EPA 4-Tool Comparison Chart
| EJSCREEN | NATA | C-FERST | EnviroAtlas | |
| Major Focus | National environmental justice screening tool that combines demographic information and environmental data to highlight potential places for further review. | National screening evaluation of inhalation air toxics risks. | Community mapping with emphasis on environmental, health and socioeconomic data and information resources. | Suite of interactive tools and resources on ecosystem services – the benefits people receive from nature. |
| Output | Interactive map, census tract resolution of air toxics emissions, estimates of cancer and noncancer risks | Issue profiles, maps, community comparison tables, links to additional information and potential solutions | Interactive map, eco-health browser, GIS toolboxes, guides and educational materials, fact sheets | Demographic maps, community comparisons, environmental justice indexes. |
| Features | ||||
| Maps | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Geospatial Analysis Tools | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Community Comparison Tables | Yes | Yes | ||
| Screening Indices | Yes | Yes | ||
| Data | ||||
| EPA Regulated Facilty Location | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Ecosystem Services | Yes | |||
| Air Toxics | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| PM and Ozone | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Water Quality | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Demographics | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Health-Based Output | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Functionality | ||||
| Add Connecting Technology (Web Services) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Ability to Add Own Data | Yes | Yes | ||
| Ability to Download Data | Yes | Yes | Yes |
FAQs:
What are key differences between the screening tools that EPA is developing?
The focus of the EJSCREEN screening tool is to assist stakeholders in making informed decisions about potential environmental justice issues by identifying the locations of potentially overburdened and vulnerable populations. EJSCREEN output includes environmental justice indexes that combine demographic variables with a single environmental indicator. The index provides a comparison between areas. The EJSCREEN tool can be found at https://www2.epa.gov/ejscreen
NATA is a national assessment that estimates cancer and noncancer risks from inhalation of air toxics. NATA is intended as a screening tool to help users prioritize pollutants, types of emission sources, and locations of interest for further study. NATA is also incorporated into other Agency screening tools, including EJSCREEN and C-FERST/T-FERST. The NATA tool can be found at http://www3.epa.gov/airtoxics/natamain/
The focus of C-FERST is to provide information and community mapping through an assessment tool that is designed to help assess screening-level exposures and risks. To provide guidance and information that helps inform in decision making with communities, CFERST provides access to resources that can be used to help communities learn more about their environmental issues and to develop solutions. The C-FERST tool can be found at http://www2.epa.gov/healthresearch/community-focused-exposure-and-risk-screening-tool-c-ferst
The focus of EnviroAtlas is to provide data, informational resources, and tools to improve the broader understanding of ecosystem services, or ‘nature’s benefits’. EnviroAtlas includes an interactive mapping application that provides over 300 maps, including demographics, which users can explore and use in education, research, and the decision-making process. EnviroAtlas provides maps for the entire nation, as well as more fine-scale maps for use at the community level in selected areas. EnviroAtlas can be found at www.epa.gov/EnviroAtlas
How do I know which tool to use?
The screening tool you select depends on your main area of interest.
- Those interested in how the environmental quality differs by demographics will want to start with EJSCREEN.
- Those primarily interested in inhalation risks and pollutant-specific assessment may find NATA to be the best tool.
- For communities interested in their specific area with an interest in exploring community strategies to address a specific issues (e.g., brownfield development), CFERST is a good place to start.
- Those interested in the benefits humans receive from nature, how a decision may impact their availability, and potential effects on human health and well-being might use EnviroAtlas.
- These tools can be complimentary. Users could identify communities of interest with EJSCREEN and then use CFERST to take a closer look at that community, using CFERST guides for community assessments and potential solutions. EnviroAtlas provides a broader context on both topic and scale.