Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Two years after the departments of Justice and Health and Human Services negotiated a historic settlement with Alabama officials to improve wastewater treatment services for Alabamians in majority-Black communities harmed by raw sewage, Trump has terminated the settlement, deeming it “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
The settlement represented a landmark: the first time in U.S. history that federal civil rights laws were used to alleviate an environmental injustice. Its termination represents a blow:
“Conditions in the Black Belt, which spans as many as two dozen counties in south-central Alabama, and in Lowndes County in particular, have been widely criticized for years,” Inside Climate News reports.
“Following a visit to Alabama in 2017, Philip Alston, the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, characterized the situation in the Black Belt as a result of racism and the demonization of the poor.”
Addressing Orphan Wells for Environmental Justice
Remediating and repurposing some orphan oil and gas wells into parks can turn environmental hazards into community assets, promoting health, environmental justice, and accessible green space for underserved areas.
Judge Halts EPA Action in ‘Cancer Alley’ Civil Rights Case
EPA investigations into violations of the Civil Rights Act in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” were ruled as “federal overreach.”
New Orleans Residents Fight Freeways With Science
A local coalition is collecting data that proves the harmful impacts of the Claiborne Expressway on the surrounding community.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service