Two programs aimed at helping residents safely clean up overflows caused by aging pipes are in limbo due to a dispute between the city and the EPA.

Baltimore residents are left unable to access a program meant to assist them with the cleanup from sewage backups, reports Aman Azhar for Inside Climate News.
As Azhar explains, “Baltimore City runs two cleanup programs aimed at providing relief to homeowners, tenants and property managers dealing with sewage backup entering their homes due to wet weather conditions and clogged public pipes.” Now, a dispute between the city and the EPA has stalled the programs.
According to Baltimore DPW Director Richard Luna, the department rejected all 23 applications for funds under the Expedited Reimbursement Program in 2023 and approved 3 out of 33 applications in 2024. “Under the SOS program, Luna said, around $77,000 was given to 11 households in 2023 and four households properties received nearly $44,000 in 2024.”
“A 2019 study documented a number of diseases linked to fecal matter in Baltimore wastewater, which often inundated residents’ homes and basements as a result of a sewage backup. Raw sewage can be especially harmful when residents are forced to undertake the cleanup themselves because it contains pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites, the study said.” Meanwhile, climate change is causing more frequent and severe storms that cause sewer overflows, the report warns.

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

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.

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.

How a Truck Tax Could Save the Highway Trust Fund
The freight trucking industry is a prime candidate for a mileage tax that would boost road maintenance revenue.

Metro Data: LA Transit Ridership Fell Due to Immigration Raids
Metro ridership data reveal how the ICE raids sweeping Los Angeles are disrupting daily life and impacting how people move around the city.

Portland Transit Agency Announces Planned Service Cuts
TriMet says the state legislature’s failure to pass a bill that would have funded transit means it will have to make significant service cuts over the next several years.
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.
Yukon Government
Caltrans
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Norman, Oklahoma
City of Portland
City of Laramie