Environmental and Health Hazard Zones
As NYC continues to develop, environmental and health concerns for our communities are ever-present. When viewing maps that highlight this type of data, you can answer questions like:
- What areas are in danger from climate change?
- How does this effect a community's health?
- What areas seem to have higher health risks, and why?
- How is this linked to environmental and urban development changes?
To answer some of these questions, please see below for examples related to specific types of hazards as they pertain to NYC's residents.
Quick Links to Each Section on Page:
Water Hazard Zones | Air Quality Zones | Heat Zones | Health Zones
Water Hazard Zones
Online Research Catalog
When using the Online Research Catalog:
- In the Advanced Search function, checkmark "Cartographic" under Format.
- We recommend the following searches:
- Keyword: Hurricane New York City
- Subject: Coastal zone management New York (State) New York Maps
- Keyword: Coastal Zone Management New York City (Do not checkmark "Cartographic" under Format)
- Keyword: Coastal Mapping New York City
- Keyword: Coastal New York City
Additional and current maps can be found through various NYC government websites. Please see below for a selection:
- NYC Hurricane Evacuation Zone Finder (NYC Emergency Management)
- NYC Waterfront Access Map (NYC Planning)
- NYC Flood Hazard Map (NYC Planning)
Hurricane Evacuation Zone Finder via NYC Emergency Management
- Coastal zone boundary of New York City / prepared by the Department of City Planning, Herbert Sturz, Chairman. [1986]
- Map Div. 89-6141
- New York City hurricane evacuation zones. [2006]
- Map Div. 07-3115
- Shows zones of hurricane flooding risk and locations of evacuation centers.
- New York City hurricane evacuation zones. 2007
- A9127 N4 N48743
- New York City hurricane evacuation zones. [2013]
- Map Div. 13-579
- Note: Includes index of evacuation centers. Text on verso with headings: "Be prepared," "If a storm approaches," "Know your zone," "If you must evacuate," "If you are not ordered to evacuate," "Hurricane basics."
To find supplementary books and documents related to water harzard zones, please conduct the searches listed on this page's "Catalog Tips" with "Cartographic" NOT checkmarked in our Online Research Catalog. You might also want to do an additional search that is more broad, under:
- Keyword Search: Climate New York City
From these results, you can also checkmark any of the other listed formats. See below for a list of recommended materials:
- Coastal zone management. 1977
- A9127 N4W2 N483
- Courtesy of Columbia University Libraries
- Coastal zone boundary : appendix / Rudolph W. Giuliani, Mayor, The City of New York ; Joseph B. Rose, Director, Department of City Planning. [1997]
- JBX F-6040
- Hurricane Sandy : clippings.
- IRH-F
- Notes: 4 folders of clipping and miscellaneous material about Hurricane Sandy and its effect on New York City.
- Ranking Port Cities with High Exposure and Vulnerability to Climate Extremes [electronic resource]: Exposure Estimates / R. Nicholls ... [et al]. 2008
- New York City photographs, 1977-2012 / by Rob Scott.
- (S) IRGV+ 10-2176
- Specifically, volume 6-8 includes photographs of damage from Hurricane Sandy
- Notes: Photographs depict the New York metropolitan area from 1977-2009. Each photograph is labeled with subject, date and photographer's name; many labels include locations within the New York City area.
- Flood insurance in New York City following Hurricane Sandy / Lloyd Dixon [and others]. ©2013
- JBF 16-127
- Available online via Rand
Air Quality Zones
For current information on air quality in New York City, please utilize Data Explorer from NYC's Environment and Health Data Portal. In each topic, you will have a panel on the left, where you can scroll through relevant datasets. When you click on each dataset, the section on the right will change to reflect said dataset, alongside the headings "Summary," "Map," "Trend," and "Links."
Not all datasets will have an accompanying map. These cases will be notated below.
- Air Quality
- Under the dataset panel on the left, the datasets that are listed under "Neighborhood Air Quality" have data maps that have been created.
- A few example maps include:
- Black Carbon
- Nitric oxide (NOx)
- Explore the portal to see more maps.
- Health Impacts of Air Pollution
- Under the dataset panel on the left, all datasets that are listed have accompanying data maps.
- A few example maps include:
- Deaths due to PM2.5
- Respiratory hospitalizations due to PM2.5 (age 20+)
- Explore the portal to see more maps.
