Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger acts to protect California's crumbling levee system for the Sacramento Delta. Emergency status allows work to progress without waiting for environmental review.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency Friday for the Sacramento Delta levees, an action that could trigger up to $100 million in speedy repairs to the crumbling system...
Declaring a state of emergency allows the state to suspend environmental protection laws and contracting requirements so that it can quickly begin improving two dozen weakened levees spread over 85 miles of waterways along the Sacramento River and its tributaries...Democrats and environmental groups said Schwarzenegger misused his power to issue an emergency declaration and suggested the timing might be rooted in political considerations...
Because of the emergency action, the state can begin repair work without waiting for reviews mandated by the state's environmental protection law, officials said in a briefing Friday. Schwarzenegger's staff said he won't wait for voters to pass his bond to start construction."
FULL STORY: Gov. Moves to Fix California Levees
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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