Background Information
The Climate Equity Data Viewer was developed in response to HB19-1261, Colorado's Climate Change Action Plan to visually represent certain demographic data detailed in the bill, along with cumulative environmental burdens across Colorado, which included Tracking datasets. The tool is used to prioritize engagement efforts and help evaluate potential policy impacts related to greenhouse gas emissions and other climate-related policies. It is available in English and in Spanish. Tool development was informed by the external Climate Equity Advisory Group and a public comment period.
What was CO Tracking’s role?
Colorado Tracking developed the final version of the tool by incorporating feedback received during the public comment period, adding the new disproportionately impacted communities layer as defined by HB21-1266 (the Environmental Justice Act), and through ongoing discussions with end-users. This involved wrangling and analyzing datasets, creating shapefiles, and building the ArcGIS Online Web App (the Climate Equity Data Viewer). Tracking developed robust documentation for the tool, including an ArcGIS StoryMap, and a supplemental document including a how-to guide, glossary, and methodology. Colorado Tracking facilitated translation of the Data Viewer, StoryMap, and supplemental document into Spanish, creating a fully-bilingual resource. Colorado Tracking also presented the tool at the CDPHE Environmental Justice Lunch-n-Learn series, to the CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division, and to various external groups.
What product or output came from CO Tracking’s role?
Climate Equity Data Viewer - environmental justice mapping tool.
Climate Equity Data Viewer StoryMap - general tool overview and introduction.
Climate Equity Data Viewer Guide - how-to guide, glossary, and methodology.
All three products are available in English and Spanish.
What action or decision was taken to resolve the problem?
The Climate Equity Data Viewer has been used for decision-making by internal and external parties.
The tool was used to recruit and select members of the CDPHE Climate Equity Community Advisory Council, a group that will support the ongoing work of the CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division's Climate Change Unit. Members were selected from climate equity target areas.
The Air Pollution Control Division utilized the tool to identify industrial facilities near disproportionately impacted communities for the Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Energy Efficiency Manufacturing rulemaking and will be used again in the GEMM Phase 2 stakeholder process and rulemaking. In both cases, demonstrating proximity to disproportionately impacted communities will help CDPHE strengthen rule provisions that reduce co-pollutants to GHGs, securing public health benefits for surrounding communities.
Xcel Energy, a major energy provider in Colorado, used the Climate Equity Data Viewer for their Transportation Electrification Plan process to identify "high-emission communities" for transportation electrification infrastructure investments.
The tool served as the basis for the Colorado Energy Office's Electric Vehicle Equity Study's mapping component of "electric vehicle equity communities".
What was the outcome of this action or decision?
The tool has been the basis for equitable community engagement and allocation of resources and enforcement activities towards communities most affected by environmental exposures and climate impacts.