**** EJC2019-2023 README FILE ****

The files in the folder were prepared by Research and Innovation, Elevate, for Illinois Solar For All (ILSFA). Created 5/11/2026. 

The data in this folder are the ILSFA Environmental Justice Communities (EJCs) for May 15, 2019 – May 31, 2023, Project Years 1-5; during this period census-designated block group IDs (denoted by 12-digit FIPS Codes) and their boundaries, were defined by the 2010 Decennial Census data release. EJCs after this date were based on FIPs codes and boundaries as defined by the 2020 Decennial Census data release. 

*** Shapefile notes: ****
The definitions of the Block Groups and their boundaries associated with the 2010 Decennial Census data release; shapefiles are acquired from https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/2010/geo/tiger-line-file.html

*** Table fields (for shapefile and csv): ****
GEOID – FIPS code 
EJC2019 – EJC (based on calculation) in 2019 version 
SD – Self Designated EJC block groups. Note that this ONLY includes the SDs designated in the 2019-2023 period, from Project Year 1-5. 
SD_geog – Municipality, County, or other geography the block group is associated with 
SD_Date – Date of addition to SD list.
SD_py – Project year 
County - Name of IL county
Censusyr - The census year associated with the data (2010).