EcoVista360 is conducting an Environmental Justice Community-based Needs Assessment for Banning and Indio, to help community members identify and address environmental and climate challenges. This initiative has a special focus on disadvantaged communities within these cities. Banning and Indio are located in California’s Inland Empire region which has the worst air quality for ozone and particulate matter nationwide. This project will focus primarily on disadvantaged communities with CalEnviroScreen scores over 75%; comprised of nine census tracts, in 5 districts, facing severe environmental burdens, which are home to approximately 32,000 residents. Most of the areas are in 80th percentile or higher for ozone and in-home lead exposure. These districts in this project have high impacts for diesel particulate matter and hazardous waste. Compounding these impacts are high rate of poverty, asthma, and cardiovascular disease.
EcoVista360 will help residents identify changes and funding to improve environmental outcomes by:
- engaging residents in identifying issues,
- training interns to work with residents on these issues through its Environmental Justice Academy, and
