Environmental Justice Identification and Proposed Outreach Report GDOT Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) FY 2024-2027 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Contents 1.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................3 2.0 Purpose ..................................................................................................................4 3.0 Methodology .........................................................................................................7 4.0 STIP Area Results ............................................................................................. 11 5.0 STIP District Area Maps ................................................................................. 17 5.1 District 1 .......................................................................................................... 18 5.2 District 2 .......................................................................................................... 24 5.3 District 3 .......................................................................................................... 30 5.4 District 4 .......................................................................................................... 36 5.5 District 5 .......................................................................................................... 42 5.6 District 6 .......................................................................................................... 48 6.0 Focus and Findings .......................................................................................... 54 6.1 Minority Findings ......................................................................................... 55 6.2 Low-income Findings .................................................................................. 55 6.3 Elderly Findings ............................................................................................ 55 6.4 LEP Findings ................................................................................................... 55 6.5 Internet Access .............................................................................................. 55 7.0 Public Outreach Strategy............................................................................... 55 7.1 Virtual Engagement Platform and STIP Website ............................... 55 7.2 Virtual Open Houses .................................................................................... 56 7.3 Library Outreach........................................................................................... 56 7.4 Social Media Posts ........................................................................................ 56 7.5 Targeted Streaming Service Advertisements ..................................... 56 7.6 Radio Advertisements.................................................................................56 7.7 Media Coordination ..................................................................................... 56 7.8 Display Boards...............................................................................................57 GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 1 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 7.9 Handouts & Materials..............................................................................57 7.10 Public Comment & Collection ................................................................... 57 7.11 Annual Public Involvement Report ........................................................ 57 8.0 Sources of Information................................................................................... 67 8.1 Reports and Studies ..................................................................................... 67 8.2 Internet Sites .................................................................................................. 67 GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 2 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 1.0 Introduction Since 1970, the Federal-Aid Highway Program has required full consideration of possible adverse social, economic, and environmental effects during project planning, development, and decisionmaking. Federal policies and laws that play a role in federal highway decision making include the following: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Intermodal Surface Transportation and Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). Environmental Justice (EJ) Executive Order 12898 signed in 1994. Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) signed in 1998. Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Executive Order 13166 signed in 2000. Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). EPA Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice (2011). The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act of 2012 (MAP-21). Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Climate Crisis Executive Order 14008 signed in 2021. Per federal law, STIPs must involve early and continuous public involvement and outreach; all peoples must be included in disregard of race, color and natural origin. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on these accounts. In addition, President Clinton signed Environmental Justice (EJ) Executive Order (EO) 12898 in 1994, which defines EJ as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, income or education level, in transportation decision making. The EO mandates that "each federal agency identifies and address disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority and/or low-income populations." Additionally, EO 13166, signed in 2000, provides guidance on improving access to services for persons with Limited English Proficiency. The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to examine the services they provide, identify any need for services to those with limited English proficiency (LEP), and develop and implement a system to provide those services so LEP persons can have meaningful access to them. To further ensure efforts in EJ outreach, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Environmental Justice and Executive Order 12898 was signed on August 4, 2011. In 2021, President Biden signed EO 14008, which introduced the Justice40 initiative, making it a goal that 40 percent of the overall investments flow to disadvantaged communities. The STIP identifies federally funded transportation projects such as highway, maintenance, bicycle, and pedestrian projects. The Georgia STIP includes transportation projects for rural areas that were developed in the Georgia Department of Transportation's (GDOT's) ongoing planning process. Minority and low-income identification and outreach is required as part of the STIP. According to FHWA Order 6640.23, minority is defined as a person who is African American, Hispanic or GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 3 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Latino, Asian American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. It further defines a person having low-income as a person whose household income is at or below the Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines. By focusing on minority, and low-income, or traditionally underserved populations, federal agencies can ensure that federal actions are inclusive for all people. In addition to low-income and minority populations, elderly and disabled persons should also be considered in public involvement and outreach. