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.
Read the full story: Algae bloom forces closures of Mississippi beaches; could it spread to the Texas coast?
NOAA Great Lakes Lab Loses Key Funding
Cuts at a lab that monitors water quality in the Great Lakes region could harm efforts to prevent dangerous algal blooms.
Predicting Toxic Algae Blooms with AI Modeling
Scientists hope to use AI and machine learning models to forecast water quality issues caused by toxic blue-green algae blooms.
California’s Largest Natural Lake Turns Green With … Algae
A potentially toxic algal bloom has turned Clear Lake in Northern California bright green, fed by increased runoff from human activity.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority