Identifying Vulnerable Schools in High Risk Environmental Justice Communities

Adam Dorr

Use pollution data to identify high-risk areas Use demographic data to identify vulnerable

environmental justice communities Identify most vulnerable schools for priority

intervention Geographic Area: Los Angeles County (by

census tract)

Midterm Goals

EPA National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) 2002 data:◦ Cancer Risk◦ Neurological Risk◦ Respiratory Risk

Standardized Scales (0-1) Composite Index (0-1)

Sources and Methods

American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2005-2009 (US Census Bureau via Social Explorer)

Based on Massachusetts State Law and Atlanta City Code definitions of Environmental Justice Community:◦ 65% or more below median income (assumed: county)◦ 25% or more minority (assumed: ALL not “white alone”)◦ 25% or more foreign born◦ 25% or more under age 10 ◦ 25% or more age 65 or older

Community Vulnerability Scale (0-5)

Sources and Methods

ESRI/Microsoft:◦ California state boundary map◦ Los Angeles County census tracts boundary map◦ Shaded relief basemap◦ Major highways basemap

UCLA Mapshare:◦ Airports◦ Water bodies

Sources and Methods

Use pollution data to identify high-risk areas Use demographic data to identify vulnerable

environmental justice communities Identify most vulnerable schools for priority

intervention Buffer zones around EPA sites of concern Develop a predictive model:

◦ Risk Environmental Justice Community Test model in other cities

Final Project Goals

Inset map Point graduated symbol (schools) Aggregating attribute fields (scales and composite

scores) Creating Indices (EJ-Risk Combined Index) Geoprocessing (clipping, multiple layers) Buffering and dissolve (EPA sites of concern 0.5 mile

buffer) Attribute sub-sets selections (selected Los Angeles

County EPA sites of concern from nationwide dataset) Geocoding (EPA sites addresses)

GIS Skills Used