Statistics Institute announces inclusion of Electric Power Authority data in monthly survey of the U.S. Energy Information Administration

Toxic emissions to the environment are the new data added to the interactive map on school and community profiles

These data could support studies on possible associations between the chemicals emitted and health aspects in populations.

March 20, 2023: A new layer on toxic emissions to the environment was added to the “School Community Profile: The Interactive Map” of the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute). This was reported by the executive director of the Institute, Dr. Orville M. Disdier, who explained that the new layer includes data from the Toxic Emissions Inventory (TRI) of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the year 2020. The TRI provides information on the emissions of chemical substances emitted to the environment by facilities dedicated to manufacturing, metal mining, electric power generation, chemical manufacturing and hazardous waste management.

In this case, the emission of chemical substances means that they are emitted into the air, discharged into the water or placed in some type of disposal unit. Chemical substances are those that are associated with the possible development of cancer or other chronic and acute effects on human health, as well as possible significant adverse effects on the environment. This layer makes it possible to identify the facilities that could be generating toxic emissions, what industrial sector they belong to, how many pounds of toxic emissions they generate, what type of chemical is used or processed, and if the emission is carcinogenic or not. “This information is of enormous value for communities, especially for school communities, since it allows, in collaboration with government agencies and private institutions, to generate prevention and health promotion projects, considering environmental and geographical factors. It also provides data that can help support studies on possible associations between chemical substances emitted and health aspects in populations.”, explained Dr. Disdier.

The “School Community Profile: The Interactive Map”, with this other additional layer and all the others, resides on the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute page and can be accessed at any time by interested parties at the following e-mail address: School community profile.

For technical questions about this tool, you can send an email to: preguntas@estadisticas.pr.

About the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics

To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook accounts (@statistics.pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR), Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) and LinkedIn (Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics).

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PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PUERTO RICO STATISTICS INSTITUTE AND FEDERAL ENTITY SHARE IDEAS TO IMPROVE THE COACH TRAINING PROJECT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 8, 2019 — Dr. Orville M. Disdier, Acting Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (Institute) participated in the first meetings this year of the Board of Directors of the Regional Educational Laboratory of the North East & Islands (REL‐NEI), an entity subsidized by the Federal Department of Education. Disdier, who has been a member of the Board of Directors of that organization for some years, reported that during the day, initiatives of great importance for the island were discussed, including Puerto Rico Data Coaches Training, an innovative project that is forming Coaches, within the Department of Education.

“This project is of great importance to the Department of Education because it is through these Coaches, barriers are being identified that may be impeding the development of a culture based on data and removing such barriers. During the meetings with REL‐NEI, we discussed options to continue improving this project,” Disdier explained.

The REL‐NEI's main objective is to carry out scientific research and training aimed at supporting education systems based on empirical evidence. The REL‐NEI translates this empirical evidence into public policy proposals and best practices in teaching and learning processes. REL‐NEI is one of 10 Regional Laboratories and is comprised of Puerto Rico, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Vermont.

Other topics that were addressed and discussed at the meetings were the development of the workforce at the preschool level, learning the English language, effective alternatives to traditional graduation processes, reducing chronic absenteeism, and geospatial analysis to understand barriers to teacher recruitment.

“The mission of the institute is not only to coordinate the production service of the statistics produced in Puerto Rico, but also to promote research capacity and unite academics, researchers and public officials to objectively support government management, in this case, the management of Puerto Rico's public education system. As the official institution in Puerto Rico for the promotion of a data culture, at the Institute we are available to provide our full support to these data coaches from the Department of Education,” explained Dr. Disdier.

Although researchers and academics from the Laboratory for Educational Research and Development (WestEd) and the Education Development Center (EDC) direct most of the research and projects, they work as a team and in collaboration with the governments of all the jurisdictions that make up the REL‐NEI. The Puerto Rico Department of Education and the Institute are an integral part of these efforts. During this and the coming years, the results of these investigations will be announced.

For more information about the REL‐NEI you can visit the following address: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/. For their part, they can access data and information at the Institute of Statistics through https://estadisticas.pr.gov/.

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Contact: Idia Martínez
Mobile phone: 787-603-3200
Email: imartinez@upfrontpr.net

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