A new report claims pollution from coal-burning power plants could be cutting Rocky Mountain snowfalls by as much as 50%. Without water, the success of the West could be its own undoing.
Most of the Southwest, from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, relies on the Colorado River to keep its golf courses green and its lawns lush. Already under threat from constant expansion, the West's water supply is being attacked by airborne pollution according to a new report from the Desert Research Institute. Tiny particles thrown up by coal power plants form droplets too small to fall as rain or snow, thus depriving the West of much of its long term water supply. Despite the findings, dozens of new 'clean-coal' plants are being built in the West.
Thanks to Jeffrey Goodman
Read the full story: Study says pollution may add to drought
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
Atlanta City Council unanimously backs $3.5 billion Beltline light rail project
The resolution was drafted after Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens pulled support for the Atlanta Streetcar extension last year.
SEPTA to bring nearby frequent transit to over 1 million new riders as part of decade-long plan
The agency's Accelerate plan will also bring frequent transit to twice the amount of jobs that are currently located near it.
NYC plants over 18,000 trees, the most new foliage in a decade
Many of the trees were planted in communities vulnerable to extreme heat.
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.
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