User Guide: CEJST+

1. Introduction

Welcome to the CEJST+, an extension of the original Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). This web application helps users visualize and analyze multiple environmental, climate, health, and socioeconomic burdens across U.S. census tracts. Unlike the original CEJST's binary approach, this tool provides a comprehensive view of cumulative impacts to better inform resource allocation.

The tool shows information about the burdens that communities experience. It uses datasets to identify indicators of burdens. The tool shows these burdens in census tracts. Census tracts are small units of geography. Census tract boundaries for statistical areas are determined by the U.S. Census Bureau once every ten years. The tool utilizes the census tract boundaries from 2010. The tool also shows land within the boundaries of Federally Recognized Tribes and point locations for Alaska Native Villages.

The tool ranks most of the burdens using percentiles. Percentiles show how much burden each tract experiences compared to other tracts. Certain burdens use percentages or a simple yes/no.

A community is considered to be disadvantaged if they are located within a census tract that meets the tool’s methodology or are on land within the boundaries of Federally Recognized Tribes.

2. Getting Started

Accessing the Application

Understanding the Application Layout

  • Explore the Map Panel: Home page and the central interactive map displaying census tract data.

  • Explore the Data Panel: Located in the top-right, contains interactive visualizations of data used for the map.

  • About: Located at the top-right, contains the user-guide, information relating to methodology and data, contact information, and acknowledgements.

3. Explore the Map

Map Controls

  • Zoom: Use the "+" and "-" buttons in the top-left corner or your mouse scroll wheel.

  • Pan: Click and drag anywhere on the map.

  • State/Territory Controls: Click the states or territories abbreviated on the left of the map to be taken to that area. 48 represents the contiguous United States.

  • Current Location: Click the location pin icon located next to the search bar to center the map on your location (requires location permissions).

  • Select Layer: Use the drop down menu in the top-right corner to choose a layer to visualize.

Switching Map Layers

  1. Click the Select Layer drop-down menu in the top-right corner of the map.

  2. Select from the following layers:

    • Burden Thresholds Exceeded (default): Displays total burden counts (0-8) that a census tract exceeds.

    • Indicator Thresholds Exceeded: Displays total indicator counts (0-31) that a census tract exceeds.

    • Burden Hotspots: Highlights geographic clusters of census tracts with unusually high burden thresholds exceeded (red) or low burdens (blue).

    • Indicator Hotspots: Highlights geographic clusters of census tracts with unusually high indicator thresholds exceeded (red) or low burdens (blue).

    • Legacy Layer: Displays the original CEJST tool that shows all disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged census tracts.

Color Legend

  • A color legend appears below the map

  • For the cumulative layers, darker colors indicate higher burden or indicator thresholds exceeded

  • For the hotspot layers, red indicates hot spots (high clustering), blue indicates cold spots (low clustering)

  • For the legacy layer, blue represents disadvantaged communities

4. Using the Sidebar

Viewing Census Tract Information

  • Click on any census tract on the map to load its detailed information in the sidebar

  • The sidebar contains multiple tabs:

    Summary Tab

    • Census tract ID and location information

    • Population size and demographic information

    • Cumulative burden/indicator thresholds exceeded count (thresholds exceeded layers)

    • Hotspot/coldspot status (hotspot layers)

    • DAC status under original CEJST methodology (legacy tool layer)

    Burden/Indicators Tab

    • All burdens listed with exceeded thresholds highlighted

    • For each burden:

      • Category name (Climate change, Energy, Health, etc.)

      • Specific indicator values with national percentiles

      • Threshold status (exceeded thresholds are highlighted)

5. Explore the Data

Available Charts and Graphs

  • Demographic Comparison of Thresholds Exceeded: Charts comparing demographic profiles across burden/indicator thresholds exceeded levels.

  • Hot Spot and Cold Spot Distribution: Charts comparing the distribution of census tracts across different cluster classifications.

  • Interactive National Percentile for Burdens/Indicators Distribution: Interactive chart exploring the distribution of burden/indicator national percentiles at the state and county levels.

Interacting with the Graphs

  • Filters: Use dropdown menus above the burden/indicator distribution chart to filter by state, county, or specific burdens/indicators.

  • Hover Information: Hover over chart elements to view detailed information.

6. Tips and Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  • If the map fails to load, try refreshing the page.

  • If sidebar data does not appear, ensure you have clicked directly on a census tract.

  • Notice a bug? Use the contact information in the contact page to reach out.