EPA Launches EJSCREEN 2.2, The Community Environmental Justice Mapping Tool & Trainings

[Tomei-Torres, Francisco A. (ATSDR/OAD/OCDAPS)]

EPA Launches EJSCREEN 2.2, The Community Environmental Justice Mapping Tool & Trainings

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated EJScreen, the Agency's publicly available environmental justice (EJ) screening and mapping tool. EJScreen 2.2 makes important improvements to better meet the needs of users, including a redesigned and enhanced report, a new environmental indicator with corresponding indexes, and refreshed demographic and environmental data. 

EJScreen 2.2 provides updated reports which compile various datasets into one document to help users better understand the multiple factors that impact their community. It also includes a new environmental indicator on Toxic Releases to Air, as well as associated EJ and supplemental indexes. This new indicator quantifies the relative potential human health impacts from exposure of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals into the air. More information on the new indicator can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen/overview-environmental-indicators-ejscreen.

The main purpose of these annual EJScreen updates is to build in the newest available demographic and environmental datasets. The update uses the 2017-2021 American Community Survey demographic data from the U.S. Census and refreshed EPA data for the environmental indicators. Additionally, EJScreen 2.2 features new map layers on health disparities including cancer and persons with disabilities; critical service gaps on accessibility to housing, health insurance, transportation; and EPA regulated facilities that are currently or have been out of compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

Training:

EPA is holding multiple trainings and office hours for users on EJScreen 2.2. The trainings will provide an:

• Overview Presentation on EJScreen 2.2
• Discussion of the New Features
• Live Demonstration
• Q&A session

The trainings will feature the same content and will be accessible via Zoom, registration is not required. More information can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen/ejscreen-office-hours-training. The upcoming opportunities are listed below:

Training Date/Time/Link: June 28, 2023, at 12pm EST – Click here to join

Training Date/Time/Link: July 12, 2023, at 12pm EST – Click here to join

Office Hours Date/Time/Link: August 16 at 12pm EST – Click here to join

The Office Hours will be a chance for the public to talk with EPA EJScreen experts about many topics including how to use and apply the tool, technical issues, and any other questions.

We hope that you will test the new features of EJScreen 2.2 to see how it can serve your needs and provide us feedback on how we can continue to improve this tool. For more information on EJSCREEN, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen.