The EPA IRA Disadvantaged Communities map combines multiple datasets that individually can be used to determine whether a community is disadvantaged for the purposes of implementing programs under the IRA. All data sets are assigned values at the Census block group level.

A block group is considered as “disadvantaged” based on any of the following three criteria:

• Inclusion of the CJEST disadvantaged communities. A block group is identified as “disadvantaged” when it is part of the CJEST “disadvantaged” tract.

• Supplemental index exceedance. A block group is identified as “disadvantaged” when any of the 13 Supplemental EJ Indexes are at or above 90 percentiles. Both national and state supplemental indexes are used.

• Overlapping with Alaska Native Allotments, Alaska Native Villages, American Indian Reservations, Off-reservation Trust Lands, or Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas. For tribal areas that are larger than the local block groups, a block group is marked “disadvantaged” when at least 10% of the block group intersects the tribal area For tribal areas that are smaller than the local block groups, a block group is marked “disadvantaged” when at least 10% of the tribal area covers the block group.