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MD EJSCREEN v2.0: Visualizing Overburdening of Environmental Justice Issues Using the Updated Maryland Environmental Justice Screening Tool

2022; Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.; Volume: 15; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1089/env.2020.0055

1939-4071

Elizabeth Noelia Williams, Daniel Polsky, Jan-Michael Archer, Angie Rodríguez, Ruibo Han, Kathleen Stewart, Sacoby Wilson,

Risk Perception and Management

Geographic information system tools analyze the environmental hazards and injustice throughout the United States. This article highlights the updated Maryland Environmental Justice Screening Tool (MD EJSCREEN v2.0), a state-specific resource for visualizing local environmental justice and health disparities in Maryland. Four new functions for screening and visualizing environmental justice indicators are described and demonstrated: the Select Feature and EJScreenChart, Side-by-Side Mapper, Report Tool, and Base Map Selector. The article identifies and compares census tracts in Maryland with highest and lowest Maryland Environmental Justice Scores (MD EJScores): Johnston Square, Baltimore, Maryland, and Churchville, Maryland, respectively. This article also characterizes the spread of MD EJScores across Maryland's 1384 census tracts. The case study results indicate that, while the median MD EJScore across the state is 0.30, several of Maryland's communities of color and low-wealth communities are disproportionately and highly impacted by high exposure to air pollution, close proximity to hazardous facilities, and high rates poor health outcomes—especially in the 90th percentile of MD EJScores, which can be as much as three times the statewide median. The tool can be used by local policymakers, regulators, and community leaders in a decision-support capacity to inform strategies for reducing environmental injustice.