EPA Develops Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool

EPA’s Office of Research and Development has developed a beta version of a Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST).  It’s designed to provide access to resources that can be used to help communities learn more about their environmental issues and risks.  They can view information about their environment, compare community environmental conditions, explore solutions, and use it with community guides.  This new tool can be used in tandem with other complementary tools the Agency has recently developed, EJSCREEN and EnviroAtlas.  They’re also working to link the tools and harmonize the underlying datasets.  The Agency is currently engaging with states and local agencies about the tool and providing an opportunity for comment on a pre-release version.  Public release is expected by March 2016.  States and local agencies desiring access to a pre-release version should send an e-mail request to CFERSTMAIL@epa.gov.