Integrating Local Green Assets into Brownfields Redevelopment: Tools and Examples
Citation:
Yngve, L. AND L. Jackson. Integrating Local Green Assets into Brownfields Redevelopment: Tools and Examples. EPA National Brownfields Conference, Chicago, IL, September 02 - 04, 2015.
Impact/Purpose:
To broaden awareness among brownfields redevelopment practitioners about: 1) the many health benefits provided by urban green infrastructure; 2)the added societal value of incorporating green infrastructure into brownfields redevelopment plans; and 3) the availability of relevant spatial data, analysis tools, and supporting information through EPA's EnviroAtlas online mapping and decision tool.
Description:
EnviroAtlas is a free, online public mapping tool that characterizes green infrastructure and its connection to human health and wellness. The high resolution data contained in this tool can be used to incorporate local green infrastructure into Brownfields redevelopment to benefit public health. Quantitative and qualitative environmental mapping tools, combined with methods such as Health Impact Assessment (HIA), can help decision makers assess and optimize a broad spectrum of project consequences. EnviroAtlas can be used by HIA practitioners, planners, researchers, public health professionals, and engaged citizens to gain a greater understanding of the linkages between a community’s “green” assets and their benefits to public health. A guide for using EnviroAtlas to integrate community green space into HIA has been developed to close data gaps and increase the utilization of available tools. High-resolution green infrastructure data and information may be of particular interest for Brownfields HIAs due to the environmental health implications of Brownfields sites.This research has been reviewed and approved by EPA; it does not necessarily reflect Agency policy.