Despite official reassurances that residents can safely return to salvage their belongings, the NRDC warns that the soil in New Orleans is dangerously contaminated with toxins.
"Environmental advocates charged Thursday that government regulators were failing to warn the public about contaminants, including heavy metals and banned pesticides, left behind in the soil by Hurricane Katrina's flood. Some of the most contaminated sites, the Natural Resources Defense Council said after reviewing government tests and conducting their own, are in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward, which was opened to the public for the first time Thursday so residents could try to salvage their belongings.
"But Gina Solomon, who led the research team, said residents could become ill by inhaling or touching contaminated sediment. Long-term risks could include cancer, neurological disease and reproductive-system ailments, she said...The Natural Resources Defense Council said its tests revealed traces â€" and high levels, in some cases â€" of a slew of toxins, including arsenic, lead, banned pesticides and mercury.
"'This isn't an isolated problem,' Solomon said. 'It spans the entire city, every area where the floodwaters touched...'"
FULL STORY: Safety of Soil Is Disputed
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.
Most Public Lands Are Safe — For Now
A proposal to sell off federally owned lands was removed from the Republican spending bill on procedural grounds.
Hundreds of New Yorkers Hospitalized Due to Extreme Heat
A brutal heat wave is causing hospitalizations for heat-related illnesses, an increasingly common threat as summers get warmer.
Opinion: Illinois Transit Bill Could Revolutionize Intercity Travel
A bill passed by the state’s General Assembly would create a permanent source of dedicated funding for intercity rail.
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.
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
Sarasota County Government
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)