directly estimate actual exposure or risk. Proximity is not the same as actual exposure because someone may live upwind of a facility and have almost no exposure, or the facility may not release any pollutants at all, as in the case of an RMP facility that has had no accidental spills or other releases, for example.
But the proximity metrics are very useful because they quantify the distance and the number of nearby facilities. This is better than just seeing them on a map and having no quantifiable indicator to describe their proximity to residents.
Now that we have discussed the environmental indicator data group, let’s move on to the third basic group of EJSCREEN data, which is the EJ index data.
As you see,most of the environmental data is air focused; that data EPA has more national data available.

15. Demographics Demographic Index: Minority Low-income
Linguistically isolated
Less than HS education
Under age 5
Over age 64
Demographic Index:
The primary demographic index uses 2 factors: Demographic index = avg. of % low-income & % minority
An alternative is also provided, using 6 demographic factors (% with less than high school, % in linguistic isolation, % under age 5, % over age 64, % low-income, % minority)
Now lets go discuss demographics.
The Demographic Index for a census block group is just the average of the % low-income and % minority for that block group. It just combines them into one number that will be used to calculate the EJ indexes.
Later, we will see how this demographic index is used in combination with the raw data from each environmental indicator to create 12 EJ indexes.
More Detailed Notes
% Low-Income is the percent of a census block group’s population living in households where the household income is less than or equal to twice the federally-defined poverty level. This is as a % of those for whom that could be determined, which is usually nearly the whole population.
% Linguistic isolation is the percent of people in a census block group living in a household where all members age 14 years and over speak a non-English language and also have difficulty with English
% Minority is the percent of individuals in a census block group who self-identify their race as something other than “white alone” (“alone” means only one race) and/or identify their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino.
% less than high school is as a % of those age 25 plus.

16. EJ Index An EJ index combines the environment and demographic indexes
The primary EJ index
The primary EJ index measures “How much does each place contribute to the disparity in environmental scores (between demographic groups, nationwide)?”
Alternative EJ indexes are also provided – similar results
There are 11 types of EJ indexes, each of which is created using data from one of the 12 environmental indicators in combination with the data from the demographic index shown earlier.
The first element of the index is the raw score for the environmental indicator. There is one EJ index for each of the 11 indicators <Click>.

17. 12 EJ Indexes SAMPLE SCRIPT:
There are 11 types of EJ indexes, each of which is created using data from one of the 12 environmental indicators in combination with the data from the demographic index shown earlier.
The first element of the index is the raw score for the environmental indicator. There is one EJ index for each of the 11 indicators <Click>.
The EJ index also considers the population of the block group, and the difference between the demographic composition of that block group, as measured by the demographic index, and the national average (which is approximately 33%).The demographic portion of the EJ index measures the additional number of potentially susceptible individuals in the block group, beyond what you would expect for a block group with its population. For example, assume a block group with 1000 people in it. In that block group, one would expect 330 potentially susceptible individuals (1000 x 33%). However, if the demographic index for that block group is 80%, then there are 800 potentially susceptible people there, or 470 more than you would expect for a block group with a population of 1000 <Click>.
Finally, the EJ index is also influenced by the total population of the area of study or selected block group. In the example of the 1 mile buffer area we studied, the population is 23,624.

18. What does the EJ Index mean?
The EJ index combines environmental and demographic data
It shows how much a block group contributes to the nation’s overall disparity (between demographic groups) in that environmental indicator.
In other words,
Nationwide overall, the average low-income and/or minority individual in the US has a higher lead paint indicator score than the rest of the US population.
The EJ index shows how much this block group contributes to that disparity.
If the block groups with the highest EJ index values (for lead paint) were “cleaned up” first, that would be the fastest way to reduce the disparity in average lead paint scores.
SAMPLE SCRIPT:
The EJ index combines environmental and demographics data and shows how much a block group contributes to the nation’s overall disparity for each environmental indicator. For example, lets say you know there is a disparity in environmental indicator scores for lead paint, meaning that low income / minority residents on average have a higher lead paint score than the rest of the US population.
Let’s say you had limited resources and could only “clean up” or lower the lead paint scores in 1% of block groups, to start with.
If you started with the top 1% as ranked by the lead paint EJ index, that strategy would have the biggest possible impact on reducing the existing demographic disparity in those average environmental indicator scores.
Obviously there are many other considerations in the real world, such as the cost of any actions, the true risks rather than the indicator scores, the importance of places with very high environmental scores regardless of demographics, etc. But the EJ index gives you one piece of information to work with.

