In light of August's drinking water catastrophe in Toledo, Ohio, Great Lakes mayors gathered this week to call for policy action to protect water resources round the Great Lakes.
A group of Great Lakes mayors and other officials gathered this week in Chicago this week to "talk about ways to protect water resources in light of a recent algae bloom in Lake Erie that wreaked havoc with the drinking water in Toledo, Ohio," reports John Byrne.
According to a release from his press office, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has this to say in reaction to the environmental threats impacting the Great Lakes: "This situation cannot and will not be tolerated as the new normal."
The press release also mentions specific policy actions supported by the mayors at the summit, including:
- "USEPA to establish a common limit and an emergency response protocol for microcystin in drinking water for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region"
- "Great Lakes states to establish a phosphorus open lake water quality standard"
The summit was hosted by the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, founded by former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.
FULL STORY: Great Lakes water protection meeting in Chicago
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.