Colorado updates environmental justice map to identify impacted communities

The Colorado Produced Water Consortium convened on May 9, 2025, to discuss critical updates regarding environmental justice mapping tools and their implications for disproportionately impacted communities. The meeting featured a presentation by Ronnie Kumar, a senior GIS analyst from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, who provided insights into the statutory definition of these communities as outlined in the Environmental Justice Act.

Kumar emphasized the importance of the mapping tools developed to identify areas that meet specific criteria for being classified as disproportionately impacted. These criteria include demographic factors such as low income, racial composition, housing cost burden, and linguistic isolation, as well as cumulative environmental burdens assessed through the Colorado EnviroScreen tool. The mapping initiative aims to standardize the definition of disproportionately impacted communities across all state agencies, ensuring consistency in regulatory and grant processes.

The presentation highlighted that the most recent data for the disproportionately impacted community map was updated in November 2024, reflecting the latest demographic and environmental health datasets. Kumar explained that the mapping tool is designed to be user-friendly, allowing stakeholders to visualize and analyze data relevant to their work. This tool is crucial for understanding the environmental health landscape in Colorado and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations.

During the meeting, consortium members raised questions about the update process for the mapping tools and the data sources used. Kumar clarified that updates are based on five-year census data and other environmental health indicators, with a significant focus on maintaining stability in the data to avoid confusion in regulatory contexts. The next proposed update is scheduled for November 2028, allowing time for thorough data analysis and community engagement.

The discussions underscored the ongoing commitment of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to enhance environmental justice initiatives and support communities that face disproportionate environmental burdens. As the consortium continues its work, the integration of these mapping tools will play a vital role in shaping policies and programs aimed at fostering equity and justice in environmental health across the state.