Texaco faces a multibillion dollar lawsuit for spilling 1-1/2 times more oil in Ecaudor than the oil tanker Exxon Valdez.
"With U.S. and international oil companies now pushing deeper into Ecuador's virgin rain forest, a review of the documents, new studies, and interviews with current and former Texaco executives and Ecuadorean officials provide a portrait of how the search for oil can wreak havoc on a remote place and its people... Texaco dumped waste water directly into streams and jungle instead of using disposal methods safer for the environment and public health that became common in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. Oil company officials regarded those methods as too expensive to be cost-effective in Ecuador."
Thanks to Laura Kranz
FULL STORY: The Hunt for Black Gold Leaves a Stain in Ecuador

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

Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

Judge Reverses Federal Funding Freeze for EV Infrastructure
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to release funding for the National National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, a $5 billion program aimed at improving charging infrastructure.

Santa Monica May Raise Parking Permit Fees
The city says the changes would help better manage curb space and support its sustainability goals.

Portland Housing Bond Created Nearly 5,000 Units, But Affordability Remains Out of Reach
Despite better-than-expected results from multiple local housing bonds, housing costs and homelessness remain top of mind for many Oregonians.
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