CalEnviroScreen

CalEnviroScreen
Name	CalEnviroScreen
Developer	Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
Country	United States
Launched	2013
Latest release	3.0
Purpose	Cumulative impacts screening tool

CalEnviroScreen

CalEnviroScreen is a state-level screening tool used to identify communities in California disproportionately burdened by pollution, pollution sources, and socioeconomic vulnerability. It was developed to support environmental justice decision-making, mapping, and resource allocation, and has informed programs administered by the California Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board, California Department of Public Health, and various nongovernmental organizations. The tool integrates demographic, health, and pollution data to rank census tracts for prioritization by agencies such as the California Natural Resources Agency and the Strategic Growth Council.

Overview

CalEnviroScreen combines spatial datasets from agencies like the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Census Bureau, and the California Air Resources Board to generate composite scores for communities including tracts in Los Angeles County, San Joaquin Valley, Bay Area, and Imperial County. It was produced by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment in coordination with the California Environmental Protection Agency and influenced by advocacy from groups such as the California Environmental Justice Alliance, Communities for a Better Environment, and Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability. The output has been used by programs under laws like the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and initiatives associated with the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

Methodology and Indicators

The methodology aggregates indicators across domains drawing on datasets from institutions such as the California Department of Public Health, California Air Resources Board, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Department of Water Resources, and federal sources like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Indicators include exposure metrics (for example, diesel particulate matter and ozone concentrations measured by the California Air Resources Board), environmental effects (such as cleanup sites cataloged by the Department of Toxic Substances Control and impaired waters listed under the Clean Water Act), and sensitive population and socioeconomic measures derived from the United States Census Bureau and health outcome data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The scoring algorithm weights indicators to produce a cumulative burden score for each census tract, with analyses often visualized using tools associated with the Geographic Information System community and software platforms developed by entities like Esri.

Applications and Uses

Agencies including the California Air Resources Board, California Department of Public Health, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and the California Environmental Protection Agency have used the tool to prioritize grant funding under programs like the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and the California Climate Investments program. Municipalities such as the City of San Francisco, City of Los Angeles, and counties including Riverside County and Fresno County reference the screening outputs for planning, permitting, and public outreach tied to projects under laws like the California Environmental Quality Act and regulations administered by the State Water Resources Control Board. Nonprofits and academic centers such as the Public Health Institute, University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University have used the dataset for research on environmental health disparities, while advocacy organizations including the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Environmental Defense Fund cite scores in campaigns and litigation.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques have come from stakeholders including municipal planning departments in Sacramento, California, industry groups such as the California Chamber of Commerce, academics at institutions like the University of Southern California and University of California, Los Angeles, and environmental justice advocates. Concerns focus on indicator selection, weighting methods, spatial resolution tied to the United States Census Bureau tract geography, and potential impacts on housing markets in places like Oakland, California and San Diego. Disputes have arisen in administrative proceedings involving the California Environmental Protection Agency and in public comment processes conducted by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and California Air Resources Board, with debates paralleling controversies seen around other tools such as those used by the United Kingdom Environment Agency and the European Environment Agency.

Updates and Versions

Initial releases were followed by iterative updates produced by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment in coordination with partner agencies including the California Air Resources Board and the Department of Toxic Substances Control. Major versions—commonly cited as Version 1.0, Version 2.0, and Version 3.0—incorporated new or revised indicators, refined methods, and updated datasets from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and state surveillance programs run by the California Department of Public Health. Each release has been accompanied by technical documentation and public workshops involving stakeholders such as the California Environmental Justice Alliance and academic researchers from the University of California system.

Legal and Policy Context

CalEnviroScreen functions within a policy environment shaped by statutes and agencies including the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, California Environmental Quality Act, Health and Safety Code (California), the California Air Resources Board, and the California Environmental Protection Agency. Its outputs have been integrated into allocation frameworks for programs administered under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and have been referenced in litigation and administrative adjudications before forums including the California Supreme Court and state appellate courts. The methodology and its use intersect with federal statutes administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and policy initiatives at institutions such as the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Category:Environmental justice in California