Replication Data for: Unveiling Environmental Justice Through Open Government Data: Work in Progress for Most US States

Open government data (OGD) are critical for environmental justice (EJ) policymaking, characterized by power differentials and information asymmetries between government agencies, affected populations, and advocacy and interest groups. We contend that not only should state governments provide OGD, but they should remove burdens associated with its access and use to address the data divide and facilitate participation of vulnerable populations in policymaking. Applying a user-oriented approach, this article evaluates the degree of completeness, usability, and accessibility of EJ-OGD initiatives across the 50 US states. Results show that only one out of five states achieves at least half points on our EJ-OGD Implementation Score, suggesting that most states do not provide OGD to answer two core EJ questions: “To what extent is my community exposed to environmental harms and health hazards? Is the exposure disproportionately high given the community’s socioeconomic characteristics?” We discuss implications for equity and next steps for government.