Housing and Climate Resource Library

General Air Quality Resources

This page is about the forecasted pollutants that may affect the quality of air. When there is poor outdoor air quality (such as due to a wildfire), residents are often advised to stay inside. Outdoor air quality is also linked to and impacts indoor air quality.

Relevant variables for this topic include PM_2.5, ozone, diesel particulate matter, air toxics respiratory hazard index, and traffic proximity and volume.

Datasets

EJScreen: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool 
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool, also known as EJScreen, provides the EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and method for combining environmental and socioeconomic indicators. Users of the tool select a geographic region, after which the tool gives demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental data for that region. EJScreen includes 12 environmental and seven socioeconomic indicators and 12 environmental justice and supplemental indexes. [url; EPA, 2024]

The National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network 
The National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network combines environmental and health data from local, state, and federal sources. Data and information about environments and risks, health consequences, and population health are available through the Tracking Network. Data can be investigated in a variety of ways. Data comparison between two datasets is possible using the Data Explorer tool, which contains all subject categories and indicators. The program has collaborated with other projects to build topic-specific dashboards, including the Heat and Health Tracker and the Environmental Justice Dashboard. These dashboards are interactive tools that present county level data related to heat, health, and environmental exposures. [url; CDC, 2023]

 

Latest page update: April 22, 2024.