Courtesy of Black Carbon dataset on Data Explorer
To find supplementary books and documents related to air quality in NYC, please conduct the following searches in our Online Research Catalog "Cartographic" NOT checkmarked:
- Keyword Search: "air quality" AND "New York City"
- Subject Search: Air quality management New York Metropolitan Area
See below for a list of recommended materials:
- Waste management : generation and disposal of solid, liquid and gaseous wastes in the New York region : a report of the Second Regional Plan : prepared for Regional Plan Association / by Blair T. Bower [and others] ; edited by Richard T. Anderson ; cosponsored by the Metropolitan Regional Council. 1968
- TP995 .S4 and AA9127 N4 R266
- New York City metropolitan area air quality implementation plan : transportation controls : carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, oxidants, nitrogen dioxide / State of New York. 1973
- AA9127 N4 N4215
- Courtesy of Columbia University Libraries
- New York State air quality implementation plan : the Moynihan-Holzman submittal : mass transportation improvements in the New York City Metropolitan Area / New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Transportation. 1979
- JSF 91-19
- The contribution of heavy-duty vehicles to the New York City emission inventory / Lois Platte. 1980
Heat Zones
For current information on air quality in New York City, please utilize Data Explorer from NYC's Environment and Health Data Portal. In each topic, you will have a panel on the left, where you can scroll through relevant datasets. When you click on each dataset, the section on the right will change to reflect said dataset, alongside the headings "Summary," "Map," "Trend," and "Links."
Not all datasets will have an accompanying map. These cases will be notated below.
- Weather-related illness
- Under the dataset panel on the left, the datasets that are listed under "Heat Stress" will have data maps that have been created for the following datasets:
- The latter two datasets also link to the Interactive Heat Vulnerability Index Map.
Courtesy of Heat stress: hospitalizations dataset on Data Explorer
To find supplementary books and documents related to the changing climate of New York City, please conduct the following broad searches in our Online Research Catalog "Cartographic" NOT checkmarked:
- Keyword Search: Climate New York City
- Keyword Search: Weather New York City
See below for a list of recommended materials:
- On some climatic changes recorded in New York City, by Henryk Arctowski. [1913]
- PRD p.v. 16, no. 11
- Weather and health; a study of daily mortality in New York city. Prepared under the direction and with the advice of the Committee on the atmosphere and man, Division of biology and agriculture, National research council, by Ellsworth Huntington. 1930
- 89493.671
- Courtesy of Princeton University Library
- Monthly weather calendars for New York City. 1953
- PRT+ (United States. Weather Bureau. Monthly weather calendars for New York City) (1953)
- Climatic guide for New York City, New York and nearby areas / U. S. Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau. 1958 [i.e. 1959].
- QC983 .C6 no. 40-26
- Courtesy of Harvard Library
- Retreat or resurgence? : reimaging planning for climate change in New York City. 2022
- HT168.N5 R47 2022g
- Courtesy of Columbia University Libraries
Health Zones
For current information on air quality in New York City, please utilize Data Explorer from NYC's Environment and Health Data Portal. In each topic, you will have a panel on the left, where you can scroll through relevant datasets. When you click on each dataset, the section on the right will change to reflect said dataset, alongside the headings "Summary," "Map," "Trend," and "Links."
Not all datasets will have an accompanying map. These cases will be notated below.
- Asthma
- Under the dataset panel on the left, all datasets that are listed have accompanying data maps.
- A few example maps include:
- Asthma emergency department visits (adults)
- Asthma in public school children (age 5 to 14)
- Children with an asthma attack (past 12 months)
- Explore the portal to see more maps.
- Asthma Triggers at Home
- Under the dataset panel on the left, all datasets that are listed (except "Mold in Homes") have accompanying data maps.
- A few example maps include:
- Health Care
- Under the dataset panel on the left, all datasets that are listed have accompanying data maps.
- A few example maps include:
- Health Impacts of Air Pollution
- Under the dataset panel on the left, all datasets that are listed have accompanying data maps.
- A few example maps include:
- Deaths due to PM2.5
- Respiratory hospitalizations due to PM2.5 (age 20+)
- Explore the portal to see more maps.
- Lead Poisoning
- Under the dataset panel on the left, all datasets that are listed have accompanying data maps.
- A few example maps include:
- Mental Health
- Mortality
- Under the dataset panel on the left, all datasets that are listed have accompanying data maps.
- A few example maps include:
- Premature mortality (he rate of people who die before age 65)
- Death (postneonatal) (Deaths from 28 days old to 1 year old.)
- Worker Health
- Under the dataset panel on the left, all datasets that are listed (except "Work-related deaths (all industries)" and "Work-related deaths (construction industry), Citywide") have accompanying data maps.
- A few example maps include:
Courtesy of Postponing health care dataset on Data Explorer
To find supplementary books and documents related to health in NYC, please conduct the following searches in our Online Research Catalog "Cartographic" NOT checkmarked:
- Keyword Search: Health New York City report
See below for a list of recommended materials:
- Health and medical care in New York City : a report / by the Committee for the Special Research Project in the Health Insurance Plan Of Greater New York. 1957
- RA413.3.H4H424 1957
- Courtesy of Princeton University Library
- New York city Department of health population health survey report : health insurance coverage in New York city. [1965]
- JLF 71-119
- Health disparities in New York City : a report from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. 2004
- RA407.4.N7 H43 2004
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene