Environmental Justice Publications and Resources

Highlights:

Updated Disadvantaged Communities Designation (May 3, 2022)

CalEnviroScreen (CES) is the state’s environmental health screening tool that can has been used to help identify and address California communities that are disproportionately burdened by multiple sources of pollution. Developed by CalEPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), it is an important tool in meeting CalEPA’s commitment to environmental justice for all. This latest version was released on October 13, 2021. You can read more about CES 4.0 in the press release, visit OEHHA’s CalEnviroScreen webpage or scroll down to explore the maps.

CalEPA Environmental Justice Efforts

To learn more about what CalEPA and its boards, departments and offices are doing to address environmental justice, please visit the summary report below:

• CalEPA EJ Program Update, December 2019 (.pdf, 2 MB) – 2016 through 2018.
  • Explore a story map of highlights:

Additional Publications (EJ documents and reports prepared by or for CalEPA):

CalEPA Intra-Agency EJ Strategy

CalEPA Intra-Agency EJ Strategy, 2004 (.pdf) | Estrategia de Justicia Ambiental de CalEPA, 2004 (.pdf)

Background

• Environmental Justice Compliance and Enforcement Working Group Policy Memo, 2013 (.pdf)
• CalEPA EJ Action Plan, 2004 (.pdf) | Plan de Acción de Justicia Ambiental de CalEPA, 2004 (.pdf)
• EJ Advisory Committee Recommendations, 2003
  • EJ Advisory Committee Recommendations Report Document, 2003 (.pdf) | Recomendaciones del Comité Asesor CalEPA sobre Justicia Ambiental para el Grupo de Trabajo Interagencias CalEPA sobre Justicia Ambiental, 2003 (.pdf)
  • • Appendix A (.pdf)
    • Appendix B (.pdf)
    • Appendix C (.pdf)
    • Appendix D (.pdf)
    • Appendix E (.pdf)
    • Appendix F (.pdf)
    • Appendix G (.pdf)
    • Appendix H (.pdf)
    • Appendix I (.pdf)

CalEPA EJ Program Update Reports

CalEPA is mandated to report to the Governor and Legislature every three years on its progress in achieving the objectives of the Intra-Agency Environmental Justice Strategy, adopted in 2004.The following update reports detail the accomplishments CalEPA and its Boards, Departments and Office have made during the specified time periods:

• CalEPA EJ Program Update, December 2019 (.pdf, 2 MB) – 2016 through 2018.
  • Explore a story map of highlights
  • En Español: Actualización del Programa de Justicia Ambiental, Dic 2019 (.pdf, 2 MB) – 2016 a 2018.
  • Explore un mapa de historias de lo más destacado
• CalEPA EJ Program Update, June 2016 (.pdf, 32 MB) – 2013 through 2015.
• CalEPA EJ Program Update, February 2014 (.pdf) – 2010 through 2013.
• CalEPA EJ Program Update, September 2004 (.pdf) – 2001 through 2004.

CalEPA Environmental Justice Task Force Initiative Reports

• 2017-2018 Pomona Initiative Report (.pdf, 2.3 MB) – Focused on the industrial corridor of southeast Pomona and surrounding residential neighborhoods. 
• 2016-2017 Oakland Initiative Report (.pdf, 4MB) – Focused on the communities of East and West Oakland which are communities overburdened by multiple sources of pollution and high rates of childhood asthma.
• 2015-2016 Los Angeles Initiative Report (.pdf, 6MB) – Focused on the Los Angeles communities of Boyle Heights and Pacoima.
• 2013-2014 Fresno Initiative Report (.pdf, 12MB) – Focused on a selected portion of the city of Fresno and its surrounding unincorporated area.

CalEnviroScreen Tool: Results Report and Data

• Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (CES3results.xlsx): A spreadsheet showing raw data and calculated percentiles for individual indicators and combined CalEnviroScreen scores for individual census tracts with additional demographic information
• Google Earth file (CES3_KML.zip): A zipped file which can be opened using the free Google Earth application to view results in map format (Google Earth may be downloaded here (link is external)). Please refer to the ‘Data Dictionary’ tab in the spreadsheet above for information on the values in this google earth file.
• ArcGIS Geodatabase (CES3GDB.zip): Includes CalEnviroScreen 3.0 results by census tract. Additional information describing the data and its limitations is part of the geodatabase (metadata).  This is a zipped file which can be unzipped, then opened using ArcGIS software to view the results in a File Geodatabase Feature Class format (ArcGIS is a paid subscription).
• Shapefile (CES3SP.zip): Includes CalEnviroScreen 3.0 results by census tract. Additional information describing the data and its limitations is part of the shapefile (metadata). Zipped file can be unzipped, and then opened in any GIS software.
• Methodology for A Statewide Drinking Water Contaminant Indicator (CES3_dwmethodology.pdf): Technical document on the Drinking Water Contaminant Index indicator.
• California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool Report (CalEnviroScreen 1.1), Sept 2013 (.pdf)
• Instrumento De Evaluación De La Salud Ambiental En Las Comunidades De California, (CalEnviroScreen versión 1.1) (.pdf)
• Analysis of CalEnviroScreen 1.1 Scores and Race/Ethnicity (.pdf)
• Análisis de la Puntuación CalEnviroScreen 1.1 y la Raza/Etnicidad (.pdf)
• CalEnviroScreen 1.1 Highest Scoring ZIP Codes (Top 10%)
• CalEnviroScreen 1.1 Statewide ZIP Code results (all zip codes)
• CalEnviroScreen 1.0 Microsoft Excel spreadsheet: A spreadsheet showing raw data and calculated percentiles for individual indicators and combined CalEnviroScreen scores for individual ZIP codes with additional demographic information: CalEnviroScreenData_v11.xls
• CalEnviroScreen 1.0 CalEnviroScreen 1.0 Google Earth file: A file which can be opened using the free Google Earth application to view results in map format (Google Earth may be downloaded here): CalEnviroScreen1.1.kmz (Note: this file will download via GoogleDocs)
• ArcGIS Geodatabase: A zipped file which can be unzipped, then opened using ArcGIS software to view the results in a File Geodatabase Feature Class format (ArcGIS is a paid subscription): http://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads//ces11geodatabase.zip.

For questions regarding CalEnviroScreen, the above documents or the web application, please contact John Faust at (510) 622-3200 or CalEnviroScreen@oehha.ca.gov.