MethaneSAT, LLC – Ymbar Polanco Pino – 2025
Summary
Ymbar I. Polanco Pino advanced a data strategy for MethaneSAT by aligning consultant project scopes, synthesizing health and emissions research, designing survey and interview tools, outlining a phased engagement framework, and developing prototype educational resources. His fellowship focused on how methane can improve data access, usability, and interpretability so frontline communities can connect methane data to lived health risks. Even as MethaneSAT’s mission shifted, his work preserved strategic goals of data accessibility, effective engagement, and long-term integration into program operations.
Goals
MethaneSAT aims to transform methane monitoring worldwide. It also wants to ensure information is accessible and relevant for frontline communities near oil and gas infrastructure. As an EDF Climate Corps Fellow, Ymbar advanced this effort through a community-facing data strategy. His goals were to: (1) align consultant project scopes to reflect MSAT’s evolving direction; (2) synthesize evidence on methane, co-pollutants, and health to inform engagement; (3) design plain-language survey and interview tools to capture community feedback; (4) draft a phased engagement plan identifying audiences, outreach channels, and accountability measures; and (5) develop prototype educational materials translating satellite data and program strategy into resources for educators, advocates, and local leaders.
Solutions
Ymbar created the program’s first structured approach for making methane satellite data meaningful to frontline communities. He revised consultant scopes to align external projects with MethaneSAT’s evolving priorities and clarify roles, timelines, and deliverables. He synthesized ten peer-reviewed studies showing associations between methane, co-pollutants, and health outcomes, framing methane as a contextual indicator of potential environmental health concerns. To incorporate community perspectives, he developed survey and interview tools in plain language that highlight local priorities and questions for future engagement, and passed them to the internal team for implementation. He also created a phased engagement plan that serves as the program’s roadmap, outlining short, medium, and long-term actions, key audiences, and outreach pathways. Finally, he produced prototype resources including a slide deck and a briefing guide that translate technical data into practical tools for educators, advocates, and local leaders. Together, these outputs established the foundation for MethaneSAT’s community engagement and public data accessibility.
Potential Impact
Ymbar’s fellowship helped MethaneSAT take important first steps toward connecting satellite data with community needs. Revised project scopes clarified roles and kept external work aligned with program goals. The health synthesis highlighted how methane can be understood in relation to broader environmental health concerns, offering a clearer basis for community engagement. Survey and interview tools were prepared for implementation, giving the team a practical way to bring community perspectives into planning. The phased engagement plan provides a roadmap for participation and accountability, while prototype resources make complex data more approachable for educators, advocates, and local leaders. These contributions sustained progress during a period of transition and left the program with tools it can continue to build on.
