EPA-Recommended Mapping Tools
EPA has developed and identified a range of mapping and spatial tools that may be helpful to communities as Brownfields Grant recipients and those applying for Brownfields Grants pursue their land revitalization goals.
This short summary introduces and provides an overview of these tools. Many of these tools allow the user to download data. Some tools also allow users to upload information from their community.
Quick reference:
| Tool | Tool type | Managed by | Used for | Where to find |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownfields Grant Fact Sheet Tool | Searchable list | OBLR | Searching for Brownfields Grant recipients since 1994 and the type and amount of grant and their location. | Brownfields Grant Fact Sheet Tool |
| Cleanups In My Community (CIMC) | Mapping, data layers | OLEM | Searching, mapping, display and listing of contaminated sites, including brownfields, flood plain, sea level rise, other sites and environmental information for general public. | Cleanups In My Community (CIMC) |
| EJScreen | Mapping and screening, data layers | OEJECR | Searching, mapping, display of community characteristics, demographics and environmental conditions. | EJScreen |
| Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) | Mapping and screening | CEQ | Searching, mapping and identifying disadvantaged communities for the purposes of the Justice40 initiative. | Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) |
| EnviroAtlas | Mapping, data layers | ORD | Searching, mapping, display of ecological, environmental and community data and population characteristics and brownfields dashboard. Includes population distribution dasymetric ('estimate real population distribution'). | EnviroAtlas |
| RE-Powering Mapper | Mapping | OCPA | Identifies areas with prospects for solar power, wind, biomass and geothermal energy production. | RE-Powering Mapper |
| UST Finder | Mapping | ORD, OUST | Provides a national picture of Underground Storage Tank (UST) facilities and leaking UST (LUST) sites and their relationship to populations, potential flooding risks, private domestic wells and source water areas. | UST Finder, Two-page factsheet on UST Finder |
Brownfields Grant Fact Sheet Tool
The Brownfield Grant Fact Sheet Tool is a searchable list developed by EPA's Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization OBLR to list and briefly summarize the EPA Brownfields Grant recipients and funded project activities from 1994 to the present.
- State Brownfields and Voluntary Response Programs
- The State Brownfields and Voluntary Response Programs is a searchable list developed by EPA's Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR) to provide details about specific State and Voluntary Response Programs and program contacts.
Cleanups In My Community (CIMC)
The Cleanups In My Community (CIMC) mapping tool was developed by EPA's Office of Environmental Information (OEI) and Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to display and depict contaminated sites and regulated facilities governed by Superfund Remedial and Response Programs, Federal Facilities, and RCRA. Brownfield site data is populated after it is reported in ACRES (the Assessment, Cleanup, and Reuse Exchange System) by Brownfields Grant recipients. The tool includes national and local coverage maps, public details for individual sites and site lists that can be downloaded.
CIMC also includes data layers associated with sea-level rise, FEMA flood plain data, renewable energy generation potential, air attainment areas, Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reporting facilities. Congressional districts, tribal lands and census data are also available as data layers.
EJScreen
EJScreen is a mapping and screening tool developed by EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) to showcase nationally-consistent community demographic census data (including race, ethnicity and cultural background, income, age of residential housing stock) and data on environmental conditions. Environmental data includes indicators such as air toxics and particulate pollution, regulated facilities and other environmental information associated with exposures and environmental health risks is updated annually or regularly as new environmental or census information is made available.
Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)
In Executive Order 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, President Biden directed the CEJST. The purpose of the tool is to help Federal agencies identify disadvantaged communities that will benefit from programs included in the Justice40 Initiative. The Justice40 Initiative seeks to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of investments in climate, clean energy and related areas to disadvantaged communities.
The tool has an interactive map and uses datasets that are indicators of burdens in eight categories: climate change, energy, health, housing, legacy pollution, transportation, water and wastewater and workforce development. The tool uses this information to identify communities that are experiencing these burdens. These are the communities that are disadvantaged because they are overburdened and underserved. Learn more about the methodology and datasets used to identify disadvantaged communities on the Methodology and Data page.
EnviroAtlas
The EnviroAtlas is a mapping tool developed by EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) to showcase ecological features and the environmental, public health and economic benefits of ecological features. The maps and data can be used to help communities consider where and how they can improve or restore ecological functions as part of their brownfield project.
RE-Powering Mapper
The RE-Powering Mapper was developed by EPA's Office of Communications, Partnership and Analysis (OCPA) in collaboration with the US Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) to identify areas with prospects for solar power, wind, biomass and geothermal energy production. Users can see where there is renewable energy potential on contaminated lands, landfills and mine sites.
UST Finder
The UST Finder was developed by the EPA's Office of Research Development (ORD) in collaboration with the Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) and the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO) organization of environmental regulators. This tool maps UST locations.
The UST Finder provides a national picture of UST facilities and leaking UST (LUST) sites and their relationship to populations, potential flooding risks, private domestic wells and source water areas. Users can import additional data layers and export UST facility and LUST site information for use by other software programs.