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) encourages the involvement of people with disabilities in the development and improvement of transportation and paratransit plans and services. This report details the efforts made to identify EJ populations within the STIP area and the strategies used to target these populations through the public involvement process. 2.0 Purpose Public outreach and involvement is extremely important for states to effectively integrate environmental justice concerns into transportation decision-making. During the STIP planning stage and prior to the project development stage, efforts must be made to identify EJ populations within each GDOT District (see Figure 1) and include these populations in a meaningful public outreach strategy. EJ populations can be identified using the following sources: (1) U.S. Census Bureau Data, (2) American Community Survey Data, and (3) data collected from local government planning departments and DOT transportation staff. Section 3 discusses the methodology for identifying the EJ populations for the GDOT rural counties. This document serves as the Environmental Justice Identification and Proposed Outreach Report included in the Georgia STIP for the rural counties within the state. To better guide the environmental justice outreach program, an analysis of racial, ethnic, income, and age demographics for each STIP county was conducted. In addition, English proficiency demographics were evaluated to identify populations with limited English proficiency in order to determine the need for handout materials to be made available in Spanish. Information contained in this report is used to identify characteristics and locations of EJ populations in the Georgia STIP area. In addition, this document outlines outreach strategies specific to EJ populations in rural areas of Georgia to ensure equal involvement of all peoples in the statewide planning process. This document includes the following: (1) methodology used to determine the EJ threshold for minorities, low-income, elderly, limited English proficiency, and limited internet access groups; (2) identification of EJ communities that are above the EJ threshold; (3) information on public outreach strategies and best practices; and (4) identification of local EJ organizations and resources for disseminating information to EJ populations. GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 4 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Figure 1: GDOT District Map GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 5 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 6 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 3.0 Methodology This section describes the methodology employed in defining and identifying environmental justice populations in the GDOT STIP area. EJ population identification was completed at the census tract level. All census tracts that are not completely within an MPO boundary were included in the analysis. This includes census tracts that are partially within MPO boundaries. Together, these census tracts make up the rural STIP study area, which is illustrated in Figure 2: Georgia Counties STIP Rural Study Area Map. Areas shaded in blue are under the authority of a MPO and are not included in this report. All remaining areas are designated rural STIP areas and are shaded in green. GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 7 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Figure 2: Georgia Counties STIP Rural Study Area Map GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 8 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Minority, low-income, elderly, limited English proficiency (LEP), and populations without internet access were analyzed in the rural STIP area; definitions of these variables are included below. Minority: All persons other than non-Hispanic White population. Low-income: Individuals with total income being at or below the poverty threshold. Elderly: Individuals 65 years of age or greater. Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Individuals greater than 5 years of age and speaking English "not well." LEP population includes people speaking Spanish, Asian and IndoEuropean languages. However, as Spanish speaking population formed predominantly the largest portion of LEP population, only Spanish speaking population was selected for specific outreach. Households Without Internet Access: Housing units where no occupant can connect to or use the internet using a paid service or any free service. Upon selecting these variables for study, data for each of the 836 Census tracts in the 130 counties in the STIP study area were collected from the American Community Survey 2017-2021 5-year estimates (ACS) on the Census Data website (www.data.census.gov). Each variable was calculated as a percentage of the total population of each census tract. The percentages of each variable for every census tract included within the STIP study area were then averaged to yield the average percent for each EJ variable across the entire STIP study area. This percentage was used as the threshold above which a census tract level population was considered an "EJ population." Where a census tract's percentage on a variable met or exceeded the expected STIP-wide percentage, the census tract was identified as an EJ community. In other words, these tracts had a larger-than-average percentage of minority, low-income, elderly, LEP, or limited internet access populations. Throughout this report, the terms "EJ community" or "EJ population" refer to a group that is above the STIP-wide threshold. See Table 1 for the EJ thresholds based on STIP-wide population characteristics. Table 1: Environmental Justice Thresholds Minority STIP Wide Percentages 33.0% Lowincome 19.4% Elderly (65+) 16.4% LEP 2.8% Source: American Community Survey 2017-2021 estimates No Internet Access 22.6% Additionally, the STIP area census tracts with values higher than the calculated threshold were stratified into classes between I and IV (Class I being the values closest to the threshold and Class IV being the highest values). The Classes were calculated so that all classes for an EJ category would include roughly the same number of census tracts, while considering variation in data values and keeping the breakpoints at whole numbers. See Table 2 for the class breaks for each class of each variable, and the number of tracts falling in each class of each variable. GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 9 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Variable Minority Table 2: Environmental Justice Class Breaks Census Tracts 376 Class I 33.0% - 40% (106 tracts) Class II 40% - 47% (91 tracts) Class III 47% - 61% (87 tracts) Low-income 19.4% - 24% 24% - 29% 348 (88 tracts) (95 tracts) 29% - 34% (79 tracts) Elderly 16.4% - 18% 18% - 20% 352 (86 tracts) (93 tracts) 20% - 23% (80 tracts) 2.8% - 4% 4% - 6% 6% - 11% LEP 230 (60 tracts) (56 tracts) (59 tracts) No Internet Access 22.6% - 26% 26% - 31% 385 (88 tracts) (96 tracts) 31% - 37% (95 tracts) Source: American Community Survey 2017-2021 estimates Class IV 61% - 98% (92 tracts) 34% - 81% (86 tracts) 23% - 63% (93 tracts) 11% - 29% (55 tracts) 37% - 60% (106 tracts) GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 10 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 4.0 STIP Area Results The following STIP Area Maps present the overall results for each variable (Minority, Low-income, Elderly, LEP, and No Internet Access) calculated for the study area to generate both the State and District Maps. District Maps can be found in Section 5. As mentioned previously, the STIP area census tracts with values higher than the calculated STIP-wide threshold were stratified into classes between I and IV (Class I being the values closest to the threshold and Class IV being the highest values). The locations of census tracts with values higher than the calculated STIPwide threshold are indicated and the intensity of population (Class I to IV) is illustrated. GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 11 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Figure 3: STIP Area Minority EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 12 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Figure 4: STIP Area Low-income EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 13 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Figure 5: STIP Area Elderly EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 14 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Figure 6: STIP Area LEP EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 15 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Figure 7: STIP Area Households Without Internet Access Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 16 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.0 STIP District Area Maps This section presents the results of the EJ analysis at the district level. As mentioned previously, the STIP area census tracts with values higher than the calculated STIP-wide threshold were stratified into classes between I and IV (Class I being the values closest to the threshold and Class IV being the highest values). The locations of census tracts with values higher than the calculated STIP-wide threshold are indicated and the intensity of population (Class I to IV) is illustrated. GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 17 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.1 District 1 District 1 is in northeastern Georgia and consists of 21 counties. It begins directly northeast of the Atlanta metro area and stretches to the North Carolina and South Carolina borders. The study area consists of census tracts in 17 counties and does not include any tracts from the 4 counties in District 1 that are completely under the authority of the MPOs. The study area in District 1 contains 153 census tracts of which 55 are over the minority EJ threshold, 62 are over the elderly EJ threshold, 50 are over the low-income EJ threshold, 36 are over the LEP EJ threshold, and 41 are above the internet access threshold. Figure 8, below, is a map of the counties, census tracts, and MPOs located in District 1. Figure 8: District 1 Source: US Census Bureau GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 18 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.1.1 Minority EJ Population Figure 9 is a map of the minority EJ populations located in District 1. Within District 1, 36 percent of the tracts have a minority population above the minority EJ threshold. The analysis shows 9 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Elbert, Habersham, Jackson, and Union. The analysis also shows 9 Class III tracts, 11 Class II tracts, and 12 Class I tracts. Figure 9: District 1 Minority EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 19 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.1.2 Low-income EJ Population Figure 10 is a map of the low-income EJ populations located in District 1. Within District 1, 33 percent of the tracts have a low-income population above the low-income EJ threshold. The analysis shows 13 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Elbert, Habersham, Jackson, Lumpkin, Oconee, Union, Walton, and White. The analysis also shows 3 Class III tracts, 9 Class II tracts, and 9 Class I tracts. Figure 10: District 1 Low-income EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 20 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.1.3 Elderly EJ Population Figure 11 is a map of the elderly EJ populations located in District 1. Within District 1, 41 percent of the tracts have an elderly population above the elderly EJ threshold. The analysis shows 22 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Dawson, Elbert, Franklin, Habersham, Hart, Jackson, Rabun, Stephens, Union, Walton, and White. The analysis also shows 13 Class III tracts, 9 Class II tracts, and 18 Class I tracts. Figure 11: District 1 Elderly EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 21 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.1.4 LEP EJ Population Figure 12 is a map of the LEP EJ populations located in District 1. Within District 1, 36 percent of the tracts have an LEP population above the LEP EJ threshold. The analysis shows 5 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Habersham, Hart, Jackson, and Towns. The analysis also shows 10 Class III tracts, 6 Class II tracts, and 14 Class I tracts. Figure 12: District 1 LEP EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 22 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.1.5 Households without Internet Access Figure 13 is a map of the households without internet access located in District 1. Within District 1, 27 percent of the tracts are above the internet access EJ threshold. The analysis shows 7 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Elbert, Jackson, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, and White. The analysis also shows 9 Class III tracts, 11 Class II tracts, and 12 Class I tracts. Figure 13: District 1 Households without Internet Access Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 23 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.2 District 2 District 2 consists of 27 counties to the southeast of the Atlanta metro area, stretching to the South Carolina border. The study area consists of census tracts in 26 counties and does not include any tracts from Richmond County, which is completely under the authority of the Augusta Regional Transportation Study MPO. The study area in District 2 contains 177 census tracts of which 92 are over the minority EJ threshold, 71 are over the elderly EJ threshold, 81 tracts are above the low-income EJ threshold, 54 tracts are above the LEP EJ threshold, and 103 are above the internet access threshold. Figure 14, below, is a map of the counties, census tracts, and MPOs located in District 2. Figure 14: District 2 Source: US Census Bureau GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 24 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.2.1 Minority EJ Population Figure 15 is a map of the minority EJ populations located in District 2. Within District 2, 52 percent of the tracts have a minority population above the minority EJ threshold. The analysis shows 21 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Baldwin, Dodge, Glascock, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jefferson, Laurens, Morgan, and Wilkinson. The analysis also shows 21 Class III tracts, 24 Class II tracts, and 26 Class I tracts. Figure 15: District 2 Minority EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 25 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.2.2 Low-income EJ Population Figure 16 is a map of the low-income EJ populations located in District 2. Within District 2, 46 percent of the tracts have a low-income population above the minority EJ threshold. The analysis shows 24 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Baldwin, Burke, Dodge, Emanuel, Glascock, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jefferson, Laurens, McDuffie, Morgan, Oglethorpe, Putnam, Washington, and Wilkinson. The analysis also shows 16 Class III tracts, 24 Class II tracts, and 17 Class I tracts. Figure 16: District 2 Low-income EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 26 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.2.3 Elderly EJ Population Figure 17 is a map of the elderly EJ populations located in District 2. Within District 2, 40 percent of the tracts have an elderly population above the elderly EJ threshold. The analysis shows 13 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Baldwin, Columbia, Dodge, Greene, Hancock, Johnson, and Morgan . The analysis also shows 17 Class III tracts, 21 Class II tracts, and 20 Class I tracts. Figure 17: District 2 Elderly EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 27 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.2.4 LEP EJ Population Figure 18 is a map of the LEP EJ populations located in District 2. Within District 2, 31 percent of the tracts have a LEP population above the LEP EJ threshold. The analysis shows 17 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Dodge, Emanuel, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, McDuffie, Newton, Oglethorpe, Treutlen, and Wilkinson. The analysis also shows 13 Class III tracts,124 Class II tracts, and 12 Class I tracts. Figure 18: District 2 LEP EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 28 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.2.5 Households without Internet Access Figure 19 is a map of the households without internet access located in District 2. Within District 2, 58 percent of the tracts are above the internet access EJ threshold. The analysis shows 27 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Baldwin, Dodge, Greene, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Laurens, McDuffie, Morgan, Oglethorpe, Treutlen, Washington, and Wilkinson. The analysis also shows 22 Class III tracts, 29 Class II tracts, and 25 Class I tracts. Figure 19: District 2 Households without Internet Access Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 29 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.3 District 3 District 3 consists of 31 counties and is located to the southwest of the Atlanta metro area. The study area consists of census tracts in 24 counties and does not include any tracts from the 7 counties in District 3 that are completely under the authority of the MPOs. The study area in District 3 contains 149 census tracts of which 65 are over the minority EJ threshold, 69 are over the elderly EJ threshold, 63 tracts are above the low-income EJ threshold, 34 tracts are above the LEP EJ threshold, and 75 are above the internet access threshold. Figure 20, below, is a map of the counties, census tracts, and MPOs located in District 3. Figure 20: District 3 Source: US Census Bureau GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 30 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.3.1 Minority EJ Population Figure 21 is a map of the minority EJ populations located in District 3. Within District 3, 44 percent of the tracts have a minority population above the minority EJ threshold. The analysis shows 17 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Jones, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Peach, Pike, Troup, and Upson. The analysis also shows 12 Class III tracts, 17 Class II tracts, and 19 Class I tracts. Figure 21: District 3 Minority EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 31 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.3.2 Low-income EJ Population Figure 22 is a map of the low-income EJ populations located in District 3. Within District 3, 42 percent of the tracts have a low-income population above the low-income EJ threshold. The analysis shows 13 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Jones, Macon, Meriwether, Pike, Sumter, Taylor, and Upson. The analysis also shows 14 Class III tracts, 14 Class II tracts, and 22 Class I tracts. Figure 22: District 3 Low-income EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 32 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.3.3 Elderly EJ Population Figure 23 is a map of the elderly EJ populations located in District 3. Within District 3, 46 percent of the tracts have an elderly population above the elderly EJ threshold. The analysis shows 22 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Butts, Crawford, Harris, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Monroe, Pike, Spalding, Taylor, Troup, Twiggs, and Upson. The analysis also shows 12 Class III tracts, 18 Class II tracts, and 17 Class I tracts. Figure 23: District 3 Elderly EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 33 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.3.4 LEP EJ Population Figure 24 is a map of the LEP EJ populations located in District 3. Within District 3, 23 percent of the tracts have a LEP population above the LEP EJ threshold. The analysis shows 7 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Peach, Schley, Talbot, and Webster. The analysis also shows 10 Class III tracts, 6 Class II tracts, and 9 Class I tracts. Figure 24: District 3 LEP EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 34 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.3.5 Households without Internet Access Figure 25 is a map of the households without internet access located in District 3. Within District 3, 50 percent of the tracts are above the internet access EJ threshold. The analysis shows 18 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Lamar, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Pulaski, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Twiggs, Upson, and Webster. The analysis also shows 19 Class III tracts, 19 Class II tracts, and 19 Class I tracts. Figure 25: District 3 Households without Internet Access Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 35 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.4 District 4 District 4 consists of 31 counties and is located in the southwestern corner of Georgia. The study area consists of census tracts in 29 counties and does not include any tracts from the 2 counties in District 4 that are completely under the authority of the MPOs. The study area in District 4 contains 176 census tracts of which 99 are over the minority EJ threshold, 74 are over the elderly EJ threshold, 94 tracts are above the low-income EJ threshold, 63 tracts are above the LEP EJ threshold, and 111 are above the internet access threshold. Figure 26, below, is a map of the counties, census tracts, and MPOs located in District 4. Figure 26: District 4 Source: US Census Bureau GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 36 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.4.1 Minority EJ Population Figure 27 is a map of the minority EJ populations located in District 4. Within District 4, 56 percent of the tracts have a minority population above the minority EJ threshold. The analysis shows 30 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Early, Lee, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, and Wilcox. The analysis also shows 18 Class III tracts, 25 Class II tracts, and 26 Class I tracts. Figure 27: District 4 Minority EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 37 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.4.2 Low-income EJ Population Figure 28 is a map of the low-income EJ populations located in District 4. Within District 4, 53 percent of the tracts have a low-income population above the low-income EJ threshold. The analysis shows 17 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Ben Hill, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Lee, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth. The analysis also shows 21 Class III tracts, 31 Class II tracts, and 25 Class I tracts. Figure 28: District 4 Low-income EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 38 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.4.3 Elderly EJ Population Figure 29 is a map of the elderly EJ populations located in District 4. Within District 4, 42 percent of the tracts have an elderly population above the elderly EJ threshold. The analysis shows 14 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Crisp, Decatur, Early, Mitchell, Seminole, Thomas, and Tift. The analysis also shows 20 Class III tracts, 22 Class II tracts, and 18 Class I tracts. Figure 29: District 4 Elderly EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 39 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.4.4 LEP EJ Population Figure 30 is a map of the LEP EJ populations located in District 4. Within District 4, 36 percent of the tracts have a LEP population above the LEP EJ threshold. The analysis shows 22 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Atkinson, Baker, Ben Hill, Brooks, Colquitt, Cook, Grady, Lee, Mitchell, Thomas, Tift, and Wilcox. The analysis also shows 12 Class III tracts, 15 Class II tracts, and 14 Class I tracts. Figure 30: District 4 LEP EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 40 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.4.5 Households without Internet Access Figure 31 is a map of the households without internet access located in District 4. Within District 4, 63 percent of the tracts are above the internet access EJ threshold. The analysis shows 40 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Atkinson, Baker, Ben Hill, Brooks, Calhoun, Coffee, Cook, Crisp, Early, Echols, Grady, Irwin, Lanier, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Wilcox, and Worth. The analysis also shows 31 Class III tracts, 22 Class II tracts, and 18 Class I tracts. Figure 31: District 4 Households without Internet Access Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 41 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.5 District 5 District 5 consists of 26 counties and is located in the southeastern portion of Georgia. The study area consists of census tracts in 23 counties and does not include any tracts from Chatham County, which is completely under the authority of the Coastal Region MPO. The study area in District 5 contains 190 census tracts of which 84 are over the minority EJ threshold, 68 are over the elderly EJ threshold, 75 tracts are above the low-income EJ threshold, 54 tracts are above the LEP EJ threshold, and 91 are above the internet access threshold. Figure 32, below, is a map of the counties, census tracts, and MPOs located in District 5. Figure 32: District 5 Source: US Census Bureau GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 42 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.5.1 Minority EJ Population Figure 33 is a map of the minority EJ populations located in District 5. Within District 5, 44 percent of the tracts have a minority population above the minority EJ threshold. The analysis shows 9 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Camden, Glynn, Screven, Toombs, Ware, and Wayne. The analysis also shows 19 Class III tracts, 27 Class II tracts, and 29 Class I tracts. Figure 33: District 5 Minority EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 43 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.5.2 Low-income EJ Population Figure 34 is a map of the low-income EJ populations located in District 5. Within District 5, 39 percent of the tracts have a low-income population above the low-income EJ threshold. The analysis shows 18 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Appling, Bulloch, Camden, Glynn, McIntosh, Telfair, and Ware. The analysis also shows 22 Class III tracts, 20 Class II tracts, and 15 Class I tracts. Figure 34: District 5 Low-income EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 44 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.5.3 Elderly EJ Population Figure 35 is a map of the elderly EJ populations located in District 5. Within District 5, 36 percent of the tracts have an elderly population above the elderly EJ threshold. The analysis shows 11 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Appling, Brantley, Effingham, Glynn, Jeff Davis, McIntosh, Pierce, and Toombs. The analysis also shows 21 Class III tracts, 20 Class II tracts, and 16 Class I tracts. Figure 35: District 5 Elderly EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 45 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.5.4 LEP EJ Population Figure 36 is a map of the LEP EJ populations located in District 5. Within District 5, 28 percent of the tracts have a LEP population above the LEP EJ threshold. The analysis shows 15 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Glynn, Pierce, Tattnall, and Wheeler. The analysis also shows 14 Class III tracts, 14 Class II tracts, and 11 Class I tracts. Figure 36: District 5 LEP EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 46 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.5.5 Households without Internet Access Figure 37 is a map of the households without internet access located in District 5. Within District 5, 48 percent of the tracts are above the internet access EJ threshold. The analysis shows 27 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Appling, Bacon, Bryan, Camden, Candler, Effingham, Long, Montgomery, Pierce, Tattnall, Toombs, Ware, Wayne, and Wheeler. The analysis also shows 24 Class III tracts, 21 Class II tracts, and 19 Class I tracts. Figure 37: District 5 Households without Internet Access Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 47 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.6 District 6 District 6 is composed of 17 counties located in the northwest corner of Georgia. The study area consists of census tracts in 11 counties and does not include any tracts from the 6 counties in District 6 that are completely under the authority of the MPOs. The study area in District 6 contains 124 census tracts of which 39 are over the minority EJ threshold, 59 are over the elderly EJ threshold, 40 tracts are above the low-income EJ threshold, 25 tracts are above the LEP EJ threshold, and 37 are above the internet access threshold. Figure 38, below, is a map of the counties, census tracts, and MPOs located in District 6. Figure 38: District 6 Source: US Census Bureau GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 48 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.6.1 Minority EJ Population Figure 39 is a map of the minority EJ populations located in District 6. Within District 6, 31 percent of the tracts have a minority population above the minority EJ threshold. The analysis shows 11 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Carroll, Haralson, Murray, Polk, and Walker. The analysis shows 9 Class III tracts, 8 Class II tracts, and 11 Class I tracts. Figure 39: District 6 Minority EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 49 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.6.2 Low-income EJ Population Figure 40 is a map of the low-income EJ populations located in District 6. Within District 6, 32 percent of the tracts have a low-income population above the low-income EJ threshold. The analysis shows 13 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Carroll, Chattooga, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, and Polk. The analysis also shows 7 Class III tracts, 9 Class II tracts, and 11 Class I tracts. Figure 40: District 6 Low-income EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 50 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.6.3 Elderly EJ Population Figure 41 is a map of the elderly EJ populations located in District 6. Within District 6, 48 percent of the tracts have an elderly population above the elderly EJ threshold. The analysis shows 23 Class IV tracts located in the following counties: Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Pickens, Polk, and Walker. The analysis also shows 7 Class III tracts, 17 Class II tracts, and 12 Class I tracts. Figure 41: District 6 Elderly EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 51 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.6.4 LEP EJ Population Figure 42 is a map of the LEP EJ populations located in District 6. Within District 6, 20 percent of the tracts have a LEP population above the LEP EJ threshold. The analysis shows 3 Class IV tracts located in Carroll and Gordon Counties. The analysis also shows 10 Class III tracts, 6 Class II tracts, and 6 Class I tracts. Figure 42: District 6 LEP EJ Population Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 52 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 5.6.5 Households without Internet Access Figure 43 is a map of the households without internet access located in District 6. Within District 6, 30 percent of the tracts are above the internet access EJ threshold. The analysis shows 6 Class IV tracts in the following counties: Chattooga, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, and Polk. The analysis also shows 11 Class III tracts, 7 Class II tracts, and 13 Class I tracts. Figure 43: District 6 Households without Internet Access Source: US Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 53 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 6.0 Focus and Findings Figure 44 provides a summary of the percent of census tracts within each District with EJ populations above the STIP threshold for each category (minority, low-income, elderly, and LEP). This gives a visual comparison of the EJ populations in each District. Figure 44: EJ Summary Chart GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 54 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 6.1 Minority Findings The percentage of minority populations is over 50% in District 4 (56%) and District 2 (52%). Districts 3 and 5 both have 44% of census tracts above the minority threshold, and District 1 (36%) and District 6 have the lowest percentage of census tracts above the minority EJ threshold. 6.2 Low-income Findings The percentage of low-income populations is greatest in District 3 (53%). This is followed by District 2 (46%) and District 3 (42%). District 5 (39%), District 1 (33%), and District 6 (32%) have the lowest percentage of tracts above the low-income EJ threshold. 6.3 Elderly Findings The percentage of elderly populations is greatest in District 6 (48%), followed closely by District 3 (46%). Subsequently, District 4 has 42%, District 1 has 41%, and District 2 has 40%. District 5 (36%) has the lowest percentage of census tracts above the elderly EJ threshold. 6.4 LEP Findings The percentage of LEP populations is greatest in District 4 (36%), followed by District 2 (31%). District 5 (28%), District 1 (24%), District 3 (23%), and District 6 (20%) have lower percentages of census tracts exceeding the LEP EJ threshold. 6.5 Internet Access The percentage of households without internet access is greatest in Districts 4 (63%) and 2 (58%). District 3 (50%) and District 5 (48%) have similar levels of internet access, while District 6 (30%) and District 1 (27%) have the lowest percentages of census tracts exceeding the internet access EJ threshold. 7.0 Public Outreach Strategy The public involvement strategy for the STIP FY 2024-2027 includes a variety of techniques tailored to engage target audiences in each District. This multi-pronged approach strives to broaden the accessibility of the program's public outreach by offering multiple avenues for the public to learn about and get involved with the STIP. Below is an outline of the techniques that will be used during the public outreach period. 7.1 Virtual Engagement Platform and STIP Website An online virtual engagement platform will be used to share information about the proposed STIP projects and gather feedback from the public. The virtual engagement platform will be available for a 30-day period, and will contain a welcome video, background information about the STIP, interactive maps with details of proposed STIP projects, an interactive comment card so visitors can provide feedback to GDOT, and details about MPOs and associated TIPs. The virtual engagement platform will be able to be translated into multiple languages. A link to the virtual engagement platform will be provided on all public information materials. GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 55 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report The virtual engagement platform will also be accessible through the STIP webpage. The STIP webpage is a permanent location that contains information about the current and previous STIP documents and the outreach process. 7.2 Virtual Open Houses GDOT will host virtual open houses to present the draft STIP and provide an opportunity for citizens to ask questions and provide comments. GDOT will host three virtual open house sessions, and each session will be tailored to two GDOT districts. The virtual open houses will be hosted using an online meeting platform, such as Zoom. 7.3 Library Outreach The ability to host the outreach materials online has been made possible by Wi-Fi availability and computer access via public libraries across the state. Most libraries have free Wi-fi networks available for patrons, and many still allow use of their in-house computers for limited time slots. This accessibility allows anyone to access the internet and view these public outreach materials for free. To capitalize on this resource, GDOT will partner with library branches in non-MPO areas across the state to advertise the public outreach period. Posters in both English and Spanish will be posted in each library to notify patrons of the public outreach period and encourage them to utilize a library computer to access the virtual engagement platform. 7.4 Social Media Posts GDOT will utilize its existing social media accounts to spread the word about the public outreach period. Posts will be made on Facebook and Twitter providing a brief description of the STIP, the public open house schedule, and a link to the virtual engagement plaform. 7.5 Targeted Streaming Service Advertisements GDOT will utilize a paid advertisement on the music streaming service Spotify to share information about the STIP public outreach period. The advertisement will be targeted to the zip codes that are located completely or partially outside of MPO boundaries, and will consist of an image and voiceover informing listeners about the public outreach period. Listeners who want to learn more will be able to click a button that will send them to the virtual engagement platform. 7.6 Radio Advertisements GDOT will conduct radio advertisements through the Georgia News Network promoting the public outreach period. The 60-second radio advertisements will include general info about the STIP, information about the STIP website & other details surrounding the STIP outreach period. They will be broadcast to over 100 radio stations, and in previous STIP cycles have reached over 1.7 million people. 7.7 Media Coordination Draft press releases and media coordination between the STIP team and the Office of Communications will be developed for the public involvement period. A proactive approach to GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 56 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report these efforts will provide accurate, up-to-date information to the public. Information will be disseminated using press releases, paid radio advertisements, social media, and GDOT web site. 7.8 Display Boards For individuals who wish to view STIP information in-person, display boards will be provided to each GDOT District's main office, and they will be aavailable to view by appointment during normal business hours. The display boards will present a map and list of all proposed STIP projects in the district. The boards will be available for viewing for the same 30-day period as the virtual engagement platform. Visitors will be able to leave written comments at these display boards. 