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community mapping resources
Hello -
For quite some time now I've been attempting to put together
the resouces needed for community groups to do environmental
justice research and explore, communicate, and compare the
toxic hazards they face using maps and GIS (geographic
information system). Several recent developments have made
it possible for communties across the country to aquire the
means to do this. With these resources you can create your
own Y2K and Environmental Risk Atlas.
Developments that make this effort possible include: (1)
ESRI has release ArcExplorer a free GIS program, (2) ESRI
and Manifold.net now provide free downloads of TIGER 95 map
layers (streets, demographics, streams, census tracts, and
the like), and (3) a great deal of toxic data has become
available on CD-Rom and on the internet that has the necessary
geographic information required to use it in a GIS program.
I'm always checking out other alternatives. One GIS program
that looks very promising is Manifold. It is very inexpensive
and promises to be very easy to use, comprehensive, and
flexible. You can check it out for yourself at
http://www.manifold.net - I'll be checking it out and
reviewing it myself soon.
HOW TO OBTAIN THE GIS PROGRAM AND DATA
You can download ArcExplorer from my website. I also provide
links to ESRI's Tiger download page (for TIGER data in
ArcExplorer and ArcView shapefile format) and Manifold.net's
Free Data page for TIGER 95 map layers in their native format.
I have also extracted and converted a great deal of data to
ArcExplorer and ArcView shapefile format (many are also in
MapInfo and Maptitude formats). These include:
* Superfund sites on the National Priority List (NPL)
* Superfund sites not on the NPL
* Superfund sites EPA deems "no further action"
* PCS facilities - water pollution permit compliance
* Hazardous waste facilities including Transfer, Storage
and Disposal (TSD) facilities and Large Quantity Generators
(LQG).
* AIRS - facilities releasing criteria pollutants including;
NO2, SO2, VOC, PM10, PB, PT
* Nuclear facilities - powerplants, processing plants and
other facilities
Some toxic layers we're working on and will soon be
available soon include:
* CEP - cummulative exposure project data
* Toxic river sediments
* Contaminated fish advisaries
* Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
* Pesticide Use
* Air quality
* Air quality monitoring stations
Other layers available now include:
* Mortality - age adjusted mortality rates based on race
and gender for many causes of death
* Federal and Indian lands - BIA, USFS, BLM, etc.
* Airports
* Airways
* Dams
* Volcanoes
* Earthquakes
Some other layers we're working on and will soon be
available include:
* Highways
* Railroads
* Amtrak stations
* Aquifers
* Mines
If you know of other data that you would like made
available please contact me at meuser@mapcruzin.com
The GIS program and TIGER 95 data are free. Some of the
layers I have extracted and converted are free as well.
I hope to be compensated for some of the more complicated
and extensive layers that I extract and convert, but
money (or the lack thereof) will not be a barrier to
obtaining needed data.
Soon I will also be able to provide the resources enabling
communities to put their interactive maps on the internet.
More information on this will be on my website as it
becomes available.
To review or download the above go to my website,
http://www.mapcruzin.com/ and click on "Free GIS Maps" and
"Free GIS"
The above website also has environmental news from many
sources, ideas and other resouces for mapping, links to Web
Map projects we have completed, and other toxic maps around
the world (if you know of any that should be listed here
let me know).
Also, if you make use of these resources for your project
please let me know. I'd like to build a database of local
mapping projects as a resource for others. I'd love to
hear from you.
Finally, please redistribute this message to anyone you
think might find it useful.
Thanks,
Mike
Michael Meuser
meuser@mapcruzin.com
http://www.mapcruzin.com/