Residents sue the Chicago Public Housing Authority for potential harmful exposure to PCBs.
According to the attorney for the residents of Altgeld Gardens, a Chicago public housing project, a storage yard onsite "was contaminated with PCBs for more than 20 years, and after four years of litigation, a $10.5 million settlement is in the works....The vast majority of the 6,000 public housing residents suing the Chicago Housing Authority are not claiming injuries linked to PCBs. The suit claims the CHA exposed them to potential harm after failing to properly clean the site at the 2,000-unit Far South Side project.CHA employees stored discarded electric transformers in the yard from the mid-1970s until 1984. PCBs were released after employees dumped oil as they took copper from the transformers. The CHA cleaned the site several times between 1984 and the mid-1990s, but...there wasn't a major cleanup until 1999....Under the proposed settlement, each person would likely receive $750 to $1,000 in rent abatement. For plaintiffs who've left Altgeld, which is the majority, the money would go to any creditor." One former CHA environmental specialist commented,"A settlement of this magnitude will make the CHA more careful of handling future environmental issues."
Thanks to Connie Chung
FULL STORY: $10 million payout near over CHA contamination
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.