Hazard & Disaster Protection - Pollution (Midwest Conservation Blueprint 2026 Indicator)

Definition This indicator represents the protection of communities vulnerable to impacts of hazards and other community-level stressors, which can include natural disasters (e.g. flooding, wildfire, etc.) or human-caused pollution. It prioritizes areas based on the presence and amount of air and water pollutants. Pixels can take the following values: 1 – Lower risk of air or water pollution, not a natural asset 2 – Lower risk of air or water pollution, natural asset 3 – Medium risk of air or water pollution, not a natural asset 4 – Medium risk of air or water pollution, natural asset 5 – Higher risk of air or water pollution, not a natural asset 6 – Higher risk of air or water pollution, natural asset Selection This indicator was chosen as a targetable, important feature of the MLI goals that will be used to track conditions over time and prioritize areas for conservation. Indicators were defined through elicitation and prioritization exercises with federal and state participants. Criteria for the indicators includes 1) actionable, 2) measurable, 3) relevant to multiple groups across the region, and/or 4) representative of other social and/or environmental values. Input Data & Mapping Steps This indicator originates from the EPA Cumulative Respiratory Risk from Air Toxins and EPA Total Permitted Discharges. To create this layer, MLI partners, members, and staff completed the following mapping steps: projected all input data to NAD83 (2011) UTM Zone 15N, converted polygon input data layers to 30m rasters, mosaicked the air toxins and permitted discharges rasters into a single layer representing overall pollution risk, and emphasized natural assets within the most vulnerable areas for a raster with the following values: 1 – Lower risk of air or water pollution, not a natural asset, 2 – Lower risk of air or water pollution, natural asset, 3 – Medium risk of air or water pollution, not a natural asset, 4 – Medium risk of air or water pollution, natural asset, 5 – Higher risk of air or water pollution, not a natural asset, and 6 – Higher risk of air or water pollution, natural asset. Finally, we removed highly altered areas using our Highly Altered Areas Mask. For full mapping details, please refer to the Midwest Conservation Blueprint Development Process. For a complete download of all Blueprint input and output data, visit the Midwest Conservation Blueprint 2026 Data Download.### 定义 本指标用于表征易受灾害及其他社区级压力因素影响的社区的保护水平，此类影响可涵盖自然灾害（如洪涝、野火等）或人为引发的污染。该指标依据空气与水污染物的存在情况及污染物总量对区域进行优先级排序。像素值对应如下： 1 —— 空气或水污染风险较低，非自然资产 2 —— 空气或水污染风险较低，自然资产 3 —— 空气或水污染风险中等，非自然资产 4 —— 空气或水污染风险中等，自然资产 5 —— 空气或水污染风险较高，非自然资产 6 —— 空气或水污染风险较高，自然资产 ### 指标遴选依据 本指标被选为MLI目标中具备可针对性、重要性的特征，将用于长期跟踪环境状况并优先划定保护区域。本套指标通过与联邦及州级参与方开展的征询与优先级排序工作完成定义。指标遴选标准包括：1）具备可操作性；2）可量化；3）与区域内多群体相关；及/或4）可代表其他社会及/或环境价值。 ### 输入数据与制图流程 本指标的数据源自美国环境保护署（Environmental Protection Agency, EPA）的空气毒素累积呼吸道风险数据集与EPA许可总排放量数据集。为生成本数据图层，MLI的合作方、成员及工作人员完成了如下制图步骤：将所有输入数据投影至NAD83 (2011) UTM Zone 15N坐标系；将多边形输入数据图层转换为30米分辨率的栅格；将空气毒素与许可排放量栅格拼接为单一图层，以表征整体污染风险；并针对最脆弱区域内的自然资产进行强化，最终生成具备如下像素值的栅格：1 —— 空气或水污染风险较低，非自然资产；2 —— 空气或水污染风险较低，自然资产；3 —— 空气或水污染风险中等，非自然资产；4 —— 空气或水污染风险中等，自然资产；5 —— 空气或水污染风险较高，非自然资产；6 —— 空气或水污染风险较高，自然资产。最后，我们通过「高度改变区域掩码」移除了高度人工改造的区域。如需完整的制图细节，请参考《中西部保护蓝图开发流程》（Midwest Conservation Blueprint Development Process）。如需完整下载所有蓝图输入与输出数据，请访问《2026年中西部保护蓝图数据下载页面》（Midwest Conservation Blueprint 2026 Data Download）。