Environmental Studies GIS Analysis of Patterns and Variations of Public Perceptions of Air Quality in
Yakima County, WA Giovanny Hernandez Tiv Project Mentor(s): Jennifer Lipton, PhD
Air pollution is an environmental threat, especially for vulnerable and/or marginalized communities. While air quality regulation has improved, there are still active source vectors of pollution in what are known as “overburdened” communities. These are defined as neighborhoods that have financial, social, or higher proportions of minority populations that must deal with the brunt of air pollution impacts and have fewer avenues to circumvent the consequences. Therefore, “overburdened” communities are where concerns about public health and issues of environmental equity intersect. Geographic information system (GIS) provides a tool to analyze spatial characteristics of air pollution within “overburdened” communities. By combining records of air pollution concentrations and air pollution sources with demographic data, we can make improved visualizations and analysis. I’ve done in-person and online community outreach with a non-profit brought on by the Department of Ecology called Community Systems Solutions, where responses were recorded and adapted to ongoing grant fund allocation, with a common theme among responses being wildfires and industrial sectors. For this project, I conducted a GIS spatial analysis to assess the patterns and variations of air quality within the greater Yakima Region. Data on land use, air pollution, and demographics are combined to examine what plays a role in environmental conditions of air pollution. My results will highlight increased vulnerability hotspots while demonstrating how spatial tools can be used for environmental decision making. These results will contribute to identifying the intersection of air quality with public health concerns and environmental equity in Yakima, Washington. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation (May 21, 9:30am–3:00pm) Keywords: Air quality, Sustainability, Environmental justice, Social justice, Equity SOURCE Form ID: 257
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