The Gulf Coast is facing the environmental threat of algae blooms that cause rashes, stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.

"A blue-green Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) along the coast of Mississippi has forced the closure of more than 20 beaches," reports Danny Hermosillo. Ron Brackett reported in a separate article that the algae bloom had shut down all of the state's beaches.
As the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) shut down Pascagoula, Gulfport and Biloxi areas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) officials told the public they didn't expect the bloom to spread to Texas.
For more on the causes of algae blooms, and potential mitigation measures, see an article by Michele Burford of the Australian Rivers Institute, written in January 2019.
FULL STORY: Algae bloom forces closures of Mississippi beaches; could it spread to the Texas coast?

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.

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DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
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