Environmental Justice - Maryland League of Conservation Voters

Environmental Justice (EJ) screening tools are used by federal, state, and local governments and other entities to identify communities that are or could be disproportionately impacted by cumulative public health and environmental burdens. EJ screening tools use environmental and demographic indicators to identify these communities, help prioritize investment and reduce further burden and harm in future siting and decision making.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)

Maryland also has specific definitions of "overburdened" and "underserved" communities included in statute and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has built a screening tool that includes these definitions, as well as a number of additional layers (e.g. point source pollution). MDE's tool builds on the federal tools, and the University of Maryland School of Public Health's tool, to help inform agency decisions about permitting and regulations.

What is an Underserved Community?

An underserved community is defined as any census tract in which, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau Survey:

At least 25% of the residents qualify as low-income;
At least 50% of the residents identify as nonwhite; or
At least 15% of the residents have limited English proficiency.

The indicators used to identify underserved communities are based on the most recent U.S. Census data to capture communities with a higher proportion of non-white, low-income, and linguistically isolated residents than the statewide average. Communities with these characteristics often have higher rates of adverse health outcomes such as asthma and heart disease, lack access to health-promoting infrastructure, and are more likely to live near polluting facilities.

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What is an Overburdened Community?

An "overburdened community" is any census tract with three or more of the following environmental health indicators identified above the state's 75th percentile:

Particulate matter (PM) 2.5
Ozone
National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) diesel PM, cancer risk, and respiratory hazard index
Lead paint indicator
Wastewater discharge indicator
Asthma emergency room discharges
Myocardial infarction discharges
Low-birth-weight infants
Percent of population lacking broadband coverage
National Priorities List Superfund site proximity
Risk Management Plan facility proximity
Hazardous waste proximity
Traffic proximity
Proximity to a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO)
Proximity to emitting power plants
Proximity to a Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) facility
Proximity to a brownfields site
Proximity to mining operations
Proximity to a hazardous waste landfill

The environmental indicators included in this definition of overburdened are quantifiable and from known datasets. They seek to capture a wide range of hazards present in Maryland and seek to include environmental burdens that both rural and urban populations bear. The indicators also include three adverse health outcomes that are tied to the pollution load in that area - specifically asthma, myocardial infarctions, and low birth weight. Finally, the indicator addressing a population’s lack of access to broadband internet captures how available information is to people in the area.

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Environmental Justice Fact Sheets by County

Maryland LCV used the data available in MDE's EJ Screen to build the following maps for each county, which visualize the overburdened and underserved areas by county and legislative district. We hope these can be useful for county-level decision making. Please be in touch with our Director of Climate Policy & Justice if you have questions.

Environmental Justice in Practice

Application of Maryland State Definitions

Environmental Justice Fact Sheets by County