State-of-the-Science Data and Methods Need to Guide Place-Based Efforts to Reduce Air Pollution Inequity

Julia M. Gohlke, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Maria H. Harris, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Ananya Roy, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Tammy M. Thompson, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Mindi DePaola, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Ramón A. Alvarez, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Susan C. Anenberg, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Joshua S. Apte, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA.
Mary Angelique Demetillo, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
Isabella M. Dressel, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
Gaige H. Kerr, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Julian D. Marshall, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Aileen E. Nowlan, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Regan F. Patterson, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Sally E. Pusede, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
Veronica A. Southerland, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Sarah A. Vogel, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

12-1-2023

Journal

Environmental health perspectives

Volume

131

Issue

12

DOI

10.1289/EHP13063

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Recently enacted environmental justice policies in the United States at the state and federal level emphasize addressing place-based inequities, including persistent disparities in air pollution exposure and associated health impacts. Advances in air quality measurement, models, and analytic methods have demonstrated the importance of finer-scale data and analysis in accurately quantifying the extent of inequity in intraurban pollution exposure, although the necessary degree of spatial resolution remains a complex and context-dependent question. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this commentary were to ) discuss ways to maximize and evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to reduce air pollution disparities, and ) argue that environmental regulators must employ improved methods to project, measure, and track the distributional impacts of new policies at finer geographic and temporal scales. DISCUSSION: The historic federal investments from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Biden Administration's commitment to Justice40 present an unprecedented opportunity to advance climate and energy policies that deliver real reductions in pollution-related health inequities. In our opinion, scientists, advocates, policymakers, and implementing agencies must work together to harness critical advances in air quality measurements, models, and analytic methods to ensure success. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13063.

Department

Environmental and Occupational Health

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