Restoring Climate Justice Tool: Data Scientists Revive Trump-Taken Version
In the wake of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, a vital digital mapping tool used by federal and state agencies to identify environmentally disadvantaged communities was abruptly taken offline. This move sparked concerns among environmental advocates and data scientists who feared the loss of crucial environmental health information for disenfranchised communities. However, in a remarkable display of resilience and commitment to environmental justice, a coalition of data scientists known as the Public Environmental Data Project (PEDP) swiftly resurrected a functional but unofficial copy of the tool on an independent domain within 48 hours.
The Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) emerged as one of more than 200 federally maintained resources flagged by the data scientists as essential for environmental justice work and at risk of disappearing under the new Trump administration. This tool, developed in 2021 by the U.S. Digital Service and the Council on Environmental Quality, aimed to fulfill then-President Joe Biden’s pledge that 40 percent of federal investments in climate and clean energy initiatives would benefit underserved communities.
Challenges and Consequences of Removing CEJST
The CEJST, a dashboard that consolidates hundreds of data points to assess a community’s economic and environmental risk, incorporates various vital metrics such as income levels, asthma prevalence, flood hazards, air pollution exposure, and proximity to wastewater. This screening tool plays a critical role in identifying communities disproportionately affected by pollution, setting it apart from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping portal (EJScreen).
As the Trump administration sought to reshape narratives around climate, justice, and race in the United States, the CEJST became a target for potential removal, viewed as a lingering remnant of the Biden era. According to Jessie Mahr, the director of technology at the Environmental Policy Innovation Center, the elimination of the screening tool could have severe repercussions for both administrators and recipients of government funding, as well as for Americans grappling with the impacts of climate change and pollution. Mahr, a member of the PEDP, spearheaded the efforts to archive and reinstate the CEJST, emphasizing the tool’s role in understanding and addressing the challenges faced by communities.
“The point of this tool was to say, ‘Do we have an understanding of the challenges that Americans face?’ And to then effectively prioritize interventions and effectively use the hundreds of government programs and funding sources that are available to address those concerns,” said Mahr, underscoring the tool’s significance in guiding strategic environmental investments.
The Race Against Time: Archiving Critical Data
In response to the potential loss of vital federal environmental datasets under a new administration, the PEDP embarked on a mission to safeguard critical information. Cathy Richards, a technologist at the Open Environmental Data Project, highlighted the coalition’s efforts to identify and prioritize datasets crucial for archiving based on their potential public impact, replicability, and ease of restoration. This strategic approach led to the identification of over 200 federally hosted data sources, with a focus on 57 high-priority databases, ensuring the preservation of essential environmental information.
Over the past few months, the PEDP partners meticulously copied 37 environmental datasets as a precaution against possible removal. When the CEJST vanished from the federal site on January 21, the swift response of Matt Price, a historian at the University of Toronto, proved instrumental in resurrecting the tool on an independent domain. Leveraging open-source software practices embraced by the original developers, Price managed to restore the screening tool in less than two days, underscoring the importance of collaborative and transparent approaches to data preservation.
As Price and his fellow PEDP members navigate the challenges of maintaining a rapid pace of data restoration amidst competing commitments, the significance of tools like the CEJST in safeguarding vital environmental information looms large. Price expressed concerns about the potential dismantling of similar resources under future administrations, emphasizing the urgency of preserving essential data repositories to protect against information loss.
In conclusion, the tireless efforts of data scientists and environmental advocates to revive the CEJST underscore the critical role of data preservation in advancing environmental justice initiatives. As threats to essential environmental datasets persist, the collaborative spirit and dedication demonstrated by the PEDP serve as a beacon of hope for safeguarding valuable information that underpins equitable environmental policies and interventions.
**About This Story**
Anika Jane Beamer, a Midwesterner and aspiring science writer, delves into the intricate world of viruses, bacteria, and fungi while pursuing her studies in MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing. With a keen interest in how human-induced environmental changes impact microscopic life, she sheds light on the intersections of climate, health, and environmental transformations. Through her work, Anika seeks to challenge misconceptions about science and amplify the voices of those advocating for a more sustainable future.
