CalEnviroScreen 3.0

Jun 25, 2018

CalEnviroScreen 4.0 has been finalized, please see the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 page.

CalEnviroScreen 3.0 (updated June 2018)

In January 2017, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), on behalf of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), released Version 3.0 of the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool (CalEnviroScreen). CalEnviroScreen identifies California communities by census tract that are disproportionately burdened by, and vulnerable to, multiple sources of pollution.

In June 2018, OEHHA updated CalEnviroScreen 3.0 to address a minor flaw in the software program algorithm used to calculate overall census tract scores. This had a small effect on the scores for 383 census tracts - about 5 percent of the state’s approximately 8000 census tracts - that lacked data for one or more of the 20 indicators that make up the CalEnviroScreen tool. Scores for the remaining 95 percent of census tracts were not affected.

This small change results in a slight shift in the ranking of census tracts, which is based on their CalEnviroScreen scores, and is not readily perceptible on printed or on-line CalEnviroScreen maps. No census tracts moved in or out of the top 5 percent scoring census tracts because of the June 2018 update. Two census tracts moved into the top 25 percent scoring census tracts, while two census tracts no longer fall within the top 25 percent. These four census tracts will be considered disadvantaged communities for purposes of SB 535. Additional information related to SB 535 disadvantaged communities can be found here.

Updated printable maps reflecting the changes in census tract percentile values are available here. Updated online maps, spreadsheets, kml, shapefile, and geodatabase files are also available at the links below.

If you have questions about the update or need access to the January 2017 release of the CalEnviroScreen 3.0 data, please contact OEHHA at CalEnviroScreen@oehha.ca.gov or (916) 324-7572.

CalEnviroScreen 3.0 Report and documents:

OEHHA held a series of webinars and workshops for the public to learn about the updates and provide public comment on the draft. Public comments and workshop summaries can be viewed here.

Responses to major comments received on the CalEnviroScreen 3.0 draft

CalEnviroScreen 3.0 Map:

Map of CalEnviroScreen 3.0 Results. Click to open in a new window.

Note: The map of SB535 disadvantaged communities (updated June 2018) can be found here.

Indicator maps are available on the individual indicator pages, or through this combined map.

CalEnviroScreen 3.0 Data and Additional Materials:

Microsoft Excel spreadsheet: A spreadsheet showing raw data and calculated percentiles for individual indicators and combined CalEnviroScreen scores for individual census tracts with additional demographic information: ces3results.xlxs (updated June 2018)
Factsheet on CalEnviroScreen 3.0 (English). Available in Spanish (Disponible aquí).
Google Earth file: 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). Please refer to the 'Data Dictionary' tab in the spreadsheet above for information on the values in the google earth file: ces3kml.zip (updated June 2018)
ArcGIS Geodatabase: Includes CalEnviroScreen 3.0 results by census tract. Additional information describing the data and its limitations is part of the geodatabase (metadata). 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): ces3gdb.zip (updated June 2018)
Shapefile: 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: ces3shp.zip (updated June 2018)
Methodology for A Statewide Drinking Water Contaminant Indicator: Technical document on the Drinking Water Contaminant Index indicator. CES3_dwmethodology.pdf
Analysis of Race/Ethnicity, Age, and CalEnviroScreen 3.0 Scores (June 2018): raceageces3analysis.pdf