{"query_echo":{"q":"","filters":{"analysis_type":["proximity analysis"]},"warnings":[{"code":"facet_value_not_in_vocabulary","message":"Value 'proximity analysis' for facet 'analysis_type' is not in the controlled vocabulary."}]},"total":{"value":4,"relation":"eq"},"page":1,"page_size":20,"self":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/api/v1/search?analysis_type=proximity+analysis","stability":"beta","ai_marking":{"digital_source_type":{"uri":"http://cv.iptc.org/newscodes/digitalsourcetype/trainedAlgorithmicMedia","name":"Created using Generative AI"},"notice":"Summary and key insights are generated using artificial intelligence."},"results":[{"id":"ucs-000830","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/ucs-000830","title":"Siting for a Cleaner, More Equitable Grid in Massachusetts","publisher":{"name":"Union of Concerned Scientists","organization":"union-of-concerned-scientists"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2024-03","source_url":"https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/MA-infrastructure-appendix-3-21.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The document outlines the GIS-based methodology used to assess the proximity of electricity generating units and substations to environmental justice (EJ) populations in Massachusetts. It details the data sources used, including S&P Global and utility plans, and explains the criteria for identifying EJ neighborhoods based on state law. The analysis specifically focused on utility-scale projects and proposed infrastructure to ensure that future siting decisions do not replicate past failures of overburdening vulnerable populations.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000830#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Past siting decisions for electricity infrastructure, particularly polluting power plants, have resulted in an overconcentration of these facilities within or near environmental justice neighborhoods.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000830#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The analysis utilized GIS mapping to evaluate three proximity indicators for energy infrastructure relative to EJ populations: whether a facility is located within an EJ census block group, or within distance bands of one and five miles from one.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000830#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The study focused on proposed electricity generating units (EGUs) equal to or larger than 35 MW, a threshold aligned with Massachusetts state siting reform proposals (H.3187 and S.2113) intended to increase the review of peaker plants and smaller power projects.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000830#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The researchers were only able to map 11 proposed new substations because utilities often provide broad city-level locations rather than specific coordinates in their planning documents.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000830#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["environmental justice","energy transition","Grid modernization"],"geography_discussed":[],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["proximity analysis","GIS mapping"]},{"id":"ucs-000831","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/ucs-000831","title":"Siting for a Cleaner, More Equitable Grid in Massachusetts","publisher":{"name":"Union of Concerned Scientists","organization":"union-of-concerned-scientists"},"document_type":"fact sheet","language":"en","date_published":"2024-03","source_url":"https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/MA-infrastructure-fact-sheet-3-21.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The analysis reveals that over 80% of existing polluting electricity generating units and nearly 70% of substations in Massachusetts are located in or near environmental justice (EJ) neighborhoods. It warns that current trends in proposed infrastructure, including a new fossil-fuel peaker plant and several substations, continue to overburden these communities. The authors recommend integrating cumulative impact assessments, expanding the Energy Facilities Siting Board to include EJ and Indigenous representation, and prioritizing public health and climate targets in siting decisions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000831#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Existing siting processes have led to a high concentration of polluting power plants in environmental justice (EJ) areas. While EJ neighborhoods make up approximately 50% of the state's neighborhoods, more than 80% of existing polluting electricity generating units are located within or one mile of these areas.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000831#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Electricity substations are also disproportionately sited in EJ communities, with nearly 70% of the state's 419 substations located within or within one mile of an EJ neighborhood.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000831#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Current trends in proposed large-scale projects (35 MW or greater) indicate continued burdens on EJ communities. The only proposed polluting project—a gas and diesel peaker plant—is sited in an EJ neighborhood, and one-third of proposed battery energy storage projects are also located in EJ neighborhoods.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000831#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Proposed new substations appear to follow historical patterns of overconcentration in low-income and minority communities. Of 11 proposed substations that could be mapped due to limited utility data transparency, 7 are located within EJ neighborhoods.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000831#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"To achieve a just transition, the authors recommend that the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) be expanded to include two public members representing Indigenous and EJ community perspectives, as the board currently only represents labor, energy, and environmental issues.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000831#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The document argues for the adoption of cumulative impacts assessments in siting decisions to account for the historical burdens of pollution already borne by vulnerable communities, citing a 2020 New Jersey law as a potential model.