7.9 Handouts & Materials The types of meeting materials that will be developed include fliers, graphics, and maps that illustrate the location of proposed STIP projects. These collateral materials and maps are essential to provide straightforward information to the public. Considering the existence of concentrations of Spanish-speakers in certain districts, the flier and comment form will be translated into Spanish to ensure successful outreach efforts to those populations. Large print handouts will also be available to accommodate those who are visually impaired. 7.10 Public Comment & Collection The public will have the opportunity to provide input on the project maps and STIP information via the virtual engagement platform or comment form. The virtual engagement platform will have an interactive comment form, while physical comment forms will be provided for those who view the display boards at the GDOT District offices. 7.11 Annual Public Involvement Report At the conclusion of the STIP cycle, a comprehensive report based on all public outreach will be prepared. The report will synthesize all process documentation completed throughout the preparation and implementation of the outreach. The public outreach techniques will be further refined so that the EJ populations and their geographic concentrations dictate how the outreach techniques will be targeted for each district. Counties with Class IV census tracts for each GDOT District are outlined below in Tables 3 through 8, as these should be prioritized when targeting areas for outreach. GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 57 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Table 3: District 1 EJ Category Minority Counties Elbert Habersham Jackson Union Low-Income Elbert Habersham Jackson Lumpkin Oconee Union Walton White Elderly Dawson Elbert Franklin Habersham Hart Jackson Rabun Stephens Union Walton White Limited English Proficiency Internet Access Habersham Hart Jackson Towns Elbert Jackson Rabun Stephens Towns White GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 58 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Table 4: District 2 EJ Category Minority Low-Income Elderly Limited English Proficiency Counties Baldwin Dodge Glascock Greene Hancock Jasper Jefferson Laurens Morgan Wilkinson Baldwin Burke Dodge Emanuel Glascock Greene Hancock Jasper Jefferson Laurens McDuffie Morgan Oglethorpe Putnam Washington Wilkinson Baldwin Columbia Dodge Greene Hancock Johnson Morgan Dodge Emanuel Jefferson Jenkins Johnson McDuffie Newton Oglethorpe Treutlen Wilkinson GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 59 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report EJ Category Internet Access Counties Baldwin Dodge Greene Hancock Jefferson Jenkins Johnson Laurens McDuffie Morgan Oglethorpe Treutlen Washington Wilkinson GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 60 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Table 5: District 3 EJ Category Minority Low-Income Elderly Limited English Proficiency Counties Jones Macon Marion Meriwether Peach Pike Troup Upson Jones Macon Meriwether Pike Sumter Taylor Upson Butts Crawford Harris Macon Marion Meriwether Monroe Pike Spalding Taylor Troup Twiggs Upson Peach Schley Talbot Webster GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 61 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report EJ Category Internet Access Counties Lamar Macon Marion Meriwether Pulaski Schley Stewart Sumter Talbot Taylor Troup Twiggs Upson Webster GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 62 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Table 6: District 4 EJ Category Minority Low-Income Elderly Counties Ben Hill Berrien Brooks Coffee Colquitt Cook Crisp Decatur Early Lee Mitchell Seminole Terrell Thomas Tift Wilcox Ben Hill Brooks Coffee Colquitt Cook Crisp Lee Terrell Thomas Worth Brooks Coffee Colquitt Crisp Decatur Early Mitchell Seminole Thomas Tift GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 63 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report EJ Category Limited English Proficiency Internet Access Counties Atkinson Baker Ben Hill Brooks Colquitt Cook Grady Lee Mitchell Thomas Tift Wilcox Atkinson Baker Ben Hill Brooks Calhoun Coffee Cook Crisp Early Echols Grady Irwin Lanier Lee Miller Mitchell Seminole Thomas Tift Turner Wilcox Worth GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 64 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Table 7: District 5 EJ Category Minority Low-Income Elderly Limited English Proficiency Internet Access Counties Camden Glynn Screven Toombs Ware Wayne Appling Bulloch Camden Glynn McIntosh Telfair Ware Appling Brantley Effingham Glynn Jeff Davis McIntosh Pierce Toombs Glynn Pierce Tattnall Wheeler Appling Bacon Bryan Camden Candler Effingham Long Montgomery Pierce Tattnall Toombs Ware Wayne Wheeler GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 65 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report Table 8: District 6 EJ Category Minority Low-Income Elderly Limited English Proficiency Internet Access Counties Carroll Haralson Murray Polk Walker Carroll Chattooga Gordon Haralson Murray Polk Chattooga Dade Fannin Gilmer Gordon Haralson Murray Pickens Polk Walker Carroll Gordon Chattooga Gordon Haralson Murray Polk GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 66 Environmental Justice Identification & Proposed Outreach Report 8.0 Sources of Information 8.1 Reports and Studies "Community Impact Assessment: A Quick Reference for Transportation" (FHWA, 9/96) "Community Impact Mitigation Case Studies" (FHWA, 5/98) "Environmental Policy Statement" (FHWA, 1994) "EPA Environmental Justice Strategy: Executive Order 12898" (EPA, 1995) "EPA Environmental Justice: Guidance Under the National Environmental Policy Act (Council of Environmental Quality, 12/97) "How to Engage Low-Literacy and Limited-English-Proficiency Populations in Transportation Decision making" (USDOT/FHWA 2006) "Practical Approaches for Involving Populations in Transportation Decision making " NCHRP Report 710 (2012) "Effective Public Involvement Using Limited Resources" NCHRP Synthesis 407 (2010) "Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decision-making" USDOT (2009) "Transportation & Environmental Justice, Case Studies" USDOT/FHWA (2000) "Transportation & Environmental Justice, Effective Practices" USDOT/FHWA/FTA (2002) 8.2 Internet Sites US Census Bureau, www.data.census.gov Clark Atlanta University Environmental Justice Resource Center, www.ejrc.cau.edu Federal Highway Administration, www.fhwa.dot.gov Federal Transit Administration, www.fta.dot.gov Environmental Protection Agency, www. epa.gov Georgia Department of Transportation, www.dot.state.ga.us Surface Transportation Policy Project, www.transact.org United States Department of Transportation, www.dot.gov GDOT STIP FY 2024-2027 67