About EnviroCheck
Our Mission
EnviroCheck was created to make complex environmental data accessible and understandable for everyone. We believe that every American deserves to know the environmental risks in their community, whether they are evaluating a potential move, assessing their current neighborhood, or advocating for environmental improvements.
Environmental quality is one of the most important factors affecting health and quality of life, yet the data is scattered across dozens of government agencies, scientific studies, and databases. We aggregate this information into comprehensive, easy-to-understand risk profiles for cities and states across the country.
Our goal is to empower individuals with knowledge — not to alarm or stigmatize communities. Every area has environmental strengths and challenges, and understanding them is the first step toward protection and improvement.
Methodology
Our environmental risk scores are calculated using a weighted composite methodology that combines multiple data points into a single overall risk rating from 1 to 100. The key factors and their approximate weights in the overall score are:
- Air Quality (25%): Based on annual average AQI values, number of unhealthy air days, and dominant pollutant types from EPA AirNow monitoring data.
- Water Quality (25%): Based on EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System compliance data, number of violations, and types of detected contaminants.
- Flood Risk (20%): Based on FEMA flood zone designations, historical flood events, proximity to water bodies, and climate projections.
- Toxic Sites (15%): Based on the number and proximity of EPA Superfund National Priorities List sites and Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting facilities.
- Other Factors (15%): Including wildfire risk from USDA Forest Service data, earthquake risk from USGS seismic hazard data, extreme heat trends, and industrial pollution proximity.
Individual factor scores are normalized to a 0-100 scale and then combined using the weights above. The resulting overall score is categorized as: Excellent (1-20), Good (21-40), Fair (41-55), Poor (56-70), or Very Poor (71-100).
Data Sources
We rely exclusively on official government data sources and peer-reviewed scientific research:
- Air Quality: EPA AirNow, American Lung Association State of the Air Report
- Water Quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Environmental Working Group Tap Water Database
- Flood Risk: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, NOAA National Weather Service, First Street Foundation Flood Factor
- Toxic Sites: EPA Superfund National Priorities List, EPA Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), ATSDR Health Assessments
- Wildfire Risk: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Potential Structures, NIFC Statistics
- Earthquake Risk: USGS National Seismic Hazard Model
- Population Data: US Census Bureau American Community Survey
Important Disclaimer
EnviroCheck provides environmental data for informational and educational purposes only. Our risk scores and assessments should not be used as the sole basis for real estate decisions, health evaluations, or insurance determinations.
Environmental conditions are complex and can vary significantly within small geographic areas. A city-level assessment may not accurately reflect conditions at a specific address. For site-specific environmental evaluations, consult certified environmental professionals, local health departments, and relevant government agencies.
While we strive for accuracy, environmental data is constantly changing and our compiled information may not reflect the most current conditions. We make no warranties about the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the data presented.
In case of environmental emergencies, contact your local emergency services (911) or the EPA National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802.
Contact
We welcome feedback, corrections, and suggestions. If you have questions about the data for a specific location or would like to report an error, please reach out:
- Email: contact@ifbuyz.com
- For environmental emergencies, contact your local authorities or the EPA.