19. Using Reports & Maps
Report: Gives you all the indicators at once, for a single, specified location (e.g. within 1 mile of a facility)
e.g., looking at all the indicators for residents nearby
Map: Gives you one indicator at a time, for each of the block groups within a wider area (e.g. across several miles)
e.g., for a single indicator like lead paint, exploring and prioritizing hot-spots, or drilling down from a report to compare neighborhoods or small communities
EJSCREEN maps are the perfect companion to the standard EJSCREEN reports.
While the reports let you see bar graphs and tables on the data , including all 12 EJ indexes, all 12 environmental indicators, and all seven demographic indicators, within a buffer area that you select, the maps allow you to look at the color-coded percentiles of the individual block groups within your buffer area for each type of index and indicator data.
In addition, the maps allow you to see the values in all of the block groups that are adjacent to the area you selected to determine of other nearby areas warrant further investigation.

20. EJSCREEN Standard Report
Buffer reports are highly recommended.
Data for a single block group are less certain than for a “buffer report” that covers multiple block groups!
The buffer results estimate the indicator scores for the average resident inside the buffer. [based on block-level population counts for blocks whose centroids are in the buffer].
Report has 3 pages:
Page 1 – The first place to look:
11 EJ indexes as a table (as percentiles)
Bar graph of the 1 EJ indexes
Page 2:
Map (selected area of interest)
Page 3 – for more details:
Environmental indicators
Demographic indicators
Now that we have reviewed the 3 basic groups of data used in EJSCREEN, let’s look at a Standard EJSCREEN report. These reports generally address combinations of census block groups that can be selected using a variety of methods that we will show you later. Single census block groups should not be selected for a report because the information in just one census block group is not nearly as accurate as that for larger areas. There are a number of technical explanations for this, but we will not go into them today.
The Standard EJSCREEN Report is 3 pages long.
Page 1 provides tabular and bar graph views of the percentiles associated with each of the 11 EJ indexes calculated for the selected area.
Page 2 provides a base map of the general area, and highlights the selected area addressed by the EJSCREEN Report.
Page 3 provides a table that addresses environmental indicators and demographic indicators. We will review each page of the standard EJSCREEN report in the following slides.
This report shows environmental, demographic, and EJ indicator values. It shows environmental and demographic raw data (e.g., the estimated concentration of ozone in the air), and also shows what percentile each raw data value represents. These percentiles provide perspective on how the selected block group or buffer area compares to the entire state, EPA region, or nation. For example, if a given location is at the 95th percentile nationwide, this means that only 5 percent of the US population has a higher block group value than the average person in the location being analyzed. The years for which the data are available, and the methods used, vary across these indicators. Important caveats and uncertainties apply to this screening-level information, so it is essential to understand the limitations on appropriate interpretations and applications of these indicators. Please see EJSCREEN documentation for discussion of these issues before using reports.

21. Displaying blockgroups Eagle County, CO
Orange in middle is near Wolcott, CO

22. Table of the 11 EJ Indexes
I mapped blockgroup near Wolcott, CO in Eagle County. Shows Blockgroup FIPs CODE.
All EJ Indexes over 95th percentile are highlighted in RED.
This slide shows just the tabular portion of page 1 and a bit of the map from page 2 of the report. It first shows you what location is being considered here <point to and read the header>.
Again, this first page of the report is a great starting point.
You can quickly see the State, EPA Regional, and USA percentiles for all 11 EJ indexes in the location being considered.
For example, the EJ index for traffic proximity and volume in the “1 mile Ring” described in the header <point to the header again> shows that the traffic proximity and volume in this ring is greater than or equal to 94 percent of the rest of the country. Another way to say this is that only about 6 percent of the U.S population lives in areas that have a higher EJ index for traffic proximity and volume.

