A proposal to dam the Peace River, flooding 5,500 hectares (or about 21 square miles), has met resistance from the legal and scientific communities in Canada.
"The $8.8-billion [about $6.9 billion U.S. dollars] Site C dam has run into a wall of opposition from scientists and legal scholars," according to an article by Charlie Smith. So much so that more than 250 scientists and legal scholars signed a "statement of concern" in May regarding the regulatory review of the project.
Among the concerns listed in the statement: "this process did not accord with the commitments of both the provincial and federal governments to reconciliation with and legal obligations to First Nations, protection of the environment, and evidence-based decision-making with scientific integrity."
The argument in favor for the dam proposal is for creating a source of hydroelectric power capable of supplying 450,000 homes with a year's worth of electricity. The article includes more specific lodged by the statement of concern with regard to the review process for the proposed hydroelectric facility.
FULL STORY: More than 250 Canadian scientists and professors sign letter objecting to Site C dam approval
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
Dallas Surburb Bans New Airbnbs
Plano’s city council banned all new permits for short-term rentals as concerns about their impacts on housing costs grow.
Divvy Introduces E-Bike Charging Docks
New, circular docks let e-bikes charge at stations, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.
How Freeway Projects Impact Climate Resilience
In addition to displacement and public health impacts, highway expansions can also make communities less resilient to flooding and other climate-related disasters.
City of Costa Mesa
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
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.