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000831#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["environmental justice","energy transition","battery energy storage system","offshore wind power","photovoltaics","decarbonization","Grid modernization"],"geography_discussed":["New Jersey","West Springfield","Billerica","Newton","Lexington","Waltham"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["proximity analysis","policy recommendation"]},{"id":"ucs-000224","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/ucs-000224","title":"A Dwindling Role for Coal","publisher":{"name":"Union of Concerned Scientists","organization":"union-of-concerned-scientists"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2017-10","source_url":"https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/09/A-Dwindling-Role-for-Coal-technical-appendix.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report evaluates the US coal fleet's economic viability against alternatives like natural gas and renewables, finding that 38% of the 2016 fleet faces an uncertain near-term future due to being either uneconomic or announced for retirement. It also estimates that emissions reductions from 2008 to 2016 provided $250 billion in public health and climate benefits. A proximity analysis indicates that while many coal plants are located in low-income and minority communities, the demographic distribution of the fleet has not changed significantly during the transition.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000224#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"As of 2016, 38% of the US coal fleet faces an uncertain near-term future, consisting of 122 units (57 GW) that are uneconomic compared to existing natural gas combined-cycle (NGCC) plants and 163 units (51 GW) already announced for retirement or conversion.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000224#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The economic vulnerability of coal units increases significantly under different cost scenarios: a $25/metric ton carbon price would make 62% of the 2016 fleet (371 units, 175 GW) uneconomic compared to regional wind resources.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000224#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Coal units most likely to remain competitive are larger and run more frequently, with an average size of 510 MW and a capacity factor of 58%, whereas announced retirements are smaller (317 MW) and older (average age 49 years).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000224#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Between 2008 and 2016, the 1,256 identified coal units reduced SO2 emissions by 80%, NOx by 64%, and CO2 by 34%, resulting in estimated total public health and climate benefits of $250 billion.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000224#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Units announced for retirement are more likely to lack pollution controls for SO2, NOx, and mercury, with nearly 20% having no controls for any of these pollutants.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000224#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Proximity analysis shows that the proportion of coal units located in minority and low-income communities did not change significantly between 2008 and 2016, nor is it expected to change significantly as uneconomic units retire.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000224#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"In the Southeast (SERC) and Florida (FRCC) regions, anticipated new generation from renewables, energy efficiency, and nuclear is insufficient to replace lost coal generation, though existing excess natural gas capacity could cover the shortfall.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000224#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["coal-fired power station","photovoltaics","carbon price","greenhouse gas emissions reduction","environmental justice","energy transition","Resource adequacy"],"geography_discussed":["Southeast","Florida"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["economic stress test","proximity analysis","emissions monetisation"]},{"id":"ucs-000274","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/ucs-000274","title":"Abandoned Science, Broken Promises","publisher":{"name":"Union of Concerned Scientists","organization":"union-of-concerned-scientists"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/Appendix-Equity-Report-10-2019.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The document details two environmental justice studies. The first analyzed PM2.5 emissions from natural gas and coal-fired power plants in the Northeast US between 2011 and 2015. The second used GIS buffer analysis to determine if low-income households and people of color live closer to PFAS-contaminated facilities than white or higher-income households in the US and Michigan. Findings for PFAS contamination show that in Michigan, 48.72% of households within five miles of a contaminated site are low-income, compared to 14.51% statewide. Nationally, people of color represent 34.59% of the population within three miles of PFAS sites, compared to 27.03% of the general US population.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000274#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"In Michigan, low-income households are disproportionately represented near PFAS-contaminated sites; while 14.51% of households statewide are low-income, this figure rises to 23.49% within a three-mile radius and 48.72% within a five-mile radius of such sites.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000274#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"At the United States national level, people of color are more likely to live within three miles of a PFAS-contaminated site (34.59%) than they are in the general US population (27.03%).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000274#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The document outlines a methodology for identifying environmental justice communities by using k-means cluster analysis on 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data, specifically focusing on 'Percent non-white' and 'Percent in poverty' indicators.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000274#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"An analysis was conducted on the atmospheric dispersion of PM2.5 emitted by coal- and natural gas-fired power plants in the Northeast United States from 2011 to 2015, focusing on 285 census tracts that contained at least one power plant.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000274#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["environmental justice","particulates","coal-fired power station","air pollution"],"geography_discussed":["Northeastern United States"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["quantitative analysis","GIS analysis","proximity analysis"]}]}