On this page, you will find a variety of tools. These can help you write either a social or environmental justice analysis as part of an environmental document for a project.
WSDOT Tools
Environmental Procedures Manual (EPM). The latest version, Chapters 458 provides guidance on how to analyze human impacts resulting from WSDOT projects.
GIS Workbench is an internal DOT solution to help staff map a variety of environmental data, including census data.
Census Data Engine was developed to help extract information from Census data. If you are working on a WSDOT task, you may e-mail Elizabeth Lanzer for assistance in extracting data for mapping.
Demographic and Economic Tools
U. S. Census Data Census data is the main data source for demographic analyses. WSDOT staff also have available for use the Census Data Engine and the Environmental Workbench, which can be found on the WSDOT Intranet.
American Fact Finder is a user friendly source of census data.
Poverty Guidelines This site gives guidelines and thresholds for poverty levels.
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) maintains a variety of types of information such as population and economy that are specific to Washington State.
Employment Security's Labor Management and Economic analysis site maintains helpful economic information. City, county, and planning organization sites also have local economic information.
Language Resources
Use of translators is recommended when a demographic analysis shows a population that is limited English proficient in a project area. Guidelines issued from the USDOT state that transportation agencies “should take reasonable steps to ensure that people who are not proficient in English are given adequate information, are able to understand that information, and are able to participate effectively in recipient programs or activities, where appropriate.” Since not all limited English proficient persons are minorities, data on limited English proficient populations should be included in the social analysis as well as considered for the environmental justice report. For more assistance in identifying limited English proficient populations see the Social FAQs.
Translators/Interpreters can be found among internal staff or contracted with. WSDOT's Office of Equal Opportunity is a resource as well as Department of Social and Health Services. In addition, for western Washington, the American Red Cross serving King and Kitsap counties maintains a language bank of translators and interpreters.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the main federal law that prohibits discrimination. This Department of Justice site gives the Title VI law as well as guidelines for Limited English Proficiency (LEP).
Public Involvement Resources
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) stresses the importance of providing for "all Americans safe, healthful, productive, and esthetically pleasing surroundings," and provides a requirement for taking a "systematic, interdisciplinary approach" to aid in considering environmental and community factors in decision making.
FHWA asks that all departments of transportation “Enhance their public-involvement activities to ensure the meaningful participation of minority and low-income populations.”
Public involvement needs to be an early and continuing part of the process not just a hearing, or a couple of meetings. It is essential to "know" the community's values in order to avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts as well as narrow the field of alternative modes (for planning) and alignments (for projects). The community also needs to understand the tradeoffs and constraints behind the process, and to "buy-in" to the project. Public involvement allows the WSDOT and its partners to know the impacts as viewed by the community and design the project to provide the best engineering and best community solution. Inclusive public involvement well meets the needs of environmental justice.
More information can be found at the following sites:
Other Tools and Information
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates protection for people with disabilities. Demographics on disabled persons should be included in a social effects report although the data may be useful for an environmental justice report as well.
Tribal Impacts - Your EJ analysis needs to consider any effects on American Indians as a minority population. Tribes also need to be consulted with in a cooperative process on a government to government basis.
Although Cultural Resources are generally studied separately, the analyst should be aware of any cultural resources identified and their relationship to any minority or low-income populations.