March 24, 2023

RAIL

MOVING AMERICA FORWARD

Emily Grenzke, Staff Director

Raquel Wright, Transportation Analyst

Data Analysis & Geospatial Information Systems Division, Office of Research, Data, & Innovation

Justice40 Rail Explorer Webinar

December 6, 2023
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Welcome Remarks:

FRA Administrator 

Amit Bose
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Discussion Topics

Justice40 Initiative Overview

• What is the Justice40 Initiative?

• Justice40 Implementation

• Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer

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Justice40 Rail Explorer

• Federal & FRA-Covered Programs

• Justice40 Rail Explorer

• Rail Infrastructure Searchability Filters

• ETC Explorer & Justice40 Rail Explorer User Guide

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3 Demonstration Presentation

4 Q&A / Contact Information
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Justice40 Initiative Overview
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What Is the Justice40 Initiative?

Justice40 is an opportunity to address gaps in transportation 

infrastructure and public services by working toward the goal 

that at least 40% of the benefits from many of our grants, 

programs, and initiatives flow to disadvantaged communities.

 Increases affordable transportation options that connect Americans to 

good-paying jobs, fight climate change, and improve access to resources 

and quality of life in every state and territory.

 Identifies and prioritizes projects that benefit rural, suburban, tribal, and 

urban communities facing barriers to affordable, equitable, reliable, and 

safe transportation. 

 Assesses negative impacts of transportation projects and systems on 

disadvantaged communities and considers if local community leaders have 

been consulted meaningfully during project development.

transportation.gov/equity-Justice40
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Justice40 Implementation

Three major components of DOT's 

implementation of Justice40 

include understanding:

1. The needs of a community through meaningful public 

engagement.

2. How a community is impacted by a lack of transportation 

investments and options.

3. What benefits a project may create, who will receive them 

and how they will alleviate how 

the community is experiencing 

disadvantage.
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Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer

The ETC Explorer tool assists applicants in understanding transportation disadvantaged communities 

in terms of the five components and underlying measures:
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Justice40 Rail Explorer
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There are seven areas of federal 

investments covered by Justice40.

FRA-Covered Programs Include:

 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and 

Safety Improvements Program 

(CRISI)

 Federal-State Partnership for 

Intercity Passenger Rail (FSP)

 Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant 

Program (RCE)

Federal & FRA-Covered Programs

Covered 

Program 

Areas

Clean Transit

Affordable & 

Sustainable 

Housing

Remediation 

& Reduction 

of Legacy 

Pollution

Training & 

Workforce 

Development

Climate 

Change

Clean Energy 

& Energy 

Efficiency

Clean Water & 

Wastewater 

Infrastructure
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• Overlays Rail Infrastructure with ETC Explorer Data: o Transportation Disadvantaged Communities –

National Results by Census Tract 

o Five Component Scores of Disadvantaged Communities o Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 Emissions Levels o Diesel PM Emissions Levels

• North American Rail Network (NARN) o Rail Yards o Coming Soon: Passenger Stations • Grade Crossing Inventory System (GCIS) • 2020 Census Data • 118th Congressional District • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Tribal Lands o Tribal Statical Areas o Land Area Representation (LAR)

Justice40 Rail Explorer
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Users Can Search for:

 Census Tracts Above Threshold PM 2.5 

and Diesel PM Emissions Levels 

 Rail Yards by Railroad Owner and Yard 

Name

 USDOT Grade Crossing Number 

 State/County from the GCIS

 Any Address or Common Placename

 Coming Soon: Passenger Station Name 

Rail Infrastructure Searchability Filters
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ETC Explorer Information & Justice40 Rail Explorer User Guide

• To avoid duplication of the ETC Explorer, the 

Justice40 Rail Explorer does not include all 

ETC Explorer metrics.

• The full set of ETC Explorer metrics and 

methodology is explained in the Justice40 

Rail Explorer User Guide for context.

• Use the Climate & Economic Justice 

Screening Tool and ETC Explorer tools to 

examine the metrics used to describe 

disadvantaged communities.

DOT ETC Explorer
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Demonstration
Contact Us

Federal Railroad Administration

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

Connect with us at USDOTFRA

Data Analysis & Geospatial 

Information Systems Division, Office 

of Research, Data, & Innovation, 

Federal Railroad Administration

Emails: FRAGIS@dot.gov; 

Justice40@dot.gov