Environmental Justice Mapping and Screening at EPA

Screenshot of buffer tool used in the EJSCREEN map

EPA uses EJSCREEN as a preliminary step when considering environmental justice in certain situations. The agency uses it to screen for areas that may be candidates for additional consideration, analysis or outreach as EPA develops programs, policies and activities that may affect communities. In the past, the agency employed EJ screening tools in a wide variety of circumstances.

A few examples of what EJSCREEN supports across the agency include:

• Informing outreach and engagement practices
• Implementing aspects of the following programs:
  • permitting
  • enforcement
  • compliance
  • voluntary
• Developing retrospective reports of EPA work
• Enhancing geographically based initiatives

EJSCREEN is not used by EPA staff for any of the following:

• As a means to identify or label an area as an "EJ community"
• To quantify specific risk values for a selected area
• To measure cumulative impacts of multiple environmental factors
• As a basis for agency decision-making or making a determination regarding the existence or absence of EJ concerns

EPA hopes to refine our uses of EJSCREEN as we build upon lessons learned and as we receive feedback from our stakeholders and governmental partners.