Abstract
Mapping tools that characterize environmental inequities and health disparities have shown to be an effective approach to facilitate environmental decision making at the state level. We developed the Vermont Environmental Disparity Index (VTEDI) to measure the cumulative impacts of environmental risk, social vulnerability, and health risk in the Vermont communities. In addition to exploring regions with high cumulative impacts, we conducted a Bayesian analysis, using weights of evidence, to understand the probabilistic association of poverty, populations on food stamps, race, and limited English proficiency (LEP) with exposure to multiple environmental risks. The results show that census tracts with high racial diversity and LEP residents are significantly associated with greater environmental risks, while poverty and food stamp use have weaker associations with exposure to environmental risks. The results demonstrate that environmental risks are significantly higher in communities of color and neighborhoods with more LEP residents than in lower income communities. The VTEDI is an effective tool in local environmental governance to explore cumulative environmental justice issues and to make informed decisions to redress environmental injustice.
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