Abstract:

We will collect and generate diverse localized datasets in five Texas counties along the Gulf of Mexico, which will be assembled into six categories, including: regional climate dataset - localized past and future climate change scenarios, weather conditions, and climatic disasters; air quality dataset - observed and modeled air pollutant concentrations (aerosol, metals, and toxic chemicals); water insecurity dataset - groundwater sources, water utility service areas, contaminants, drinking water violations, and surveyed household water insecurity; petrochemical facility dataset - facility inventory, emissions, process simulation data, and incident reports; health outcomes dataset - Texas inpatient, outpatient, and emergency room datasets, and health data registries; social & built-environment dataset - socioeconomic characteristics, land use dynamics, housing conditions, planning documents, and community questionnaires and interviews. Additional data will be collected to calibrate and validate localized models. We will conduct randomly stratified samples of telephone surveys targeting 500 households. Survey topics include: perceived air pollution; perceived water quality, accessibility, affordability, and governance; perceptions/concerns about climate change impacts; health conditions; and socio-demographics. We will also monitor major air pollutants, e.g., particulate matter (PM) and trace elements, to detect and accurately quantify the true impact of oil-gas-related air pollution exposure. We will leverage existing equipment to measure pollutant concentrations at 50-meter resolution in four neighborhoods. Individual-based hospital inpatient/outpatient data will be purchased, including each patient’s location (zip code or finer scales), admission date, age, race, ethnicity, status, length of stay, and 15 diagnosis codes of diseases.