Environmental Map 

View Larger Map Potential Environmental Justice Areas and Median Household Family Income

      

 The data I found for my map on ArcGIS Explorer Online was called USA Median Family Income in 2010. This data was "mashed-up" with the data I was able to find on the DEC website, called Potential Environmental Justice Areas. The link to the interactive map is zoomed into the state of New York, where the user can scroll and zoom into locations of interest. The information that was previously mapped, (Median Family Income) was a map that summarized only data of income for a household with two or more people who are related by birth, marriage or adoption for each county. The data incorporates several federal data sources into its model, including the Current Population Survey and American Community Survey from the Census Bureau, the personal and per capita income data, and the Census of Employment and Wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

      The income levels are divided into two groups, one being above the median household income level and one being below that level. The data contains shades of green and the darker shade represents higher income levels. The data I uploaded from the DEC titled, Potential Environmental Justice Areas goes hand in hand with the previous data source. This data identified areas that met one or more of the NYS DEC criteria in the 2000 U.S. Census for potential risks. The DEC website identifies environmental justice as, "The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." The idea for efforts concerning environmental justice issues is to improve communities that are specifically socially vulnerable. If you look at the link to my map, you will see this correlation in regards to potential environmental justice areas and areas of lower median household income.

      The map wasn’t able to pinpoint every potential environmental justice Area in New York State and some areas represented as having higher median household income, still show evidence for potential environmental justice issues. This is because cities tend to have more people and the data tends to show higher levels of household income, despite many people living below the median income level. Jamestown in Western New York is an environmental justice area clearly in dark red. This means that because of the research done by the DEC on income level, age, disability and home value, these citizens are at a higher risk for environmental justice issues.