G.+I.+S. : Applying Geographical-Information-Science to Support Environmental Justice Communities Olof Hansen, EPA Region 9/Waste Division, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA, phone 415-972-3328, email hansen.olof@epa.gov Geographical-Information-Science is helping Region 9’s Waste Division support an Environmental Justice initiative in Los Angeles County, California. The initiative was a joint federal (U.S. EPA Region 9), state (California Department of Toxic Substances Control [DTSC]) and local (City and County of Los Angeles, and City of Vernon) community-based project, targeting inspections of hazardous waste facilities in minority and low income neighborhoods of Central Los Angeles, that are located in close proximity to schools. The mapping and prioritization for facilities inspections was completed with Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, using data supplied by EPA, the State of California (DTSC, Teale Data Center), USGS, and the US Census. The neighborhood analysis of waste sites near to schools was accomplished in Region 9’s Desktop GIS system that is based on ArcView. Three major types of information were used in the analysis: 1. location of RCRA Hazardous Waste Handlers (TSDs, LQGs, SQGs); 2. population demographics (people-of-color, income); and 3. proximity to schools (half mile and quarter mile radii). The goal was to send inspectors (Federal, State, County, and City) to hazardous waste facilities located near schools to ensure safe waste management practices and regulatory compliance. To our knowledge, this was the first U.S. EPA project targeting inspections for regulated facilities with both an Environmental Justice as well as a children’s health emphasis.