ORIENTATION TO SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Mapping workshop
https://www.cynthiaannett.org/2021-workshops/osea2021
Visualizing Geospatial Data for Analysis and Report Writing
Information about locations that includes addresses, latitudes and longitudes, or other geospatial coordinates, can be visualized on a map. There are many interactive mapping platforms on federal, state, county and municipal websites that will allow you to turn on and turn off layers for environmental data (for example, locations of Superfund sites or flood risk), add layers for jurisdictional boundaries (for example, tribal reservation boundaries, census tracts), and other types of information that you wish to use in your analysis and reports. Most of these platforms will allow you to export from the GIS (typically ESRI ArcGIS) in PDF or JPG format for use in your reports. Some will allow you to export spreadsheets and map files (typically SHP or KMZ/KML).
In this session we are going to look at ways of exporting data in a format that can be used to create your own maps, allowing you to add your own information and customize your map for analysis, reporting, public outreach, and collaboration with colleagues. You can make your own map mashup on free, user friendly platforms like Google Earth Pro and My Maps, so that you no longer need specialized training or a software license to do simple GIS analyses.
Today we will focus on exporting data from federal databases useful for planning and conducting environmental reviews and siting projects such as housing or public facilities. We will begin by using Google Earth Pro because it will allow us to work with map overlays, the timeslider for historic imagery, and to convert GIS files into a format that can be used on Google My Maps.
Then we will use data exported from government websites to construct and share our map using Google My Maps, which allows you to collaborate with colleagues and embed your map in a website. My Maps is a cloud based mapping platform that is password protected as part of a Google Account using Google Drive. You will need to be able to access Google Drive on your computer, which may require getting permission from your IT department for use on a work computer.
Case Study
This redevelopment case study focuses on a vacant building located at 1417-1419 E 62nd Place Chicago, IL. This project will convert a vacant old fire house building into 21 units of elderly housing with 14-Single (400 sq ft), 7-Double (500 sq ft) apartments with commercial spaces in the 1st and 2nd floor. The conversion of this vacant building into affordable housing will utilize extensive measures to improve the quality of life and the vitality of the neighborhood.
Google Earth Pro
Google Earth Pro is a free desktop platform than can be downloaded click here
Below is an image overlay using the case study map, and a Google Earth Pro map made by marking sites from the image overlay along with a quick start guide for using GEP.
Oct 2009
Image from Google Earth Pro timeslider showing grassy lots at the site of the future community gardens
June 2010
Image from Google Earth Pro timeslider showing the 62nd Street and Dorchester Community Gardens
Google My Maps
Google My Maps is a very easy way to start a GIS analysis that can be used to create PDF files for your report, can be embedded in a website and shared with the public, or shared through a link with colleagues for collaborative work. You can also export the map file in KML or KMZ format to import it into ArcGIS, which allows you to do more sophisticated analytical work.
To begin you must have a Google Account and be able to use Google Drive. If you cannot do this for today's activity because you are on a work computer that doesn't give you permission to access Google tools you can use the map below to explore the map mashup by going to this link for the map.
If the dataset you wish to map includes latitude and longitude as the location data, make sure that it is all entered in the same format, that the format can be mapped, and that it is complete before you add it to your Google My Maps. You can only use one format for locations in each layer, so you will need to make sure all of your data is either in lat/long or street addresses before you upload it. If you have data in different location formats you can load them to different layers. You can use street addresses that have more than one column, for example address, city and state columns can all be mapped.
Google My Maps: Landing page for Google My Maps
Google My Maps Help: Documentation and support articles about My Maps.
Google Drive: You can create My Maps directly from Google Drive.
Collaborative Mapping With Google My Maps: Workshop held at Geo for Good Summit 2019.
Convert Lat/Long between degrees minute second format and decimal format
Federal Agency Data Sources
There are a number of online platforms that you can use for your analysis. Some of the most useful are presented below, along with instructions on how to export data for use in Google Earth Pro and My Maps (where possible).
NEPAssist
NEPAssist is an online GIS mapping tool which provides data layers needed for impact assessments. It allows you to visualize many geospatial data layers on an ESRI ArcGIS online map, draw polygons, and export maps in PDF or image file format for reports.
It does not provide a user friendly way to export data in CSV, SHP or KML/KMZ formats for use in your own GIS or mapping platform - data are saved as a JSON file which may give you problems on platforms other than NEPAssist.
The data files that go into the layers, however, can be accessed from other databases and downloaded for your use on other platforms.
We can access data from EPA EnviroFacts/EnviroMapper and EPA Cleanups in My Community, and link the EJ Screen to provide demographic data (see below).
Below is NEPAssist embedded in this website. It is interactive so you can try it out.
Envirofacts - Enviromapper
The EPA EnviroMapper draws from many of the same databases used to create NEPAssist. These maps are built on a GIS platform that pulls data from sources such as EPA ACRES, and all of the EPA mapping tools will pull data from the same sources (all of the Brownfields sites will be mapped from ACRES data, for example). This means that if there is a data layer you want to use, find the platform that most easily allows you to download the data in a user friendly format. The best format for mapping your data using My Maps is a CSV file. A CSV file format is a universal spreadsheet format type that you can also open in Excel or Google Sheets. It has the advantage that when you open it as a spreadsheet you can edit and add to it using all of the tools available in Excel or Google Sheets (things like autofill and sort to help with quality control). Once you edit it you can import it into Google My Maps. You can also find mapping file formats such as SHP (used for ESRI ArcGIS and Google Earth Pro) and KML/KMZ (used for Google My Maps, Google Earth Pro and ESRI ArcGIS). The advantage of downloading a file in these formats is that you can use polygons and lines (shapes) as well as points. The disadvantage is that you can't open it as a spreadsheet and edit it without coding.
Below is a My Maps created from the exported spreadsheet below.
Cleanups in My Community
EPA Cleanups in My Community website
The Cleanups in My Community platform will let you create a map with many useful layers. CIMC will also download data, but you must do it from the Lists or Tables page, not from the mapping tool. The best format to use for downloading data is CSV format which is a universal file type and will work in My Maps as well as Excel.
The advantage of CIMC exports is that they give you a live link to the property information which will show up in the map markers on your My Maps
Below is a My Maps created from the exported spreadsheet below.
EJ Screen
The EJ Screen mapping tool does not allow you to export data. You can print it as a PDF, but you can't download the map files.
HUD 2021 Choice Neighborhoods
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/maps/CN/home.html
According to the HUD website: This tool assists Choice Neighborhoods applicants to prepare data to submit with their grant application by allowing applicants to draw the exact location of their target neighborhood. The tool will then calculate the number of housing units, the average poverty rate, and the vacancy rate of the area drawn and send an email back to the applicant within a few hours. The email will have an attachment containing the necessary data for the Choice Neighborhoods application, along with information HUD can use to confirm the intended program area. The applicant should then submit this document with their grant application.
You can also go to the HUD Geospatial Storefront and access a variety of maps. Below is an example embedded in this website that is interactive so you can try it out.