UCLA NEPA Mapping

https://www.cynthiaannett.org/2022-workshops/ucla-nepa-mapping

The simplest way to use a map for your report is to look up the location on the public Google Map and use 3D and Street View to do a virtual site visit. Go to maps.google.com

You can also get street addresses and lat/long by clicking on a location, as well as driving directions between sites that you plan to visit.

Google Earth Pro is a free desktop platform than can be downloaded to your laptop click here.

It allows you to access 3D imagery, Street View, and by using the timeslider it will give you access to historic imagery (both aerial and satellite). You can import files from EPA EnviroAtlas, SHP files from ArcGIS, image overlays, and a wide variety of different file types. You can also create your own map layers and use tools such as elevation profile and measurement tools for analyses.

We will access the official FEMA flood insurance map using two methods:

1. The official FEMA Flood Map can be opened in Google Earth Pro click here for instructions. The Google Earth Pro map file download can be found at this link FEMA NFHL v3.2 kmz If you open the map in Google Earth Pro you will be able to add your own content and use tools like Elevation Profile, Street View, etc.

2. Another way to access it is to Click here for the official FEMA flood map viewer. The FEMA flood map tool is built on the ESRI platform, similar to that used for EJScreen and EnviroAtlas (below). Although EJScreen and EnviroAtlas provide layers with information on vulnerability to flooding, the FEMA flood map provides a more comprehensive set of information and is the authoritative source for flood insurance.

EJScreen is built on the ESRI platform, so it has some similarities to ArcGIS Online. It gives you a number of tools that were created by EPA specifically to analyze demographic and environmental factors that are important in identifying communities with characteristics indicative of EJ communities. The map layers are curated by EPA. 

According to EPA:

EJScreen is an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach that combines environmental and demographic indicators in maps and reports. This can help to highlight geographic areas and the extent to which they may be candidates for further review, including additional consideration, analysis, or outreach. The tools also allow users to explore locations at a detailed geographic level, across broad areas or across the entire nation. The screening tool includes various environmental factors, demographic factors, and EJ indexes. Each EJ index combines multiple demographic factors with a single environmental factor (such as proximity to traffic). The screening tool has Census block group resolution, and provides a number of capabilities, including color coded mapping, the ability to generate a standard report for a selected area, and comparisons showing how a selected area compares to the relevant state, EPA region, or the nation as a whole.

EnviroAtlas is also built on the ESRI platform and has a lot of similarities to ArcGIS Online. It is a free tool provided by EPA with over 500 map layers that are curated by EPA, as well as demographic layers provided by the Census Bureau. It differs from EJScreen in having a lot of environmental data that can be used for impact assessment; it is similar to EJScreen in having layers that allow you to combine environmental stressors and demographics. You can use both tools in a complimentary fashion for your report since they each have built in analysis tools that allow you to do different tasks that are useful to your work

According to EPA:

EnviroAtlas is an interactive web-based tool that decision-makers can use to inform policy and planning in the places where people live, learn, work and play. Human health and well-being are closely tied to the environment, which provides benefits such as clean water, clean air, and protection from natural hazards, also known as ecosystem goods and services. EnviroAtlas provides geospatial data, easy-to-use tools, and other resources related to ecosystem services, their chemical and non-chemical stressors, and human health.