Identifying Threats

Where is petrochemical production a threat?

Knowing where a new petrochemical production facility is being proposed or where an existing facility may be expanded is the first step to establishing community awareness and building engagement, identifying potential threats, and organizing to prevent harm to people and the environment. Here are a few tools to see where petrochemical projects are being proposed or are currently operating in the United States:

Are any petrochemical facilities planned near the community?

To learn if there is a facility planned near a community, use the Environmental Integrity Project’s tracking resource. This website includes maps and a list of oil, gas, and chemical projects that are proposed or underway.


To map petrochemical connections around the globe, Toxic Expertise has created the Global Petrochemical Map. This collaborative project seeks to show the commonalities and differences in communities’ experiences of living and working in close proximity to petrochemical industrial sites.

Can plans for a petrochemical facility be challenged?

Before breaking ground, petrochemical facilities typically require permits from both federal and state agencies. These permit processes often include a public participation phase, during which community members can speak out in opposition to the proposed project. Visit the Resisting Construction section of this guide to learn more.

How do socioeconomic and demographic factors impact environmental risks?

The US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) EJScreen is an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides a nationally consistent dataset and approach for understanding how environmental and demographic factors overlap in geographic regions. This tool allows users to pinpoint their location and view the severity of various risks and threats in their region, from air pollution to hazardous waste. To use, enter a location and then add map filters.

Is there already a petrochemical facility in the community?

To learn if there is already a facility near a community, use FracTracker to take stock of the existing infrastructure. FracTracker provides a national map of energy and petrochemical data, including extraction sites, transportation and storage locations, processing plants, and natural resources.


For a wider database of activities that may affect air, water, and land, use the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Enviromapper.