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CDC PLACES, EPA TRI, Port Dashboards, and Sub-Page Assessments Added Across All 11 Ports

Today we're releasing the largest data update since launch — integrating census-tract-level health data, industrial facility inventories, and wind dispersion analysis across all 11 priority port assessments, plus a new interactive dashboard for cross-port comparison.

What's New

Community Health Profiles — CDC PLACES Data

Every port assessment now includes a Community Health Profile section with CDC PLACES tract-level health data comparing port-adjacent communities to county and state averages. Seven key health measures are tracked for each port:

  • Current asthma among adults
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Coronary heart disease
  • Depression
  • Obesity
  • Fair or poor self-rated health
  • High blood pressure

The data confirms what port-adjacent communities have long reported: health indicators in neighborhoods nearest port terminals consistently exceed county averages, with the starkest disparities in New Orleans (42.0% high blood pressure in port-adjacent tracts), Jacksonville (40.5% high blood pressure), and Baltimore (39.2%).

EPA Toxics Release Inventory — Cumulative Industrial Burden

Each port page now documents the number of TRI-reporting facilities in the port's county, providing context for the cumulative industrial exposure that port-adjacent communities face. Port vessel emissions don't exist in isolation — they layer on top of petrochemical plants, refineries, rail yards, and other industrial sources. Houston's Harris County leads with over 500 TRI facilities, while LA/Long Beach's Los Angeles County has over 700.

Wind Patterns & Dispersion Analysis

Every port assessment now includes a Wind Patterns & Community Exposure section using NOAA climatological data to identify which communities are most frequently downwind of port emissions. Oakland's persistent westerly winds (50% of days) push emissions directly into West Oakland — the most directionally consistent downwind impact of any port studied. Newark's average wind speed of 9.3 mph is the highest, meaning efficient pollutant transport across a densely populated metro area.

Interactive Dashboard

The new Port Health Dashboard provides at-a-glance visual comparisons across all 11 ports:

  • Emissions bar chart — At-berth criteria pollutants by port
  • Health cost bar chart — Estimated annual public health cost
  • Population exposure — Below-median-income residents in each port's impact zone
  • Health profile radar chart — CDC PLACES indicators compared across selected ports
  • TRI facility chart — Cumulative industrial burden by port county
  • Wind dispersion table — Prevailing directions and downwind communities

Duluth-Superior Deep Dive

The Duluth-Superior assessment received the deepest update, incorporating data from 8 new research files:

  • St. Louis River Area of Concern — $486M+ in remediation investment, BUI status table, "Air Quality Gap" analysis
  • Port Authority Climate Baseline — DSPA Scope 1/2 greenhouse gas inventory (1,097 tonnes CO2, 2022)
  • NOAA Wind Analysis — 2024 daily weather data showing W/NW and E wind patterns affecting both sides of the MN/WI border
  • 2025 Tonnage Update — 25.3M short tons (14.6% YoY decline), commodity breakdown, navigation season dates

Data Sources Added

Three new data sources have been added to our Methodology:

Source Agency Data
CDC PLACES CDC Census tract-level health estimates (40 measures)
Toxics Release Inventory EPA Facility-level toxic chemical releases
Climate Data Online NOAA NCEI Wind speed, direction, weather data

Port-Specific Data Dashboards — All 11 Ports

Every priority port now has a dedicated interactive data dashboard with Chart.js visualizations tailored to that port's unique context:

  • Wind rose analysis from the nearest NOAA weather station showing prevailing directions and downwind communities
  • CDC PLACES health comparisons at census tract level against county and state averages
  • Emissions profiles breaking down at-berth criteria pollutants by type
  • Industrial context from EPA TRI facility data

Each dashboard is accessible from the new interactive dashboards embedded on each port page or linked from each port's assessment page. Dashboards for CARB-regulated ports (LA/Long Beach, Oakland) include emissions reduction trend analysis showing the measured impact of California's at-berth regulation.

What's Next

  • Deep-dive sub-pages for all ports — Air quality, community health, and regulatory landscape pages now available for every priority port, following the Duluth-Superior deep assessment model
  • Port-specific data harvests — We're extending the Duluth data collection model to other priority ports, starting with Houston and Baltimore
  • Interactive wind rose visualizations — Animated wind roses showing seasonal dispersion patterns
  • Dashboard enhancements — Filterable charts, tract-level map overlays, and downloadable datasets

For research partnerships or data inquiries: research@porthealthwatch.org.