Gowanus Creek was channelized in the 1800s and has been accumulating sludge ever since.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun preliminary work on a major cleanup of the Gowanus Canal, which the agency has called "one of the nation's most seriously contaminated bodies of water."
The canal became a Superfund site in 2010, but has been notoriously dirty for much longer—even earning the nickname "Lavender Lake" in the 1900s, Jackson Rollings reports in The Architect’s Newspaper.
At present, 26 million gallons of raw sewage flood into the canal per year, which the advent of new underground sewage tanks is expected to reduce to 11 million gallons per year. Flooding is still a common occurrence for nearby residents.
The dredging that began this month is the first step in a $506 million, multi-phase plan to revitalize the channel. The first remediation attempt in the canal's history, it coincides with recent development interest at the Gowanus waterfront, as well as a community planning process associated with New York's citywide rezoning program.
FULL STORY: The Gowanus Canal is being cleaned up for the first time in its long, polluted life
Big Day for Brooklyn: Gowanus Canal Clean Up Begins
Local advocates are celebrating the start of clean up work on the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.
Parking Spaces Give Way to Stormwater-Collecting Dumpsters in Gowanus
A project proposal from Alloy Development and the Gowanus Canal Conservancy makes creative use of space to achieve stormwater benefits in the neighborhood surrounding the Gowanus Canal.
New York Tries to Dodge Superfund Status for Canal
New York City's Gowanus Canal has been heavily polluted for years. Mayor Bloomberg said the cleanup would happen, but it never did. Now the EPA is calling the troubled waterway a Superfund site and the city is kickstarting action.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.
Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.
LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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