At a national conference on brownfields, representatives from the EPA outlined how to safely farm an urban garden on top of a contaminated site.
From post on Sustainable Cities Collective:
"Urban garden owners can do a few things. First, they should test the soils in a variety of places for the metals and other compounds mentioned. Second, if they discover the site 'exceeds toxic levels,' they should 'cover a site with clay soil, remove localized hot spots, use raised beds with clean soils, or add vertical or hydroponic gardens.' Gardeners can also go up and add a farm on their roof. Any of these solutions can be extremely productive."
"Beyond the food that is consumed from these sites though, the E.P.A. is concerned about the potential health impacts for someone touching, inhaling, and accidentally eating contaminated soils every day. We are creating stringent soil standards to determine acceptable exposure rates. While these standards may end up 'ruling out many potential brownfield sites, at least gardeners will be kept safe."
FULL STORY: Keeping Urban Farmers Safe
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie