New draft version of the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool: CalEnviroScreen 4.0

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Image of the draft CalEnviroScreen 4.0 webmap





The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has released a draft update to its environmental justice tool, CalEnviroScreen, for public review and comment. The draft CalEnviroScreen Version 4.0 uses data on 21 indicators of pollution, environmental quality, and socioeconomic and public health conditions to calculate a score for each of the state’s 8,000 census tracts based on their overall pollution burdens and vulnerabilities.  These draft results are available in a mapping tool.

 

The new draft version updates the tool’s 20 existing pollution and vulnerability indicators with the latest data and improved methodology and adds a new indicator on children’s exposure to lead from housing. The new version also includes several other improvements to existing indicators. It adds known pollution sources, such as chrome plating facilities, dairies and feedlots, and certain sources in Mexico that may impact California communities. Higher resolution air pollution data are also included.

 

CalEnviroScreen is used by a wide range of state and local agencies, community-based organizations, and private associations and individuals. In addition to identifying disadvantaged communities for state climate investments, the tool is used to aid in administering environmental justice grants, promote compliance with environmental laws, prioritize site-cleanup activities, and identify opportunities for sustainable development.

 

OEHHA will hold a webinar on March 3, 2021 at 11am, to introduce CalEnviroScreen 4.0, answer questions and receive initial public comments. You can register for the zoom webinar here. The webinar will be followed by six virtual public workshops to collect regional input from across the state.  The public comment period will close on April 30, 2021. OEHHA will review the comments and consider revisions before releasing a final version of CalEnviroScreen 4.0 in summer 2021.  Further information will be made available on the program website.

 

We look forward to your participation in the development of this next version of CalEnviroScreen. Please email any questions to CalEnviroScreen@oehha.ca.gov.