307471
EPA's EnviroAtlas: Identifying Nature's Benefits, Deficits, and Opportunities for Equitable Distribution in Populated Places
Cities, towns, and Tribes rely on clean air, water and other natural resources for public health and well-being. Yet natural infrastructure and its benefits are not always fully understood or considered in local decisions. EnviroAtlas is a web-based, easy-to-use mapping tool designed for citizens, students, and professionals to assess the status of local and watershed “green” assets, their relevance to human health and well-being, current threats and future opportunities.
Aims
Online maps, analysis tools, and descriptive information address seven environmental benefit categories:
- Clean air
- Clean and plentiful water
- Natural hazard mitigation
- Climate stabilization
- Recreation, culture, and aesthetics
- Food, fuel, and materials
- Biodiversity conservation
A high-resolution component for selected communities features one-meter landcover data and 100+ “green infrastructure” and related maps summarized by block-group. Demographic and built environment metrics are also provided at this scale for overlays and analyses.
Methods
Information in the community component reflects current science on how the distribution of natural infrastructure may affect public health. Some maps provide numeric health estimates based on meta-analyses of published studies. Other maps suggest where health benefits are likely or lacking, accompanied by fact sheets that document supporting research, data sources, limitations, and suggested uses.
Results
Community maps and information are available for the following issues:
- Extreme heat events
- Ambient and near-road air pollution
- Quality of downstream drinking and recreational waters
- Opportunities for physical exercise, outdoor experience, and play
- Disproportionate population vulnerabilities & unequal distribution of natural assets
Conclusions
EnviroAtlas helps identify where natural infrastructure meets community demand and where supply falls short. The initial public release includes six communities—Durham, NC; Portland, ME; Tampa, FL; Pittsburgh, PA; Milwaukee, WI; and Phoenix, AZ—50 communities are targeted by 2017. This abstract was reviewed and approved by EPA, but does not necessarily reflect official Agency policy.
Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and preventionCommunication and informatics
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Identify where and how the local natural environment serves to buffer pollution;
Compare existing opportunities for practicing healthful behaviors that are provided by local "green infrastructure" across a community;
Identify vulnerable locales and populations where enhanced natural features can improve public health.
Keyword(s): Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Preventive Medicine
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Deputy Project Lead for EPA/ORD's EnviroAtlas; I originated and lead the ongoing development of the Communities component. I am a principal investigator and mentor for studies addressing the the role of ecology in public health. I have also been recognized by EPA/ORD as a national expert in this research area.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.