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 current model combines measured public data and deterministic estimates where direct city-level values are unavailable.
- Air Quality (25%): EPA-derived AQI baselines plus deterministic city-level adjustments tied to emissions proxies.
- Water Quality (25%): EPA SDWIS violation counts normalized at state level and proportionally allocated to covered cities.
- Flood Risk (20%): FEMA disaster history converted into categorical flood-risk bands.
- Toxic Sites (15%): EPA TRI facility density and derived Superfund proximity estimates.
- Other Factors (15%): Additional deterministic adjustments based on available public indicators.
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). The methodology is deterministic: the same source inputs always produce the same score output.
Data Sources
Our current production dataset relies on the following public U.S. government sources:
- EPA Envirofacts: Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- FEMA Open Data: Disaster declaration records used for flood-risk classification
- Editorial City Baseline: Fixed city coverage and population baselines used for deterministic normalization
References to other agencies or research organizations in educational content are contextual only unless explicitly listed as an active data pipeline source.
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.