23. Bar Graph in Standard Report
Suppose we are looking at an EJSCREEN report trying to understand what it means.
The bar graph is actually a great place to look first. It visually summarizes the 12 EJ indexes.
We can quickly see that all 12 seem to be elevated – most of them are above the 75th percentile– this suggests that these 12 environmental issues may raise EJ concerns to more of an extent than you might see in most other locations - you might flag the location as perhaps needing a closer look.
If you saw all 12 EJ indexes below the 50th percentile, that would obviously be the other extreme – and you might not flag the location as needing a closer look.
In many other cases, the picture will be somewhere in between, and a case-by-case look at all the EJSCREEN data and perhaps any local data or concerns might be needed to get a more complete picture.

24. Raw Data in Standard Report
*The National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) is EPA's ongoing, comprehensive evaluation of air toxics in the United States. EPA developed the NATA to prioritize air toxics, emission sources, and locations of interest for further study. It is important to remember that NATA provides broad estimates of health risks over geographic areas of the country, not definitive risks to specific individuals or locations. More information on the NATA analysis can be found at:

25. Important Notes About How EPA Uses EJSCREEN
EJSCREEN Training Module 1 of 2
Important Notes About How EPA Uses EJSCREEN
7/29/2014
Tool and data to be shared with State/Tribal, public, etc.
Highlights areas that may be candidates for further review
Pre-decisional screening tool
Does not direct final outcomes
Baseline screening should be supplemented with local information and experience
Should not be used to label areas as “EJ community”
SAMPLE SCRIPT:
Again, before we break for questions, I want to re-iterate a few key points:
EPA is releasing EJSCREEN to the public in part to be more transparent about how the agency considers environmental justice in its work. There is no mandate or guidance expressed or implied that state governments or other entities should use the tool or its underlying data. It is up to state and local permitting, enforcement, and other officials to choose whether EJSCREEN’s outputs or information are relevant and useful to them in understanding environmental burdens and vulnerabilities in their localities. To the extent possible, EPA will work together with partners and stakeholders who are interested in using EJSCREEN, and encourages states to provide feedback to the agency in regards to their needs and concerns.
Additionally, although screening is a useful first step in highlighting locations for EPA staff that may be candidates for further review, it is pre-decisional and therefore it does not direct final outcomes; in fact, it is primarily intended to raise awareness to make sure that EPA personnel do not overlook potential circumstances that may be contributing to disproportionate impacts in areas within their work areas or jurisdictions.
Baseline screening results available from EJSCREEN should be supplemented with local information and experience.
Given that EJSCREEN is only a screening tool, it will not be used to label any areas as an “EJ community.”
EJSCREEN should be viewed as a preliminary tool that provides information to help stakeholders consider potential EJ concerns to be assessed and addressed further.
Draft - Do not cite or distribute.

26. EJSCREEN Training Module 1 of 2
Caveats
7/29/2014
Demographics for a single block group may have high uncertainty. Census data are estimates from surveys, and the margin of error can be very high for a single block group. Buffer report is more reliable than 1 block group.
Environmental indicators, especially proximity metrics, are mostly screening-level proxies for actual exposure or risk.
Environmental indicators for a single block group may have high uncertainty. Small differences may not be true or meaningful ones.
Some indicators may be outdated – conditions change.
It does not cover all environmental issues.
Other local data and concerns may be very important.
Read the technical documentation for more caveats!
SAMPLE SCRIPT:
Many environmental concerns are not yet included in comprehensive, nationwide databases. For example, data on environmental factors such as drinking water quality, occupational exposures and indoor air pollutants are not available with adequate quality, coverage and/or resolution to be included in EJSCREEN.
Screening-level results are also subject to uncertainty in their demographic and environmental data, particularly when looking at small geographic areas, such as Census block groups. For this reason, a buffer report provides more reliable estimates than a single block group report.
Also, small differences in numbers should not be relied upon as definitive. The difference between 94th and 95th percentile may not be meaningful – You cannot say with much confidence how to rank two places that are estimated to be at the 81st and 82d percentiles.
More caveats are provided in the technical documentation for EJSCREEN.
Draft - Do not cite or distribute.

27. Demo Let’s look at the Tool!

28. Thanks
Jean Belille EJSCREEN EPA Region 8 Environmental Justice