Empowering Environmental Justice Decision Makers: Increasing Educational Resources for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Mapping Tools

Abstract

Policy development and subsequent action occur at all levels of government with various opportunities for input from nongovernmental organizations and individual citizens. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) mapping tools such as EJSCREEN and EnviroAtlas incorporate environmental and demographic data to inform local decision makers on issues and policies in their communities by putting data, resources, and information in the hands of citizens. However, these tools are only as powerful as their reach, especially when it comes to communities with environmental justice (EJ) concerns. In this article, we present the development of an EJ educational case study based on a collaboration between U.S. EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Through the EPA Case Study, we state the need for EJ-focused educational materials that leverage the U.S. EPA's mapping tools, describe the development and application of the EPA Case Study, and share lessons learned to help inform future EJ educational materials development. We conclude with a literature-backed call to action for continued federal support in the development of tools and educational materials to inform decision making that has the potential galvanize policy change.

Environmental contaminants and child development: Developmentally‐informed opportunities and recommendations for integrating and informing child environmental health science

“…This is important as individual and community‐level exposure data can be used by community members to advocate for environmental policy changes (Caplin et al., 2019 ; Castner et al., 2022 ; Commodore et al., 2017 ; Wong et al., 2019 ). Mapping technologies that integrate community and individual‐level exposure data—particularly as relevant to children—can be important tools for researchers and community members alike (Hartley et al., 2021 ; Stieb et al., 2019 ; Wong et al., 2019 ). Visual illustration of the complex systems involved in the pathways from exposure to impact can also be a helpful way to explain the mechanisms of transmission from exposure to child outcomes, and a potential tool to use in advocacy efforts (Hubal et al., 2022 ; Payne‐Sturges et al., 2021 ).…”