2020 Census Helps Protect the Watershed
The results of the 2020 census will guide funding allocations for spending related to the environment, housing, economic development and infrastructure. The 2020 census will also provide the basis for deciding where and how funding is used to address the challenges our communities face due to the climate crisis.
Since 1790, the US has been gathering data about the characteristics of our population through the national census to guide policy, legislative, and fiscal decision making.
Policymakers and advocacy groups also rely on census data to help enforce protections from environmental pollution and other hazards, including the requirements of the Clean Water Act.
Unfortunately, accurate census responses can be challenging, especially in low-income communities. Under reporting in these areas could exacerbate the economic, environmental justice, and social issues that already disproportionately affect these areas. The negative effects of climate change will also effect these same populations to a greater extent.
